Ferdinand von Mueller

1

? MS found with a proof sheet of

Nematolepis Euphemiae

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, a plate of Fragmenta and the original specimen of the plant that M sent to Henderson.

Melbourne botanic Garden,

Sunday 22. Febr. 1863.

My dear Miss Henderson,

I had the happiness of receiving your very kind letter (dated 12. febr.)

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Letter not found.

yesterday, and it was to me a source of pleasure thereby to observe, that my little contribution to your and Mrs M'Haffies music proved acceptable to you. I vainly endeavoured to procure the music of the Huguenots with text, there being in Melbourne no copy available at the time.

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See M to E. Henderson, 8 February 1863.

May I trust that my sending you a small volume of one of my works will not lead you in your artistic enthusiasm beyond using it for an occasional hour of recreation; for I would be quite grieved to think, that possibly thus any undue amount of sedentary occupation might devolve on you. The first volume of the "plants of Victoria"

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B62.03.03.

and the first of the Fragmenta are lying for you in readiness with some stray plates of botanical drawings to be brought to Phillip Island at the first favorable opportunity; and possibly I may enjoy the pleasure of bringing them myself, in as much as it is not improbable, if my departmental duties admit of it, that I may spend an other week in Phillip Island. This may be after the medical examinations are passed at the University, which conclude on the seventh of March.

Perhaps I have to bid you then good bye for some time, as I have been earnestly contemplating to claim one years leave of absense, to which the Civil Service bill entitles me, for the purpose of visiting Europe, where I am anxious to follow up various researches into Medicine and some other branches of science; and I need not add, that as I anticipated great delight from your presence in Melbourne during the cool season, I should be sorry to leave without bidding you previously personally farewell. The longer I postpone to carry out this long cherished plan, the more difficult, I anticipate, will be its realisation. But as I can go only under certain favorable concessions from Government, it remains doubtful whether I shall be able to leave.

The extension of my dwelling

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The Director's house in the Melbourne Botanic Garden (now Gardens House).

is fairly advancing, but will not render my building a tasteful one. I had furnished myself a handsome sketch of the desired extension; but the Office of public works regarded my plan too expensive and adopted an extremely plain one, which, I fully believe, will after all cost quite as much as that I suggested. Under any circumstances however the house will in future offer some airy cool rooms and a fine view over the Garden, and I have asked for the addition of a spacious balcony, whereby much to the convenience and appearance of the building will be added.

Since leaving your hospitable and delightful home I have been labouriously engaged in furnishing my final share to the first volume of Presidents Bentham's work on the Universal Flora of Australia,

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Bentham (1863-78), vol. 1.

and it is quite a relief to my mind, that all is ready for being forwarded by the overland mail of to morrow. I ventured to introduce one of the novel plants, recently received from Cape Arid

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WA.

at the western extremity of the great Australian bight, as

Nematolepis Euphemiae

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, trusting that you will permit me thus to pay a public tribut to your admirable talents and your great botanical taste.

8

The specimen would have been too late to have been included in volume one, which did not include supplementary notes reflecting more recent material received from M after the relevant pages of Bentham (1863 to-78), vol 1 had been printed. In G. Bentham to M, 25 April 1863 Bentham interpreted this as a specimen of Phebalium baxteri, by which time M's description in B63.04.01, p. 149 would have been in press or published.

The plant, as you will observe by the enclosed fragment, is allied to

Correa

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and the second species only of Nematolepis, nor known yet from any other locality, unless it may be burried amongst the unpublished treasures, which R. Brown, the great companion of Flinders, collected at the beginning of this century on our shores, and which he allowed with even the older collections of Sir Joseph Banks, of which he was custos, to remain unnoticed til his recent death, when they passed into Bentham's hands. I have of your plant placed specimina for illustration into the care of our artist.

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B63.04.06, tab. 25.

The plants, collected during Stuarts last overland expedition, are recently sent to me by the South Australian Government.

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See B64.13.05.

With the novelties amongst these, & Howitts

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B63.05.01.

and Maxwells collections I intend to conclude before my eventual departure to Europe the 3. volume of the Fragmenta, which is far advanced in print.

We had a glorious week of gently penetrating rain, which by its almost magic effect of raising grass and herbage, will greatly mitigate the heat during the remaining summer-season.

The little alga, found by Wirlong, is merely the commencement of a larger plant, so that I cannot pass an opinion on it.

If I can gain the time, as I ardently hope, of paying you and Mrs & Mr M'Haffie an other visit, I intend to drive from Snapper point

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Mornington, Vic.

over to Kings Creek, and avail myself of the fisherboat for crossing, in order to save you the great trouble of sending the boat over for me. I could be landed at the muscle

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mussel?

rocks, and walk over to the station. But if I knew the exact time of the trapps coming over, I might be able perhaps to cross by the returning boat. May I hope to enjoy again, when I come, your friendly company in my algologic rambles along your coast and the pleasure of listening to your lovely plays, which contributed to render me inexpressively happy during my former stay in Phillip Island.

I intended to have spoken to you in this letter yet on many other subjects, which may elicit your interest, but must break off, as I have yet a huge correspondence before me for the outgoing English mail, augmented by the letters, which in consequence of the damage of the Columbians mail,

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See M to G. Bentham, 20 February 1863.

I have to reiterate. Promising to write again next week, I beg of you to express my kind regards to your excellent sister and worthy brother in law, and to accept the assurance of my profound esteem and the sincerest wishes for your uninterrupted health and happiness from your attached