[[1]]
Torquay
Sunday
Apr 18 1880 *1
Dear Hyacinth *2
Thank you for your letter received this morning. I am so vexed to hear of your weakness, if your visit does not set you up I must resort to firm measures or you will be entering into a bad state of health.
I was surprised to hear of a lovely morning with you. The forenoon was detestable up to 2 pm -- but we had
[[2]] a lovely afternoon. We lunched with Mr Luscombe.
Today I went in the morning to St. Luke's where I last went to x *3 with Mamma -- it is high x & the music was most excellent. The ubiquitous Mr Newman came to lunch. --
& Mr Bentham *4 & I called afterwards on Sir B[enjamin]. Brodie & on Mr Bowring *5 .
Lady B[owring] is here but though I staid [sic.] 1/2 hour wishing she would come in she did not.
We leave tomorrow morning
[[3]] & shall spend the middle of the day in Exeter & go on to Kew in the evening.
Mr Bentham is well though he has a cold.
Bessy *6 holds up, & sends her love to you.
I miss you awfully, I do not like this going about without you at all.
I will be with you on Friday if I do not hear to the contrary -- but you must let me know if you think I shall be too much for your father.
[[4]] Good bye dearest with much love to your parents and kisses to Gracie *7 & Joey
*8 .
Ever your loving | J D Hooker [signature]

Bessy sends best love.
ENDNOTES
.
1. Date added in pencil, probably at a later stage.
2. Lady Hyacinth Hooker, née Symonds then Jardine (1843--1921). Joseph Hooker's second wife, they married in 1876.
3. Hooker uses 'x' to signify church.
4. George Bentham (1800--1884). British Botanist. Co--author, with Joseph Hooker, of Genera Plantarum an influential work on plant taxonomy which is the foundation of many modern systems of classification.
5. John Charles Bowring (1820--1893). Traveller, Hong Kong businessman, Justice of the Peace for the county of Devon, and keen amateur naturalist.
6. Elizabeth Evans-Lombe née Hooker (1820--1898). Joseph Hooker's sister.
7. Grace Ellen Hooker (1886--1953). Joseph Hooker's daughter by his first wife
Frances Hooker née Henslow.
8. Joseph Symonds Hooker (1877--1940). Joseph Hooker's first child with his second wife Lady Hyacinth Hooker.
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