[[1]]
The Royal Society,
Burlington House, London. W.
Confidential
Kew
June 2/[18]77
My dear Brian *1
You will be no less surprised than I was to see me gazetted K.C.S.I. [Knight
Commander of the Star of India] -- I had been proposed for it some 5 years ago to
the Duke of Argyll, & on hearing of this I wrote begging that it would not be done, in
fact refusing to receive it if done -- (as I have since refused K.C.M.G.[Knight
Commander of the Oder of St. Michael and St. George]) -- The Duke answered
thanking me for my consideration[?] &
[[2]] adding that to his report. The Statutes of the Order would not have admitted my
Enrolment however much he had wished to meet the wishes of *2 those who had
applied to him. Since that time I have repeatedly urged your claim in person with the
D[uke]. of Argyll, [Mountstuart Elphintone] Grant Duff Lord S[alisbury] *3. & with Frere, Mallets &
others. but to no purpose, the stereotyped objection was, that if they went back to
the date of your services, which were so long before the establishment of
[[3]] the Order -- it would be impossible to exclude many others.
Now they have both broken the Statute to put me in the Order, & taken one & me
Entirely by surprise, not even consulting my wishes in the matter. before going to the
Queen.
I found that even Strachey who is L[or]d Salisbury']s bosom official[?]! knew nothing
of it, though he had spent the very day (before yesterday) with him on which he wrote
informing me
[[4]] to my astonishment of what he had done & apologising for not having consulted
me before--hand. In fact my name was sent to the Gazette before Lord S[alisbury].
wrote informing me what he had done!.
Feeling that a "March had been stolen" upon me -- I went yesterday, as soon as I got
Lord S[alisbury's] note to Enquire about it -- & found that it was a Cabinet affair. I
had long been before Mr Gladstone & Disraeli for K.C.B. which I never asked for &
[[5]] finding it impossible to grant this, or to offer me the St Michael & George which
they I [2 words crossed out, illeg.] refused to Lord Carnarvon they struck on the bright idea of
the Star of India -- & giving it in a manner that would preclude render refusal impossible
& the honor special.
Of course I cannot help feeling that the [1 word crossed out, illeg.] putting me into the
Indian Order is a much higher compliment than the Bath, & that with C.B. I am
abundantly
[[6]] recognized -- but I would infinitely rather be plain J.D.H., & I had long made up
my mind not to take a title after 60 -- which I shall be next 30 June of this month!
I have only to add that their granting me this dignity heightens the regret I feel at
having failed to get it for you. who deserved it infinitely better -- In fact I do not see
that I
[[7]] deser my services services at all justify my intrusion into the Order as now limited.
Lord Salisbury's letter was of course a most kind one. I had dined with him only the
week before, & not a hint had he uttered.
Then taking the opportunity of gazetting me on the Queens Birthday & with [1 word crossed
out, illeg.] the D[uke]. of Cambridge as G.C.S.I. is of course all intended to grease
the wheels to my gracious acceptance!-[[8]] We shall I hope see you on the 13 for the Soiree & 14th at Every meeting for
admission.
The Election is on next Thursday.
If you see the gazette before you get this, you will wonder that I made no allusion to
"coming events" in my last to you. but my ignorance was absolute, & I should have
ridialed ridiculed a rumour to the effect that I was even thought of for the K.C.S.I.
Ever y[our] affec[tionat]e | J.D. Hooker [signature]
ENDNOTES
1. Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801--1894). A pioneer naturalist and ethnologist
working in India and Nepal where he was a British civil servant. Joseph Hooker
stayed at Hodgson’s house in Darjeeling periodically during his expedition to India
and the Himalayas, 1847--1851, and named one of his sons after him.
2. The wording from here to "him" is written vertically down the right hand margin of
the page.
3. Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne--Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (1830--1903).
British, conservative statesman and three--time Prime Minister. Served as Secretary
of State for India from 1866 to 1867 and in that role nominated Joseph Hooker for
the KCSI.
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