Description

Hunter acknowledges receipt of a letter from Hooker informing him of the growing attention being given, back in England, to the oils of Southern India. Hunter writes that they have been trying to imitate London by using museums and collections to inform, but they are experiencing a lack of funds along with a lot of 'petty jealousies' in Madras [Chennai]. They are, therefore, trying to set up a 'society for the encouragement of Science, Industry and Art', based on the Royal Society of Arts in London. He proposes starting with five departments, for which they already have many materials, such as vegetable, animal and mineral products, with metallurgy and chemical analysis. Hunter expects opposition from people such as Dr Balfour and different societies who dislike integration. He believes that this opposition will cause them to lose the use of the Museum and Literary Society's library, however he sees it as no great loss and writes that they will be able to amass a more 'practically useful' library collection themselves. Hunter intends to publish their plans for a 'Society and School of Industrial and Artistic Instruction' soon. He finishes by saying that he will keep Hooker and Mr Jolly[?] updated and will soon send for the oils, gums, vegetable dyes and woods that will form the largest collection. In a postscript, Hunter notes that he has shown Hooker's letter to their Professor of Botany, Dr Cleghorn, who will be glad to assist in any 'scheme of general utility'. Page 1 of 4.

Description

Hunter acknowledges receipt of a letter from Hooker informing him of the growing attention being given, back in England, to the oils of Southern India. Hunter writes that they have been trying to imitate London by using museums and collections to inform, but they are experiencing a lack of funds along with a lot of 'petty jealousies' in Madras [Chennai]. They are, therefore, trying to set up a 'society for the encouragement of Science, Industry and Art', based on the Royal Society of Arts in London. He proposes starting with five departments, for which they already have many materials, such as vegetable, animal and mineral products, with metallurgy and chemical analysis. Hunter expects opposition from people such as Dr Balfour and different societies who dislike integration. He believes that this opposition will cause them to lose the use of the Museum and Literary Society's library, however he sees it as no great loss and writes that they will be able to amass a more 'practically useful' library collection themselves. Hunter intends to publish their plans for a 'Society and School of Industrial and Artistic Instruction' soon. He finishes by saying that he will keep Hooker and Mr Jolly[?] updated and will soon send for the oils, gums, vegetable dyes and woods that will form the largest collection. In a postscript, Hunter notes that he has shown Hooker's letter to their Professor of Botany, Dr Cleghorn, who will be glad to assist in any 'scheme of general utility'. Page 1 of 4.