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Document number: 03648
Date: 08 Mar 1838
Dating: 1838 confirmed by Kew controversy
Recipient: HOOKER William Jackson
Author: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Collection: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Collection number: EL 11.145
Last updated: 2nd May 2012

Lacock Abbey
March 8th

My Dear Sir

I have enclosed your letter to Lord Lansdowne, <1> with a strong recommendation from myself to the same effect, but I fear much that the time of the Ministry <2> is so much taken up by politics, owing to the extremely precarious tenure of office which they have, that they will not be able to give it the due consideration which it deserves. It would be a pity indeed if Kew Gardens <3> were to be sacrificed to a pitiful & false economy.

Believe me Ever truly yours
H. F. Talbot

In haste to save the post.

Notes:

1. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780–1863), MP, WHFT’s uncle.

2. Melbourne’s second ministry (1835–1841). Lord Lansdowne was Lord president of the council. Melbourne lacked a bold programme to deal with economic depression and agricultural unrest and his cabinet became increasingly disunited.

3. The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew were in danger of being sold off. Hooker was rallying his influential friends to persuade the government to arrange their purchase for the nation.