166 THE ANTARCTIC VOYAGE : PERSONAL 
bearings, and my only objection is that I should like to 
leave the service, as I entered it, for the Expedition, and 
not for any benefit the service would give me in return. 
However, as you know, T am not independent, and must 
not be too proud ; if T cannot be a Naturalist with a fortune, 
I must not be too vain to take honourable compensation for 
my trouble. 
You, to whom I owe eveiythingr, and on whom I am 
entirely dependent out of the service, are the best judge 
as to whether I should accept the commission and the half- 
pay of 5s. a day ; at any rate, until the plants be pubhshed. 
Were an Expedition to go (like Parry's last) for eight or nine 
months to the North ; or the more especially any land one, 
for about the same time, and offer to take me as Naturalist, 
it is my present expectation to avail myself of it. It 
must be something very good which would put me off 
doing so. 
You have above a full, true, and particular account of 
my Navy prospects, and have nothing to add on the subject 
but the hope that you will not have any reason to find fault 
with the course I laave taken. 
This letter is endorsed by Lady Hooker : 
I do hope I am thankful for Joseph's good sense and 
modest appreciation of himself, even more than for his 
Captain's praise, or than the sweet prospect of his preference 
of his father's roof and employment at home (July 1, 1843). 
These plans met Sir William's full approval. Two years' 
leave on half-pay must sm^ely be granted him for bringing 
out his scientific results. 
' Were I still in Glasgow,' he writes, * and Professor of 
Botany, I might have had the means of securing for you my 
Chair or of resigning it in your favour ere long. But I am of 
opinion you would not like the drudgery of lecturing.' But 
* Merit is generally sure to secure interest,' and the alternative 
suggestion is to come to Kew, to help in the Herbarium, and 
by dint of his publications and botanical studies establish in 
course of time a claim to succeed to the post of Director. 
Such work would be congenial and would bring him into 
