[[1]]
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Dec[ember] 13 [18]76
Dearest H[yacinth] *1
I have sat down three times to write to you. & been as often called off. Now I have
(3 other) your letters. I feared much that your passage would be a bad one, &
thought of you incessantly:-- it was worse than I anticipated by far: & so the chloral *2
did no good!
Brian [Harvey Hodgson Hooker] has just come in to tell us that the play begins at 7
1/4 this evening; so we
[[2]] shall [take] tea at 6 & go. Your cousin played the part beautifully to me last
night.
This is a lovely bright day with hoar--frost still on the ground. Yesterday was as
detestable in London as with you, but I got my chief business done & back to Kew at
5 1/2 -- driving very slow. The roads were so bad & thronged.
[[3]] I read in bed last night till late (Payer & Weyprecht *3) my feet like stones! I let
them get cold before I went up which was foolish, as I had a good fire here.
Invitation came for 21st to dance at Waterfields after "the old boys dinner" to which
Charlie [Charles Paget Hooker] is going. Harriet [Anne Hooker] would like to go &
Effie is asked.
A Mrs G. A. Lloyd of Richmond has called with her husband. She says she is
[[4]] Worcesterteen[sic], & her name was Parker. She knows E[lizabeth]. Eastlake &
sundries.
Ever my darling will one so fair & loving & kind be my fiancée.
Your Ever Affectionate | J. D. Hooker [Signature]
ENDNOTES
1. Lady Hyacinth Hooker née Symonds later Jardine (1843--1921). Joseph Hooker's
second wife, they married in 1876.
2. Chloral hydrate is a sedative and hypnotic drug used to help one fall asleep and
stay asleep. It is also used to prevent anxiety.
3. Julius von Payer (1841--1915) was an Austro--Hungarian military officer,
mountaineer, arctic explorer, cartographer, landscape artist and professor at the
military academy.
Karl Weyprecht (1838--1881) was an Austro--Hungarian explorer. He is most
famous as an advocate of International cooperation for scientific polar exploration.
In 1871 both men participated in the preliminary Austro--Hungarian expedition to
Novaya Zemlya and led the1872--1874 Austro--Hungarian North Pole Expedition.
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