A MATTEK OF POLITICS 205 
and more on the Professorship, while the Town had done 
nothing for either. 
At this juncture Balfour revoked his refusal to take the 
Chair without the Garden. The Town Council were put on 
their mettle to show the Crown that they had a power, and 
as they truly said, they wanted a lecturer rather than a 
botanist pm'e and simple, however overwhelming his testimo- 
nials might be. 
Tactically, had Hooker wished to push his claims, this move 
would have left him in a strong, if rather absurd position. 
Suppose the two chairs separated ; it was the Eegius Professor 
with his £150 a year whose ticket must be accepted by all the 
faculties for the University degree, and the College professor 
would be ' dished.' But for all reasons, including Government 
goodwill, it was preferable to conciliate the Town Council, and 
far preferable indeed, were it only possible, to have the Garden 
alone with £300 a year than a Professorship at twice the salary 
and College troubles and Town Council odium. 
One councillor, unaware of the great difference in attractive- 
ness between the two posts, proposed that the Edinburgh 
man should stay in Edinburgh, while Hooker received the 
Glasgow chair, thus keeping both in Scotland. Hooker un- 
deceived him ; this consummation was only possible by electing 
him to Edinburgh. 
Finally the election became wholly a matter of politics, 
even with the Provost, and local interests prevailed. 
