Ferdinand von Mueller

21/6/80

Private

It has just been announced, that H.R.H. the Prince of Wales will honor the International

1

International Exhibition, Melbourne, 1880-1.

with his Visit in November.

2

See Argus , 22 June 1880, p. 5, col, b; in the event the Prince did not visit Australia.

Should you, dear Sir Joseph, happen to meet the Prince, will you then kindly say a few words of my Directorial Career here, which you can measure by what I did for Kew Garden even with my small directorial means. If you do that for me, it will be a set-off against the misrepresentations about my Garden Management, which are sure to be made against me in the most unscrupulous manner during the Exhibition. I may be able to defend myself in my communications with the foreign Commissioners, but I may not have the opportunity to speak to H R H, now as I can see the Prince no longer in my Garden.

I only hope that my reason will not give way in this mental torture, which I feel more bitter than ever now in my helplessness at the approach of the Exhibition! — A little support from you in time 7 years ago might have saved me , and may even now mitigate my distress and protect my professional honor .

If I possibly can manage it, I will fly out of Melbourne during the Exhibition, to save myself against the mortifying humiliation, to which I am so faultless subjected by nepotism & envey and misguiding journalism.