Bidspirit auction | HOOKER JOSEPH DALTON: (1817-1911)

HOOKER JOSEPH DALTON: (1817-1911) - HOOKER JOSEPH DALTON: (1817-1911) English botanist and explorer, a founder of geographical botany who served as director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew and was Charles Darwin´s closest friend. A.L.S., Jos D Hooker , four pages, small 8vo, The Camp, Sunningdale, Christmas 1885, to ´My dear Brine´ . Hooker commences his letter stating ´If you could tell me more about how much land you would like here, I would prepare the way for you by enquiry of the landlord as to sites & prices´ , adding ´If you like hills, pines & heather, this is perfection, the soil delightful & views charming´ , and further explaining ´I am at present the only settler on the property, which consists of about 400 acres, called Windlesham Court. Of this the proprietor.....intends keeping the Court House (which he has made a nice place of) and a hundred or two of acres around it, & to sell the rest for Villa residences in plots of 5 acres & upwards. He has not advertised the land & is in no hurry to sell. When he does he will probably price the sites according to relative beauty & value of soil.....so that you, like me, would advantage by not waiting for that. The fact is that he is rather wanting a good class of gentleman about him, then money, & the opportunity is a good one for men like us who don´t want large plots´ . Hooker concludes by inviting his correspondent and their wife to come and visit one day. VG