The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne ¶ 25/3/74. ¶ ¶ I had the pleasure, dear Prof. Balfour, to welcome your excellent son ¶ and I shall see the young Gentleman yet before his departure, altho' I can not show him now my hospit...

Document information

Physical location:

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, J. H. Balfour correspondence, vol. X, f. 279. 74.03.25a

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to John Balfour, 1874-03-25 [74.03.25a]. 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/74-03-25a>, accessed September 11, 2025

Melbourne

25/3/74.

I had the pleasure, dear Prof. Balfour, to welcome your excellent son

Andrew Balfour, visiting Melbourne on board HMS Challenger; see notes to M to G. Bentham, 21 March 1874.

and I shall see the young Gentleman yet before his departure, altho' I can not show him now my hospitality, as I am homeless myself since my Department was broke up. Dr Hooker advises me constantly to proceed quietly with scientific work, without in any of his letters hitherto taking the slightest notice that I have no proper votes for the purpose, indeed hardly any, not so much even to rent the necessary building-space.

I am dreadfully harrassed socially, financially & departmentally by this ruin, undeserved as it is, and temporary as it may be; so I cannot write more by this post. Always your

Ferd.von Mueller