Ferdinand von Mueller

1

For a published version of this document, see Daley (1927-8), pp. 133-4. Also published in Regardfully yours, vol. 2, , with elisions, in Moyal (1976), pp. 182-4. It is not clear, however, that the letter was ever sent. The text given here is unsigned and appears to be a draft; it is not in London but in Melbourne, among a collection of M's memorabilia; and a month after the date on it, in M to J. hooker, 24 January 1864 (in this edition as 64-01-24b), M writes that he is intending to write to Oliver to acknowledge his review (see n. 2), implying that he had not yet done so.

Melbourne Botanic Gardens,

Christmas Day 1863.

My Dear Professor Oliver,

I feel that I owe to you, as the Botanical Editor of Natural History's review my cordial acknowledgment for the graceful and generous manner in which you alluded to my co-operation with Mr. Bentham in his publishing the Australian.

2

Flora omitted? A joint review of Bentham (1863-78), vol. 1, and Harvey & Sonder (1859-65), vol. 2, appeared in Natural history review, October 1863, pp. 497-507, under the heading 'Colonial Floras'. The review, [Oliver] (1863), was unsigned, but Oliver was the botanical editor of the journal.

Not only are your kind sentiments gratifying to my feelings, but they may tend also to mitigate the disadvantage which unavoidably has arisen to myself by the publication of the work in London.

Speaking in frankness to you on this occasion I see no reason to withold from you the fact, that my relation to Benthams work has generally left here the impression on the public mind that I was unqualified to deal with such a task myself, and notwithstanding some favorable remarks by Mr. Bentham himself in the preface, others rather uncautiously written are rather strengthening this opinion. You can, my dear Sir, readily understand, that as an officer of the Australian Government, under whose general range of duty, issue of a work on the plants of this great land naturally ought to come, it cannot be otherwise than painful to me, when I see, in reference to the publication sneers passed on me, or unsatisfactory allusions made to it in the public press.

Though when Mr. Bentham resolved to write the universal Australian Flora I could at once foresee the disadvantages and losses which would arise out of any arrangement I could enter into, I sacrificed my private feelings for what I considered a service rendered to science and in this regard you have done me the fullest justice. Yet though I shall always know to distinguish between my private feelings & my public duties, it will ever remain a source of the very deepest regret, that the brilliant talents of Bentham were not rather occupied in the elucidation of the botanical treasures of tropical Africa or some other region botanically unknown and for the investigation of which the Kew collections would have afforded more ample material, than that such a talent should be almost wasted in the edition of an Australian Flora. I venture to say almost wasted, because in the course of time I could not have failed to carry out most of the same detail work now emanating from Bentham, whilst I feel convinced that as Australian field experience is required to recognize the limits of species, I fear also, that very many of Mr. Bentham's newly established species will not stand the field-test

It is also right to be aware, that in our yet limited and struggling communities here scarcely anyone's leisure allows him to enter closely into the study of natural history as a means of employing spare-hours and that therefore the issue of a work like the Australian Flora might have very well been deferred for some years; You will see this verified in the return of the sale in Australia of such a magnificent work as Professor Harveys Phytologia, though that also refers to Australia exclusively & is a real ornament of botanical literature.

Moreover, the delay of the publication of an Australian Flora for a few years would have been highly advantageous, as now already the material for the first volume has become largely supplemented; and until more is sent by my friends in N. W. Australia and by a special collector I have in the field of N. E. Australia. we will have a very imperfect knowledge what actually the flora of Australia produces.

My plan, so long cherished, was this to work up critically the plants of Victoria and along with them and as otherwise occasion might arise also more or less the extra Victorian plants. This gradually would have give me the material for final re arrangement in an universal work on the plants of Australia, and for its completion I could at least have devoted 2 summers & one winter in Europe for the revision of collections there.

Meanwhile my material for critical comparison would have vastly increased. I have now for instance a set of Steetzs botanical relics, one of the largest sets of Preissian plants, also many of Siebers, and within the next weeks I shall possess from an other source one of the largest of Drummonds collections. Cunningham's and Browns plants, altho' years ago more or less obscure to me, because they were so briefly described, I can now generally interpret with comparative ease, since I have now most of the plants of Australia (in regions where they were collected) represented in my Herbarium. My library has moreover after a heavy private outlay extended so far, that it means but little exertions to render it complete in the literature of Australian plants. Of the present extent of our collections you are able to form an independent judgement. To me it appears, that what I have collected and caused to be collected is more extensive than the contents of British collections of Australian plants, if what was furnished towards them by myself is excluded.

The effect of the existing arrangements has been to disturb greatly my plan of life, to bend much my spirit to proceed on my path and to render me much less buoyant to work as I otherwise should have done.

Having spent the best years of youthful vigour, enormous exertions and almost a fortune on a plan which now to a certain extent had been frustrated, I hope you will make some allowance for the feelings I expressed to you, though what I said was certainly not intended to wound the sentiments of anyone.

3

The text ends part-way down the page, and is unsigned. The document is accompanied by brief notes in M's hand that appear to be points he intends to make.