Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Annotated: 'Mueller'.

13/5/80.

Your kind letter of the 2 April

2

Letter not found.

reached me this day, venerable & generous friend, and afforded me the happiness to learn, that in unimpaired health you proceed with your glorious labours. Your thorough investigation of the Asters

3

Possibly A. Gray (1882).

will give you the best means to judge, what demarcations ought to be applied to that great genus. I still maintain against Bentham & J. Hooker, that it ought to be extended to Olearia, as R Brown also thought.

4

Bentham & Hooker (1862-83), vol. 2, part 1; for Aster, see p. 271; for Olearia, see p. 276. See G. Bentham to M, 18 May 1866 (in this edition as 66-05-18a), where Bentham cites Gray in support of Olearia, and M to G. Bentham, 26 June 1866 (in this edition as 66-06-26a). No published comment on these genera by Robert Brown (1773-1858) has been found.

Pray give me your opinion.

You still, dear Dr Gray, have not a clear view of my position here, which is not so very surprising, as your official obligations were strictly defined to Professorial duties. But my position is as multifariously responsible as Hookers at Kew, indeed in this clime more so, and if I was merely to work on dry plants, my Department would soon be struck from the Budget , as not one among a thousand Australian Colonists cares about Phytography, but hundreds out of the thousands demand guidance & experiments in culture, in this new colony. So an uncautious word in public journals can have the sequence of annihilating the rest of my Department and therewith depriving me also of the Library & Museum! I am sure, you cannot wish that! Now, how can I do justice as Gov. Botanist, if I have not my living plants (grasses, timber-trees, fodderherbs &c &c.) for daily observation around me? How could Hooker be Gov. Botanist of England out of Kew? Your comparison to Bentham does not apply. He was the heir of Jeremiah Benthams fortune, while I am utterly without property except some books & some instruments. He never held any official position, hence he could not feel the pangs of grief to be driven from it. He has no responsibilities of any kind, but I am daily overwhelmed with them in and out of Parliament! He has his fixed income from save property. I am utterly dependent on my salary, which is not fixed , which must be revoted annually, and may at the caprice or illwill of any Minister of the Department be left out on any annual budget, if I cannot show practical work, out of which rural and technical colonists can make a living. Besides it is not a high-minded man

5

William Guilfoyle.

or even one of education, who followed me in my Departmental position, took my House from me, my laboratory, apparatus, irrespective of plants, votes and staff; it is a person, who glorifies himself daily on my expense, with my treasures at the utter suppression and ruin of my position!

No, Dr. Gray, when Ayrton wanted to drive Hooker out of Kew,

6

See MacLeod (1974).

I wrote to our friend "Keep Generalissimus!" The wisdom of that the Kew Director has recognised, though he in dismay was on the point to stick only to the Museum.

Moreover my phthisic taint requires me to oxygenate my blood well, by exercise in the open air, which I got in the Garden daily, while now, deprived almost of all help, I have to keep very long hours in the Office and study, so that tuberculosis is sure to get developed as it was finally with Harvey.

7

William Harvey died of tuberculosis on 15 May 1866.

However I feel a little better, than when I last wrote, though the helplessness of my position and the degradation of my Department has never been felt so keenly by me than now , when the great Exhibition is approaching!

8

International Exhibition, Melbourne, 1880.

The Garden of Melbourne is practically shut to me, even if it had not been largely turned in to Lawns & Ribbon-plots!

It is very thoughtful of you to send me your sermon-lectures.

9

A. Gray (1880).

They will be glorious. Probably I get them to morrow with the parcels. Will send you in reciprocity the print of the lecture on what the Clergy had done for the Natural Sciences.

10

B77.13.05.

Ever your