274 EETIREMENT, TO 1897 : BOTANICAL WORK 



been difficult for me as one of the old school ; and even 

 had I the leisure for it, it would from my present residence 

 be impossible. 



Moreover, the President has a social as well as a scientific 

 position to maintain, for he is a representative man, occupy- 

 ing a high position in other Scientific bodies. Such a 

 position the Director of Kew has also to maintain, and the 

 two would have worked admirably together. This latter 

 position (social) I have sacrificed under the conviction that 

 Botany will be better advanced by my passing the rest of 

 my days in the study ; and I hope to be allowed to advance 

 the interests of the Linnean to more purpose by contributing 

 papers to it, than I should be occupying its Chair. 



I need not repeat what has passed in conversation between 

 us, about the fatigue to a septuagenarian of conducting 

 duties in places so distant from each other as this, Kew, 

 and London ; nor as to my conviction that anyone occupying 

 the Chair as merely honorary President would not be to the 

 Society's advantage. It is enough for me that no possible 

 arrangements could relieve me of the feeling that I was not 

 doing for the Society what I might, could and should do, 

 or avert the regret with which I should retrospect a Presi- 

 dentship of inactivity. 



My wife and I would have been delighted to have done 

 at Kew, that for the Linnean primarily, which we attempted 

 to do for Scientific Society at large when I was President 

 of the Royal and since that time ; and when indeed we 

 included every Fellow of the Linnean that we personally 

 knew or who held official positions there ; and that this 

 opportunity is lost to us is one of the regrets entailed by 

 our leaving Kew, and I assure you we both feel it in reference 

 to this invitation to the Presidentship. 



It remains to thank you most warmly for your kindness 

 and consideration in this matter, and to express my earnest 

 hope that a successor to the Chair may be found who will 

 be as thoroughly appreciated during his term of office and 

 as sincerely regretted when he retires as yourself. Yours 

 affectionately, 



Jos. D. Hooker. 



For the next twelve years, then, his cardinal labour was 

 to finish the Flora of British India, a life's work in itself, 



