The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne botan. Garden, ¶ 15 Apr. 62. ¶ Sir William. ¶ ¶ Observing that a new session of the Exploration Committee of the Royal Society will commence after the adoption of the Committees report, I f...

Document information

Physical location:

MS 13071 Royal Society of Victoria Exploration Committee records, box 2078/3, La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne. 62.04.15

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to William Stawell, 1862-04-15. 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//letters/1860-9/1862/62-04-15-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

MS black-edged; M's sister, Bertha Doughty, died on 7 September 1861.

Melbourne botan. Garden,

15 Apr. 62.

Sir William.

Observing that a new session of the Exploration Committee of the Royal Society will commence after the adoption of the Committees report, I feel it incumbent on me to state, that arrangements, into which I have entered with Mr Bentham, the President of the Linnean Society, for sharing in the elaboration of his universal work on Australian plants, prevent me from devoting in future the time necessary to participate in the administrative duties of the Committee.

I can safely affirm, that the call on my time for the purpose of serving in our community the cause of exploration has during the last five years been extensive indeed, so much so, that I should not have felt justified to withdraw it from other engagement, had I not imbibed in my former travels a deep and ardent desire to see the geographical features of our great country early and completely unveiled, and had I not felt persuaded, that the [re]searches instituted under the auspices of the Exploration Committee would tend to manyfold advantages of the present & future generations of this country.

Under the additional and specially professional duties devolving now, should providence grant me life & health, for a series of years on myself, I consider it a duty to tender hereby my resignation as a member of the Exploration Committee, but I beg simultaneously to express my readiness to afford, on any special occasion, when advise or information may be desired from myself, my counsels to the Committee.

With cordial wishes for the future labours of the expeditions, I remain, my dear Sir William,

regardfully yours

Ferd. Mueller.

His Honor

Sir Will. Stawell, Kn.,

Chairman of the Exploration Committee.

M's letter was read at a meeting of the Exploration Committee on 14 April 1862 (!). John Macadam, who was in the chair, moved a motion, which was seconded by Capt Cadell, that a minute be put on the books expressing the Committee's gratitude for M's valuable services. Stawell arrived at this point and took the chair. After further discussion it was decided that M's resignation should stand over until a future meeting. No such future consideration seems to have eventuated, but M continued to attend meetings from time to time thereafter (Box 2088B/1, box 2075/3a).

See also M to J. Macadam, 15 April 1862 (in this edition as 62-04-15b), in which M tenders his resignation from the Council of the Royal Society of Victoria.