CHAPTEE XL VIII 



HOOKEK'S POSITION AS BOTANIST 



BY PROF. F. 0. BOWER 



FOR several decades before his death Sir Joseph Hooker 

 occupied a position unique among living botanists. A glance 

 at the list of distinctions awarded to him, as set out in the 

 official list of the Koyal Society, will show the catholicity 

 of his appreciation in countries other than his own. Within 

 the British Empire the leading position had long been his 

 without question. Thus contemporary science gave its verdict 

 in no uncertain way. But the opinion of a period is not 

 necessarily the opinion of posterity. There are, however, 

 solid reasons in the 'present case for believing that the two 

 will not diverge in any marked degree. In attempting to 

 analyse and appreciate those qualities which gave Sir Joseph 

 Hooker his assured position among his contemporaries, it 

 may be possible at the same time to recognise the permanent 

 features in his work. For it is these which will secure for him 

 a prominent place in the History of the Science, as it may be 

 reviewed from some vantage point in the remote future. 



What first strikes the observer is the mere superficial 

 fact of an unusnally long life, zealously used. In the year 

 1837, while still a student, he described three new species of 

 mosses. In 1911 he established several new species of the 

 genus Impatiens. Thus his published record covers a period 

 of three-quarters of a century. Doubtless this was a factor, 

 but only a minor one. What is more important is that to 

 the very end he never grew really old. He never outlived 



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