The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne Botanic and Zoological Garden, ¶ 13 August 1861. ¶ My dear friend, ¶ ¶ Your so amiable letter of 14 and 17 June ¶ only reached me here a few days ago. I must record this, so that I am not ...

Document information

Physical location:

MS papers 37, folder 203 no. 519, Haast family papers, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington. 61.08.13

Plant names

Veronica
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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Julius Haast, 1861-08-13. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/61-08-13>, accessed April 17, 2025

Melb. im bot. u. zool. Garten,

13. Aug. 1861.

Mein theurer Freund.

Ihr so freundliches Schreiben v. 14. u 17. Juni traf mich erst vor wenigen Tagen hier, was ich zu bemerken habe, damit ich nicht den Vorwurf der Unachtsamkeit auf mich lade. Durch Unwohlsein (bronchitis), durch gehäufte Arbeiten für Exploration u National Ausstellung bin ich gerade so gedrängt, dass Sie es mir verzeihen müssen, wenn ich nur eilig u. mit wenigen Worten arbeite.

Es hat mich so recht innig gefreut, dass Sie den Tribut der Freundschaft den ich Ihnen in den Alpen dauernd errichtete, so günstig aufgenommen haben.

Ich schrieb ein oder zwei mal seit Sie mich von dem traurigen Loose des guten Dr Sinclair unterrichteten.

Endlich sind in den Edinburgh bot. Soc. transact. einige Ihrer Novitiae bekannt gemacht, wie Sie aus einer Zuschrift an Herrn Travers ersehen werden.

Mögen die Goldentdeckungen doch Ihre schöne Insel ganz aufschliessen, Ihnen Gelegenheit geben Ihre umfangsreichen Forschungen lange fortzusetzen.

Ich will Sie ausserordentlich gern als Ehren-Mitglied unserer R. S. vorschlagen, so bald wir eine Abhandlung von Ihnen erhielten. Dass ich F. R. S. in London ward wird Sie als wissenschaftl. Freund mit Theilnahme erfüllen, da ja bei der streng abgegrenzten Zahl der Mitglieder, sehr sehr wenige Ausländer zu jener Gesellschaft, in welcher Sir Isaac Newton einst präsidirte gehören.

Früher oder spâter wird mir wohl der Genuss werden Sie persönlich zu begrüssen sei es hier oder dort.

Von Hochstetter höre ich wenig u. indirekt.

Nächstens mehr von Ihrem Sie hochehrenden Freunde

Ferd. Mueller.

Haben Sie Gelegenheit den armen Hulk, dessen Adresse ich seit er sein Eigenthum im Kriege einbüste, verlor, von der Publication seiner stattlichen gütigst (ohne Mühe) in Kenntnis zu setzen. Dr Hooker hat die Bestimmungen der neuen Species confirmirt.

Melbourne Botanic and Zoological Garden,

13 August 1861.

My dear friend,

Your so amiable letter of 14 and 17 June

Letter not found.

only reached me here a few days ago. I must record this, so that I am not reproached for negligence. Through being unwell with bronchitis, and through increased work for exploration

M was a member of the Exploration Committee of the Royal Society of Victoria, which at this time was gravely concerned about the long overdue Burke and Wills Exploring Expedition, 1860-1 (see, for example, Exploration Committee to R. Burke, 24 June 1861) and was arranging expeditions to search for the missing explorers.

and the Colonial Exhibition

The Victorian Exhibition, 1861; see B61.13.06.

I am currently so hard-pressed, that you must forgive me, when I answer only in haste and with few words.

I was so very pleased, that you accepted so favourably my tribute of friendship, which I paid you in the alps.

M named a mountain at the upper reaches of the Macalister River, Vic, in Haast's honour, but the name was not adopted; see M to J. Haast, 23 February 1861, and M to J. Haast, 12 May 1861 (in this edition as 61-05-12a).

I wrote once or twice, since you advised me of the sad fate of the good Dr Sinclair.

See M to J. Haast, 12 May 1861 (in this edition as 61-05-12a).

At long last some of your novelties have been published in the Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh,

M's descriptions of Haast's plants were published in the Edinburgh new philosophical journal (B61.07.04) which printed M's paper read to the Edinburgh Botanical Society on 9 May 1861. The paper was subsequently also printed in the Edinburgh Botanical Society's journal (B63.13.02).

as you will see from a letter to Mr Travers.

May the discoveries of gold help to open up your beautiful isle completely and so provide you with the opportunity to continue your extensive researches for a long time to come.

I would really love to propose you as an honorary member of our Royal Society, as soon as we receive a paper from you.

The Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria for the period 1861-5 do not include membership lists. Haast is listed as an ordinary member in the volume for 1866. He became an Honorary Member in 1867.

As a scientific friend you will share with interest that I have become a Fellow of the Royal Society in London as, with the strictly defined membership numbers, very, very few foreigners belong to that society over which Sir Isaac Newton once presided.

Sooner or later I am bound to have the pleasure of meeting you in person, either here or there.

From Hochstetter I hear little and then indirectly.

Next time more from your very respectful friend

Ferd. Mueller.

If you have the opportunity (without causing trouble), please advise poor Hulk,

William Hulke.

whose address I have lost since he lost his property during the war,

The conflict that culminated in the battle between Maori people and British soldiers at Waitara, NZ in March 1860?

of the publication of his handsome .

hulkeana (B61.07.04, p. 157).

Dr Hooker has confirmed the identifications of the new species.