28/11/78.
There are several subjects, dear Sir Joseph, on which I ought to write to you by this
months post, though I am still on my sickbed.
I have to thank you for sending the new part of the Flora Indica,
most useful to me for dealing with the Queensland plants, irrespective of the intrinsic
value of the volumes.
As you proceed with the "genera"
you or Mr Bentham will soon come to Proteaceae, and here I would remark, that probably
will merge into
. Indeed I united the two genera already (see fragm. VIII, 150)
I have ordered from Dulau the new edition of your Students Flora,
so that I may be aware of any changes you may have made. I purchase also (out of
my private means) regularly the bot. Magazine & the icones plant., but as I am taxed
already so severely, it is pleasing to get from you the genera & flora Indica without
outlay. I bought a copy of the genera for my private library, which leaves your copy
for office use.
Should our Premier Mr Graham Berry visit Kew, which he is sure to do, be very cautious
in saying anything that he may take as an excuse of not giving me back again (for
the sake of the politician Casey) my garden, the living plants of which I
daily
miss for descriptive purposes, industrial test, cultural observations &c. I would
not have been protractedly on my sickbed, could I have continued in the healthy exercise
of each day in
my
garden. Try at least kindly to persuade the honorable Minister to give me means for
a
new garden
;
that
will not make the colony poorer, besides may stop the now extravagant waste of public
money on my former place.
It seems to me a great pity, that you should have left Sir Isaac Newton's chair.
I certainly have a vivid recollection of the time I had to spend when president of
our R.S. here (small as it is) in building the hall, sending out the first Camel-Expeditions
&c, irrespective of the routine of the Meetings.
Your offer of Indian plants
I accept in any way & to any extent, without wishing to be immodest, for it will
help me greatly in further investigation of the tropical vegetation of Australia and
perhaps New Guinea. That I will have many rare plants to send in return, you will
see from the slips now again forwarded.
I have written a long and dignified letter of thanks through Sir George Bowen to Sir
Mich. Hichs
Beach regarding the Australian flora;
I gave Kew, your princely Department, full praise, but was compelled to point out,
that your letter must not be construed as if the Flora of Australia was finished,
while Bentham himself writes, that now it was left in my hands.
My adversaries here would at once in their usual cunning manner make it appear that
the
work was closed
, that I was therefore not wanted any longer, and agitate to send me pennyless adrift
on a trifle of a pension. To my Museum (only one room) is not added since 21 years!
Hence when my Indian specimens arrive, I will have to store them in my temporary dwelling,
the rent of which alone swallows up nearly ¼ of my salary.
Regardfully yr
Ferd von Mueller
