BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 134, 1 March 1919, Page 11

BOOKS OF THE DAY

A GREAT BOTANIST; "The Life and Letters of Sir Joseph Hooker." The Into.Sir. Joseph Hooker, for fully half-a century ■admittedly the' world's foremost authority on botanical science, died 011 December 17, 1911, liftvfnjf lived to the fino old age of ninety-four. An official biography of this famous Englishman has now been published, "The Lil'o and Letters of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, 0.11.G.C.R.1.," by Leonard Iluxley, based on materials collected ami arranged by Lady Hooker (John Miirray, per Whitcombe and Tombs). It.is safe to say that no biography of a Uritish scientist save, perhaps, Huxley's "Life and Letters," has contained more •■/interesting and valuable reading for all who are interested in scientific matters than is comprised in these two handsome" volumes. Chiefly known to fame as a botanist and as practically the founder uf the wonderful gardens'at Kew, whence have been' distributed so many plants of great use and value to the world, Hooker was almost equally celebrated, (irst as a traveller and'explorer, and second as the friend, confidant, and scientific collaborator of Charles Darwin, whose helper in research lie bad been for several years previous to the publication of that epochmaking, work "The Origin of. Species." lii his earlier career Hooker took' part in Boss's voyage to the Antarctic, investigating en 'route the flora, of Madeira, 'the- Cape de. Verde Islands, St. Helena. -Korguclen Mand, Tasmania, Terra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands,' and JNew Zealand, and sharing ; in the discovery ot the great South-Polar volcanoes, Jlounts Erebus and Terror. It is.worthy of note tlmt he lived to be able to talk over his i experiences.with, such latter-day heroes or t Antarctic exploration .as . Scott and Shuckleton, '' ' On the return from Antarctica-three separate trips : were made through the pack ice in three -successive summersHooker spent, sonie ; time in Tasmsjiia, madeV flying 'trip to Sydney, ?nd otterwards sojourned a while at the Bay oi Islands. Itotiirning to England he was elected 'to:the.Royal Society, and became engaged ■to Miss Frances '-Henslnw, hisfuture Avife, daughter of tho Cambridge Professor of Botany. : - , One ,6f : .the ; most notable of Hooker o experiences was. the pioneer journey lieundertook (in 184") to the Eastern Himalayas and : the -edge of (he .libetan. plateau,-in those, days terra incognita to Europeans.. "He -climbed to an altitude of 19,000 feet and made some; important, botanical, discoyoncs. At one time lie, and his. companion-were held in cap-; tivitv for some-days bv a hostile tribe of Sikkim natives, and were only released when; Lord'Dalhniisie sent ..up troopsfrom • Davjcelinj to: rescue t them. One, resultb'f his'iournev was that excellent book- of travel, "Himalayan Journeys. Tho 'geographical.' data . secured was to prove of grJat-service nearly half a con--tu-.'v lathy when Major Pram and Colonel Youiiglnisband. in .190!!, were the leaders of the Sikkim-Tibet Boundary Commission. Writing to an old in December. J!M. Hooker says: two days ago I' had ft call:, from Colonel YounghunbnTul, of'tho late libetan poditiori. He was staying for two days p(- Arco't, and most kindly, knowing my interest in Tibet, e-nmc over to see me. He » as much amused at seeing, framed and hung up, a telegram which lie and his expedition sent to me on its iirst arrival in Tibet; it was prompted by the fact that they had followed my footsteps of 181.1, since .which year no other hng : lishman had - crossed the frontier. Nor in fact had any Englishman for 50 years ni'pcfiling my "doing eo," For his great service! to India, which included Ills •monumental work on "The Flora of British India," running into seven volumes, and relating to 1(1.000 species, Hookoi was. made a K.C.5.1., and subsequently, ■at King Edward's Coronation, a G.C.ki.i. To follow in detail the biography through its various chapters—every one of which teems with interesting sideliphts on tho lirogress of scientific knowl"dge. during the. Violorian era, the narrative "being interspersed with many interesting accounts of the scientiiic discussions 'of tho day,, and' sharply etched character portraits of Hooker's many friends amongst the notable people of his time, would be impossible. I select for niiotntioii a few extracts referring to the ' 6xcUem'cnt—and bitterness—with t whicJr this discussion of Darwin's theories was conducted in scientific and theological, cirolcs:

Hooker, ivlio had for years assisted; Darwin with, valuable botanical and; other data, valiantlv defended the ■author" of "The Origin of Species" (although not accepting all his enntentions- as. accurate) "jno.it.vigorously when; the great seiontist was attacked by Hie orthodox. Writing to his old friend Harvey (in 1SG0) lie says, iii alia:—

