346 THE EETUEN FROM INDIA 



was offered as the semi-official residence of Sir William, the 

 thrifty Government, however, proposing to charge him 100 

 per annum as interest on the capital cost of the new Herbarium 

 accommodation. 



All my Indian friends lift up their hands with amazement 

 at it. . . . But it is an immense advantage that the Govern- 

 ment can have it to declare that you put them to no expense, 

 but that, on the contrary, you give them what interest they 

 choose on their money. 



For some reasons [he writes home to his father, February 

 28, 1850] I shall regret West Park, a very pretty and nice 

 place ; and most of all I shall regret leaving it on poor 

 Mamma's account, who will lose her pets of cows, poultry 

 and pigs. Bessy will miss the garden, and I the wall fruit 

 and the long gravel walk, which I have always cherished 

 the memory of, for dear old grandpapa Hooker's sake. But 

 really I never could endure the big house, without servants 

 enough to answer the bells punctually, and in the rooms 

 of which it was impossible that a dozen persons could be 

 collected together with comfort. ... I must add to the 

 catalogue, the difficulty of getting to town from West Park, 

 of sending to hire a Fly, or that perpetual trial to my temper, 

 the waiting an hour for an omnibus, or the missing it (perhaps 

 both), and iii the rain, may be ! The weary walk from our 

 house to church, all in the mud, for Mamma, the want of any 

 neighbour who can come and spend an evening hour with 

 my sister, and my own midnight trudges from the omnibus, 

 perhaps from Hammersmith, in case of my own staying at 

 all late in town. 



The plan dropped, till in 1855 another Crown house fell 

 vacant by the death of Sir George Quentin, Riding-master 

 to the family of George III. This became the official residence 

 of the Director. It faced the Green and had its back in the 

 Gardens. But it could not accommodate Library or Herbarium. 

 Fortunately another large house close by was now available. 



This was a house which had been purchased by George III. 

 in 1818, at Banks' suggestion, to provide for a Herbarium 

 and Library to be attached to the Royal Botanic Gardens. 

 One of the rooms was already shelved for books. But the 



