322 BOTANY [Chap. X 



Letter 645 Hibiscus seems a very curious case, and I agree with your 

 remarks. You say that you are glad of criticisms (by the 

 way avoid " former and latter," the reader is always forced to 

 go back to look). I think you would have made the case 

 more striking if you had first showed that the pollen of 

 Oncidium sphacelation was good ; secondly, that the ovule was 

 capable of fertilisation ; and lastly, shown that the plant was 

 impotent with its own pollen. " Impotence of organs capable 

 of elimination " — capable here strictly refers to organs ; you 

 mean to impotence. To eliminate impotence is a curious 

 expression ; it is removing a non-existent quality. But style 

 is a trifle compared with facts, and you are capable of writing 

 well. I find it a good rule to imagine that I want to explain 

 the case in as few and simple words as possible to one who 

 knows nothing of the subject. 1 I am tired. In my opinion 

 you are an excellent observer. 



Letter 646 To J- Scott 



Down, June 6th, 1863. 



I fear that you think that I have done more than I have 

 with respect to Dr. Hooker. I did not feel that I had any 

 right to ask him to remember you for a colonial appointment : 

 all that I have done is to speak most highly of your scientific 

 merits. Of course this may hereafter fructify. I really think 

 you cannot go on better, for educational purposes, than you 

 are now doing, — observing, thinking, and some reading beat, 

 in my opinion, all systematic education. Do not despair 

 about your style ; your letters are excellently written, your 

 scientific style is a little too ambitious. I never study style ; 

 all that I do is to try to get the subject as clear as I can 

 in my own head, and express it in the commonest language 

 which occurs to me. But I generally have to think a good 

 deal before the simplest arrangement and words occur to me. 

 Even with most of our best English writers, writing is slow 

 work ; it is a great evil, but there is no help for it. I am sure 

 you have no cause to despair. I hope and suppose your 

 sending a paper to the Linnean Society will not offend your 

 Edinburgh friends ; you might truly say that you sent the 

 paper to me, and that (if it turns out so) I thought it worth 

 communicating to the Linnean Society. I shall feel grea,t 



1 See Letter 151, Vol. I., p. 220. 