It iB one thin? lo say that Darwin has -ono too far (though 1 do not think so), and another to defend tlie present weak 'illogical prejudices and ignorant attacks of-.-geoloßiEts"' mid . theologians; -;or that, worst of alt class of Frientiflnn-l-gcoloitloal-theologiniiß -like Haunliton,-Jlillcr,.. Sedgwick. etc.,' who are like , asfes between bundles of hay, distorting their .-'eoncciences to meet the double call on their linblio nrofessiou. The tlilllcultics (scicntitic.l of P'ii'"-!!i's views-are i)""a-l|ing,-.but of tlis old doctrinc'iiisiiperablo. ■

The -Hisho]) of: Oxford,: "Sonny, 'ftun" Vvilborforce, prompted • by, - .Owen,-wrote what the-theologian considered a sliiasbj ii ( t article on .Darwin-in Ihe ''piiarveiiy Ile'view." aiid feeling ; was. running 'very high wiien.the Uritish .Association met at Oxford , in ".Tilly, 18C0, and tho Bishnn '.pokf, in a discussion upon a jmper read by Dr. Draper; of i\ T ew York, oil "The liiteilfctiial of "Ruropo Considered-, with'■Ueforenco; to the yic'ws of Mi'.-"l)erwin." . Driiner -h:'d ' been .'"ngwinded and bored his audience; : '.After two other speakers had embarked upon theological' and 'oilier denunciations of Darwin. .Ilonslow,, the Manioiis'tietani'it, who was in'the chair, demanded tlvit. the discussion should rest nhnu scientific grounds only. Then came'the star performer. the Bishop, who, ?.nys' llnokpr.

"«pok® in *"> pj!.fsu!wive .a inannei', n"!l in, such well turned periods that I, ; who Hd been inclined to blame- tho president for allowing a discussion which which could serve no scientific purpose, now forgive liini from the 'bottom of ( my henri."' Unfortunately "Koap.v Sam's" oration, was not allrvethev mellifluous. After declaring, in a li:;bt and airv way, that there wns "ab'-ilutely nothing in the idea of evolution," that "rock-pigeons were what rock-pigeons always have been,", he. passed fronr I ho perpetuity of in birds ''I'd deiiyi'i". « fortiori, the derivation.'of-the species. Jfau from Ane, tried to stir up personal feeling. "Turning lo hi.s antag-Mist (Huxley) .- ith a s'niil"" he,"vied In know whether-it was through his qrand. fnllier or giandmolher that lie claimed, his descent from n monkey." This, pays Hooker's biographer, met, when it came lr. llu.\ley's torn lo sneak, with a cleroi' ' riposte by the scientist. After linvinfl concluded his purelv scientific reply, llux* lev went'On as follows;— T asscrted-and I l-nnnl-lhai i innn lias no reason to be ashamed of haviiiß an ape for his grandfather. If there were an ancestor whom I, should feci sliamc, in jk'callinK-it-would rather, be a man— a' man Of restless ami versatile Intcllcotwho- not" content wtili ail equivocal sue..cess ih; his .own sphere, of activity, 'plunges ' into. fcicntific questions, wifli which he has no real 'acquaintance, only to obscure them by an aimless rhotoric, and to distract the attention of his hearers from the real point nt issue by clo(|iicn diErcssions and'skilled appeals to religious prejudices. After Huxley had spoken, Hooker took a-hand in the game, with what resulthe teiis Darivin in a long and interesting letter. After giving a resume, of his speech, he soy.siSaui was shut up, had not a word to say iu reply, and the i.icotiir; was dissolved forthwith, lcavin; you muster of Ihe ni'ld after four imuiV oatlle. ... 1 lia'vo been congratulated and thanked by the blackest coats and whitest stocks in Oxford. NuMitdays Hit' theologians have, lo somo extent at least, accepted the evolu-

Hon theory,' but in ]SCO the scientist had to buttle hard for an honest and fair investigation of his theories. In private life Hooker appenrs to hnve been a most lovable man. -\ew Zcalnnilers have good cause 'o remember his name with gratitude for his splendid work on the flora of this country He passed .peacefully away at the .great age of iiinely-foni\ his interest in current topics and (lie latest contributions to natural science being keen right up to the end. Ife is buried in the churchyard at Kew Green. The Dean oi minster had offered the honour of burial in the Abbey, alongside the ashes of Lycl! and Darwin', but Hooker's own wish .was to be 1 oid .to.rest in the family grave at. Kew. . hi the. ICew church there, is a medallion to his memory, chronicling the fact that he-was for twenty.'years ]hrector of the Hoyal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Oil the tablet are engraved five plant), portrayed in Wedgwood warn, and representative of Hooker's chief interests. On® of the plants tliv.s associated with, his name is, so New Zealaudcrs will tie interested to know, eelmisia vernieosa (New Zealand). A second medallion has . been jihtcc.d in Westminster Abbey, clofe to the Darwin Memorial. In the appendices to Ihe second volume is a'list (20 pages) of Hookers contributions to. scientific literature, also a..t\velve-piige list of his degrees, appointments. .and honours. There is also an admirably full index. The volumes contain several illustrations,. . portraits of .Hooker, at '.various ages, and ot his friends, etc. '.. Ifr. Huxley's fino tribute to . one of the greatest and noblest of British scientists should find a. place in every public and privato library wortliy tho name.

