XXVll 



kept up with all parts of the world, and to the number of trained Scotch 

 medical students who, when seeking their fortunes in foreign countries, 

 continued to send him plants, even up to the day of his death. 



During his residence in Glasgow he was twice offered knighthood, 

 which he accepted from William the Fourth in the year 1836 ; this honour 

 being bestowed on him in consideration of his scientific labours, and the 

 great services he had rendered to botany. His connexion with Scotland as 

 a Professor terminated in 1841, when he was appointed to the Director- 

 ship of the Royal Gardens at Kew. 



It is worthy of being recorded that Sir William Hooker, who from the 

 commencement of his botanical career felt a strong interest in Kew, had 

 never abandoned the secret idea that the time might come when these Gar- 

 dens should be^made over to the nation, and become the head-quarters of 

 botanical science for England, as well as its colonies and dependencies in 

 all parts of the world, and that it might be his fortune to be a chief 

 instrument in bringing about this end, and in rendering Kew an establish- 

 ment worthy of the country. The idea of devoting the Gardens at Kew to 

 this great national and scientific purpose had been keenly cherished by 

 John Duke of Bedford, himself an ardent horticulturist. With that 

 nobleman Sir William Hooker was on terms of friendship and correspond- 

 ence ; and the Duke did not fail to urge upon those in political power the 

 fulfilment of what was with Sir William himself a favourite project. Upon 

 the Duke's death, his son, the late Duke of Bedford, zealously carried out 

 his father's wishes ; but it was upon the present Earl Russell, then Lord 

 John, that the chief weight of the transaction fell ; and it is to him that 

 the nation owes these magnificent gardens. 



In 1841 Mr. Alton, for fifty years the Director of the Royal Gardens, 

 resigned his post at Kew, and was succeeded by Sir William Hooker, who 

 entered upon his duties in command of resources for the development of 

 the Gardens, such as had never been combined in any other person. Single 

 of purpose and straightforward in action, by his honest zeal, and singular 

 tact in making his plans clear and obviously advantageous to the public, 

 he at once won the confidence of that branch of the Government under 

 which he worked. Another means which he at once brought to bear on 

 the work in hand, was his extensive foreign and colonial correspondence, 

 especially that with students whom he had imbued with a love of botany, 

 and who, scattered over the most remote countries of the globe, gladly 

 availed themselves of their opportunities of contributing to the scientific 

 resources of the establishment. His views were further greatly facilitated 

 by his friendly intercourse with the Foreign and Colonial Offices, the Ad- 

 miralty, and the East India Company ; to all of whom he had been the 

 means of rendering service, by his judicious recommendation of former 

 pupils to posts in their employment, and by publishing the botanical re- 

 sults of the expeditions they sent out. Nor can we omit to mention here 

 the late curator of the Royal Gardens, Mr. John Smith, an officer of un- 



