298 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



personal qualities were significant of one who would 

 make his mark in the world. 



One day, at Banks's house, he met Dr. Abel, together 

 with Thomas Manning, safely returned from his adventure 

 in China and Tibet. The delights of this rencontre may be 

 imagined. But Hooker had given up longing for such 

 examples to copy. He had found abundance of material 

 for study at home, and his first grand monograph, The 

 British Jungermannice, had given him a reputation. 

 About this time the brewery business was given up; 

 and he asked Sir Joseph Banks if there was likely to be 

 any botanical appointment within reach, by which he 

 could improve his income. Banks promptly told him 

 that the Professorship of Botany at Glasgow University 

 was vacant, and he was prepared to use what influence he 

 possessed to obtain it for him. 1 He told him there was a 

 noble Botanical Garden at Glasgow, well endowed both 

 by the University and the City, " toward the development 

 of which Kew would place all its resources." Hooker 

 accordingly went to Glasgow, and remained there with 

 well-earned distinction for twenty years. In 1840 he 

 accepted the Directorship of the Botanic Gardens at Kew, 

 and held it till his death in 1865. He was knighted in 

 1836. 



The ideal Director for Kew Gardens was found in 

 W. J. Hooker. He entered upon his duties to find " an 

 ill-kept garden of some eleven acres, with a few tumble- 

 down houses." It was being neglected. There was even 

 talk of abandoning the Institution altogether. The 

 energy and the taste of the new Director speedily trans- 

 formed its appearance and raised its value. At the time 

 of his death the premises occupied two hundred and fifty 

 acres. The Palm-House and the Temperate House were 

 erected, together with three Museums. Beside all this, 

 a separate building was provided for the Herbarium, 



1 v. notice of Sir W. J. Hooker, in Annals of Botany, vol. XVI. 



