Creator

J[oseph] D[alton] Hooker

Recipient

John Muir

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Transcription

March 19, '86.Dear Mr, Muir:If you will apply to Dr. Gray he will refer you to a vigorous protest I sent him, at his request, for the government, anent the preservation of the California trees, and I can write no. more if I write till doomsday. The question of forest reserves of all kinds is daily assuming huge proportions, and that of the big trees of California, though the most interesting in the whole world's tree history, is not half so important as that of the California forests generally, upon whose retention the climate and well-being of the West of America so greatly depends.An opinion is gradually gaining ground that the non-interference of the British government in the preservation of forests and the forests of its possessions, is not only a mistake but a crime: and that the giving to colonists absolute right over the timber of their purchased lands is an injustice to posterity: that as a proprietor takes measures to prevent a tenant exhausting the soil and leaving it ruined for a successor, if such can be found, so a government should interfere to prevent states from being uninhabitable by reason of their productive power being exhausted by the greed of the existing generation.I fear, however, that neither in your country or our's are we prepared to favor so paternal a policy on the part of our rulers.I often think of the glorious days I spent in America and of Strawberry. Valley in particular. I have not given up all hope of another trip, though I must confess the chances diminish with years and growing occupations, responsibilities, and drags.I have sent you a little printed matter from time to time. I hope you received them.Most truly yours,J. D. Hooker

Location

[Sunningdale, England ?]

Date Original

1886 Mar 19

Source

Original letter dimensions: 18 x 22.5 cm.

Resource Identifier

muir05_0642-trans.tif

File Identifier

Reel 05, Image 0642

Copyright Statement

Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Owning Institution

University of the Pacific Library Holt-Atherton Special Collections. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.

Page Number

Page 3

Keywords

John Muir, correspondence, letters, author, writing, naturalist, California, correspondent, mail, message, post, exchange of letters, missive, notes, epistle

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