除了跟達爾文有很多互動外,胡克博士(船長這樣叫他,其實是源自於On the Origin of Species的中譯本,裡頭達爾文叫胡克博士的次數太多次而不小心學起來。)還是英國皇家植物園,裘園的第二任官方園長,第一任是他爸爸。胡克博士在7歲時就已經對植物學充滿狂熱,在爸爸的課學習,雖然職業生涯是從海軍醫生開始並順便蒐集植物,在回到英國後跟達爾文接觸,並整理達爾文在小獵犬號旅程上收集的植物標本,這些經歷讓他足以繼續旅行,甚至接下爸爸的園長位子(怎麼看起來比較像官二代)。
But the truth is that I have so accustomed myself, partly from being quizzed by my non-naturalist relations, to expect opposition & even contempt, that I forgot for the moment that you are the one living soul from whom I have constantly received sympathy. Believe that I never forget for even a minute how much assistance I have received from you.
You speak of my “warming the cockles of your heart”, but you will never know how often you have warmed mine. It is not your approbation of my scientific work (though I care for that more than for any one’s); it is something deeper.