Melbourne bot. Garden,
13./7./65.
Dear Sir William.
The mailsteamer for Europe was out of our Bay before the incoming mail reached us;
hence I could not answer to your friendly lines of 25 Apr. before this month;
nor express my grief with your sufferings. Had you not kindly written yourself, I
should have learnt from Professor Miquel of your illness. I trust, venerable and dear
friend, that your firm health, usually so good, will have been reestablished, especially
with the sunny days of the spring. I suffer periodically from bronchial affections
myself and feel then dreadfully dispirited and often very irritated. I have most cordially
to congratulate you to your eightiest
birthday! What a glorious reflection it must be to you when you turn your thoughts
to the past & not less elevating must be your views into the future, when you contemplate
the vast influence your labours at all times will exercise. You have set an example
to the world, that will not by more than one man followed out in a century.
The arrangements of the Ladies for renewing the search after my poor countryman &
fellow wanderer on the path of exploration & natural science
have absorbed much of that time, that I otherwise could have devoted to the elucidation
of plants. So I have not done much. But as interesting I may mention, that a new very
noble species of Ptychospora has been brought from the jungles of the Fitzroy River
and distinguished by me as the Alexander Palm, P. Alexandrae
. It is 80' high & I have no doubt I shall be able to bring the plant into cultivation
of Kew. I know now 13 Australian palms, RBr 4. But how little is this after all compared
with what may be found in Siam, in the Gorilla country, in the mountains of the moon.
Indeed it is almost a pity to waste the time in searching for novelties in Australia;
for certainly not half a thousand truely new plants will be found left unknown all
over Australia. It has often occurred to me, whether not an arrangement could be made
by the greater botanical establishments for uniting in keeping a good collector employed
If Kew, Paris, Leyden Vienne, Berlin, Boston, Melbourne united and each establishment
furnished £50 "- "- annually a collector & staff could be well supported in tropical
Africa or Siam. The collections could then be divided between the supporting establishments
& easily an arrangement be made in such a manner for the elucidation as to cause no
clashing, as each botanist would choose his favorite orders for working up the material.
I should be willing to grant £50 - - for such a purpose annually from my department. You will be astonished that I have
a
from the North East Coast.
Need I say that with every other Botanist am
looking eagerly forward to your synopsis filicum,
a work that will be an eternal monument of your industry. I hope you will grant to
the world also a supplement to the great crowning work of your labours, the species
filicum.
But providence will spare you yet for many other noble deeds, for we are sure you
will become a centenarian, so at least lead us veneration love & ardent hope.
Dr James Murray will collect during the Ladies Search Expedition.
With the friendliest
attachment
yr
Ferd Mueller
I send again a few ferns, of which one or the other may prove new.
