[[1]]
Copy*1
HMS 'Erebus'. Cape of Good Hope
April 18 1843
(rec[eive]d 14 July)
To Mrs [Mary] Dawson Turner
My dear grandmother,
For the many & kind letters which you have addressed to me at various
periods since the sailing of this Expedition, I have never failed to thank you in
my heart, though I have not yet had grace enough to transmit my thanks in
writing. Albeit small in form & late in the day, you will not refuse to accept of
this acknowledgement.
Having lately sent many letters home, there is very little news which I can now
add, so that this can only be a short gossip about distant friends, nearer to
you than me. Soon after our arrival in Port Jackson I saw young Mr Clowes,
who came on board our ship. He was not strong but seemed fairly well & said
he liked the climate much. The McLeay's were the first to tell me of him; they
were most kind friends to me. It was Mrs (Miss) Clowes who, in a note
conveyed to me the earliest information of my father's having obtained the
Kew Appointment. As you may suppose this gratified me & all his other
friends highly; me, the more especially, as it was the first & last piece of good
tidings that has greeted me about our own family, since the time of my leaving
them all. From all that you say, Kew appears to me a most delightful situation;
whether as regards residence or employment, it suits so well my father's taste
& means.
[[2]] I am very glad to hear that Aunt [Harriet] Gunn has at length got a
trustworthy house over her head, not that the equilateral building can look so
pretty in my eyes as the gables & brick walls of her former dwelling. Does the
Vinery yet exist? Aunt Hannah's house is, I think, in Southtown, near
Gorleston. I often wonder how many she has in it now. You will please to
remember me very kindly to Tom Brightwen in his new character (to me) of
Uncle Tom! Aunt Mary, who most kindly writes me a long letter, says they are
comfortably & happily settled near you.
Gurney & Dawson appear to get on very well in their respective employments.
The former, seemingly, likes his position exceedingly; &, to be fond of one's
profession, is the surest way of shining in it. The latter has written me 3 long &
kind letters, to which I have returned but one, & I fear he will think me shabby.
Aunt Elizabeth informs me that my cousin Inglis is destined for the Bank*2 &
his two elder brothers for College, I can only wish them health & happiness in
their several occupations. Mr Jacobson's name was in a paper that I have
seen, & mentioned as having been unanimously voted to some Lectureship,
what I do not know; but hope it will be good for himself & for those who made
the appointment.
Having now discussed my friends, you will allow me to say a few words
touching myself, & in the first place, I am most glad to hear that your health
continues fairly good, so that I may hope to see you as happy to welcome me,
as you ever want to be. The Music of the Bank is, I fear, all gone; unless
[[3]] aunts Harriett & Hannah sometimes wake up your old associations. Very
often indeed do I think of you & the Meteor Flag of England, & never so fondly
as when a Band or simple whistler strikes up Rule Britannia. Once at
Hobarton, the townspeople gave us a splendid Ball & supper, where upwards
of 300 persons attended. As soon as the officers from ships were announced,
two Bands burst out into that beautiful Air. You cannot conceive how music
thrills through us, when we are the subjects who call it forth; but I would
rather, even then, have heard your single voice singing it; and, I do assure
you, I thought so at the very time. Very little music comes in our way, of
course, at the remote & desolater stations we lay at, & thus we doubly
appreciate it.
Of my situation you will hear enough from my nearest relatives. Our Voyage is
now drawing to a close, without having diminished my passion for travelling.
That, however, can never be fully gratified & indeed such a pleasant prospect
lies before me of prosecuting my favourite science at Kew, that it were foolish
to hope to indulge it, at the expense of my friends' comfort. I am truly glad to
hear that your more than friends, Mr & Mrs Brightwen, continue well & as of
old. How much I shall relish to ride with Mr B to Caistor! Does he recollect the
Harvestmen calling out to him for largesse (I think), & my surprise & total
ignorance of the custom. Orion[?], I hope, is still in existence with Norman to
carry him down.
You will, I am sure, excuse me making this letter any longer as I have many
others to write,-- one to aunt Mary, if possible. Kindest love to all from y[ou]r
most aff[ectiona]te Grandson
J.D. Hooker.
ENDNOTES
1. This letter is a contemporary 19th century copy, not written in the hand of
the original author Joseph Dalton Hooker, and not signed by him. The copy
was probably made by Hooker's Mother or one of his sisters to be circulated
amongst family and friends.
2. Gurney's Bank. Founded by members of the Gurney Family in 1770.
Joseph Hooker's Great Grandfather, James Turner, was head of the Great
Yarmouth branch and the Turner family remained involved with the bank for
several generations.
Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study
electronic image(s) of this document where possible.