348 MISCELLANEOUS LETTEBS, 1886-1897 



To the Same 



April 15, 1892. 



I shall get the ' Uncrowned King.' x You say he does 

 not seem to be anything worse than a gambler — but did 

 you read my letter ? My father had scores of letters from 

 him from the condemned cell in Newgate, and I found him 

 a convict in Tasmania. I have often heard my father tell 

 the tale of his iniquities. He was the most plausible rascal 

 he ever knew, and narrowly escaped the gallows. E. Browr 

 was much interested in him from his having been with him 

 in Flinders' voyage. 



In the very letter I sent you he tells a lie — that he gavt 

 my father the Iceland dress. My father bought it. I suppose 

 he thought himself safe in telling this to Sir J. Franklin al 

 the Antipodes. 



Ever, dear Mrs. Lyell, affectionately yours, 



Jos. D. Hooker. 



To T. H. Huxley 



The Camp, Sunningdale : April 16, 1893. 



My dear Huxley, — I am all alone and in the place o - 

 Hope — but hoping for what, beyond the completion of tb 

 Flora Indica, is hard to say. Well I am down to Grasses 

 which you may remember is at the bottom of all in th 

 accepted classification of Phaenogs., but there are 800 o 

 them, from the top of the Himal. to Malacca and Ceylor 

 and no one has hitherto digested them. I hope to, fo 

 " it is dogged that does it " — words in which you right! 

 summed up my qualities. 



I am very concerned to hear of your influenza an 

 enfeeblement. Do take care of yourself. 



I had a note from Spencer the other day asking infoi 

 mation about Garden plants — he is still floundering on a 

 acquired habits, &c. He makes no progress. In my apprt 

 hension, if it were a truth Nature would not be so d — 

 sensitive about it. 



I am bothered with bronchitis, and eschew night hour, 

 but go to Kew thrice a week despite Madam's objurgatior 

 — fair weather or foul. 



1 Presumably The Convict King, by J. T. Hogan, published in 1891. 



