Kew Jay 15 /73.
My dear Mueller
I am in receipt of your’s of 4/11/72. & much distressed to hear of your trials & vexations.
It is not easy for me to indicate or even suggest a course of action — but judging
from what I gather from your friends here, of whom I have seen many & warm ones —
I am disposed so far to run the risk of intruding with the suggestion, that you should
let matters rest for a few months; making no complaint & no stir — & when public attention
is withdrawn from your present painful position, quietly consult a few of your many
powerful friends about your future course; with a view to getting a thoroughly good
active horticulturalist & decorative gardener, to whom I should delegate the ornamenting
& practical gardening; you only interfering in the matter of general directions, Estimates
& so forth. This is the way in which I conduct this Garden, & it is the only way that
could answer — I am not a practical Gardener, nor a Florist; — I am a Botanist & Landscape
Gardener. I look to my Curator for growing all plants, & for the amount & kind of
decoration required to gratify the public — He looks to me for 1. The general plan
of the Garden; 2, the amount to be spent on decoration, — 3 power to cultivate according
to his judgment. All internal
arrangements
of plants in stoves Houses & beds, I order — subject to his assurance that they will
grow well where I place them. He looks to me to provide seeds & plants (except the
merely decorative which he gets himself by orders countersigned by me) — & for all
information as to locations, climates & conditions that the Botanical collections
require.
I can truly say that since I became Director, in 1865 not an unpleasant word has passed
between us: & that we have worked in perfect harmony — Just think over this — I really
do not see how you can gratify the public without a floral display of the kind they
like — nor how you can accomplish this without a Gardener skilled in the modern fashion
of Gardening & who should have a good deal of freedom of action. I set aside a specific
sum for this purpose, & the Curator has absolute control over it, subject to my approval
of his plans & action. So many men are allotted to it, who he engages & dismisses,
simply informing me of it, lest I should find reason to disapprove of his course.
I shall take care to keep your documents private & if I could suggest any course of
action that would help you I should be only too happy. — My motto in all such trials
is: "servate animam aequam".
Thank you a thousand times for your continued thoughts of us under your trials & difficulties.
Capt Stacpoole has arrived with the
which I have to day sent for.
The two
— Booths
& mine are both in our trop: tree fern House — they have as yet shown no signs of
life. The tall
has shot forth a few fronds & I have every hope of it. The shorter but still grand
is pushing vigorously.
takes long to push I find, often 2 years & so I shall not despair of it for so long.
George MacLeay has sailed by the Somersetshire — he takes a box of
rooted variegated
forest trees for you. These I got from Paul of Walham
Cross, & got him to pack them too. I am glad that the case by Niagara arrived well.
You seem to be surprised at Owen's conduct to me — I assure you it is no worse than
to other people — he has hardly a friend in the scientific world, nor has had for
years!
The British Museum is still striving to get the Kew Herbarium & Library transferred
to itself: & a powerful memorial against the transfer is being addressed to Mr Gladstone
by the Botanists of England.
Mr Carruthers is acting a most unworthy part, & by his most insolent demeanour & ungentlemanly
conduct is disgusting his former friends. This of course is private.
Ever my dear Mueller with best wishes for your prospects & earnest advice to say as
little as possible
Ever most truly yr
Jos D. Hooker
