444 PEKSONALIA : 1898-1906 



petitive system. It was for the E.I.C. Army and Navy 

 Medical Department. I took all comers in Science for 

 12 years — during the first few not 50 per cent, knew the 

 freezing and boiling points of water ! This was nearly half 

 a century ago ! 



All at The Camp fell victims to the epidemic. Hooker 

 in particular was badly hit, and with Lady Hooker went to 

 recruit at Bournemouth. * I have neither taste nor smell,' 

 he wrote, * per contra my hearing is improved.' But other 

 sequel© followed, and at midsummer they took the waters 

 at Harrogate. 



My Ehododendrons [he tells Lord Kedesdale on June 14] 

 have just burst into full bloom, and I was meditating the 

 proposal that you should come and see them when a bad 

 attack of eczema determined me to lose no time in starting 

 for this place. I shall thus lose the sight of my place in its 

 glory : but on the other hand be spared the horrid sight of 

 seeing the Ehododendrons go into widows' weeds, or rather 

 commence wearing the green willow for eleven consecutive 

 months on end. 



Meantime [he tells Mrs. Lyell, on April 22] Kew still claims 

 about one day of the week, devoted to the Botanical Magazine, 

 and I occupy my days here chiefly in dissecting plants for the 

 good of Kew Herbarium, and drawing the analyses on the 

 sheets for the use of those coming after me. This work, 

 dissecting flowers, fruits and seeds, has been a lifelong passion 

 with me. I often think of my dear father working on his 

 Ferns with unabated energy up to the very week of his death. 



Then in October and November they were at Weston. 

 He had had bronchitis, his youngest son whooping cough. 

 Having thrown off the effects of the influenza, he was able 

 to winter at home, escaping with no more than a touch of 

 bronchitis in February, which temporarily kept him from going 

 to London to attend the Antarctic Committee. Till summer 

 returned, he had to be cautious about visiting far afield, 

 but in June attended the Jubilee of Glasgow University, and 

 renewed his old memories of the Clyde and Edinburgh, now 

 so different. 