"The Kaisor I Knew." ' It used to be said, and said by_ persons intimately acquainted with the history of the French '-Second Empire, that D(. Evdns, tho A merican dentist. who lived for .so many years in .Paris, and who, when the debacle .caino, assisted tho exEmpress "Eugenie to escape to England, knew more of the inner .working of Louis Napoleon's mind than any other man, Frenchman Or-foreigner, in Paris. Curiously enough, it lias been reserved for a 11otlier American dentist,. Dr. Davis, for many years the-Court dentist atßerlin, to give us what is probably, tho most close ,and penetrating study of .the exKaiser's- character we : have ever hail. "ThoJCaiscr.l Knew,", by Dr., Arthur. TV. N." Davis (Rodder and . Stoughton), is certainly ■ one of tho most curious and interesting . books yet l'"' 1lished. with tho "All Mightiest as their 'subject.. The Kaiser was 111 the habit of attending .Dr. Davis's dental surgery denial .."parlours" is, I. heliove, the. term usually- favoured in tho laud of Woodrow n'.regularity he rarely, observed in his privata . visits. .He .iva-V says' Dr. Davis; '.a . good . .patient, who courageously refused, .any.. aiiaesthcucs, and seemed,, so,'we are told, curiously 111sensitive •to pnin.-. .13lit it is lio.t with the-Kaiser's fcetli.nov .the. American ilrn-1 tist's 'treatment that,"the book is mainly | concerned. Tho in the habit, of chatting, in a very familiar and friendly way, with the ''Runwugger who.iri "ho favoured■; with ' Ins.: Imperial patronage, and tho inlprest-aiul value 01 the book lies in its reproduction of tho many "allusioiis to and 'criticisms ot ' famous men' and important', events to which William of Ifolicnzollern gave-ut-terance on' tho occasion- of -his visits. ■ The Kaiser was good • enough, for' example; to express- his opinion that it "was very foolish, of the Belgians to defend their neutrality,-and that -"there is no-such thing .as." in.teriiatiQiial law any .more." Dr.-Davis, if lio iiad-any sense of'huinoiir, must' havebeen vastly amused with • Tiis." Imperial visitor'.-?, idea's on"American politics. One ini'lit agree with'the Kaiser that "it is a sad thing for. any country, when it gets iiiio the hands of the lawyers," but the dentist-docldr must surely have chuckled quietly to.,himself when ho was calmly informed that America ''would ne** er become truly-, great.- .until it becomes a monarchy.".. I presume, of courso, (bat the present day-exile had the American "crown" in view fftv a . Il'nhenMilMii • princelet 3 Tr. Wijson w as dismissed .with .(|uiet scorii as an idealist. "Ail idealist can accomplish nothing, -said the Kaiser, .and. eertaiply 'Ilohenzollern ideal's have,-failed, most dismally. |h° Kaiser was good chough to say that Wilson' went into the u*nr so 'tlwt' lie niwrht have. it. seat ,ni: onr. (the German laid r) peac.e table,", but, added, the cocksure JTolienzoileril. "he will iievei' get it, 1 shall prevent it." ... . I • 'Dr.i.Dpvis'ji b.nolc .teems, witu. wyi'lar i.examp'cs of..tlie Kaiser's fa hioiis self-con. roil: .'.and', arrogance., Of ..{lie Crown Prince the author .lias a very poor opinion.. He .is. of man who, if .an American, lhighl . reach (i»n elimax.of his .possibilities as head of a minor daiwrlmpnt in a'dry wods store. Tho.Kaisorin he.stylo' conncious and 'dictatorial.-buthe'greatly e=teem(|d -the.Crown Princess, and fb.° Kaisers sailor son,, Prince, Innee •loachihi, who. was- mentioned 111 .tno cablpsrrami lasf'wrk. as engineering a revivoi of .Imperialism, he says, 'Most of the-faults of the Crown Tnnce. Dr. Davis's book gives many interesting mid ' outortainin" sidelights'upon Court society life, at Berlin during the war,