The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne bot. Garden ¶ 25/1/64. ¶ My dear Miss Euphemia. ¶ ¶ I received your kind letter ¶ from Phillip Island amidst augmented engagements during the stay of the Frigatte Isis ¶ and have since be...

Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M41, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 64.01.25b

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Euphemia Henderson, 1864-01-25 [64.01.25b]. 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/1860-9/1864/64-01-25b-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

MS accompanied by an envelope addressed 'Miss Euphemia Henderson favor of J. M'Haffie Esq. Phillip Island Western Port | Ferd Mueller' and postmarked 'Melbourne JA 26 64'.

Melbourne bot. Garden

25/1/64.

My dear Miss Euphemia.

I received your kind letter

Letter not found.

from Phillip Island amidst augmented engagements during the stay of the Frigatte Isis

His Imperial French Majesty's frigate Isis, under Commander T. Beeson, arrived at Melbourne on 13 January 1864 (Argus, 15 January 1864, p. 4; Age, 19 January 1864, p. 5) and sailed for New Caledonia on 21 January 1864 (Argus, 25 January, p. 5).

and have since been so pressed with work for the outgoing English mail that I can but hurriedly & briefly reply to your letter, chiefly to show that I am not unmindful. It of course renewes my pain very much to perceive that your venerable mother regards my actions so unfavorably and that the old Lady can not justify the views which as a Physician I hold on one of the most serious indeed the most serious engagements in life. I hope that after a time she will view my sentiments more favorably & will allow me to maintain towards you that friendship, which I shall always offer to you till I have passed from this world.

I received your letter not as usual on a Saturday, but in the middle of the week, & could therefore not reply by last mail.

I send to day the specimen of Claudea elegans to Prof Harvey. Let me know, pray, whether your set of Harveys work is complete.

See M to E. Henderson, 5 November 1863.

I have to appreciate Mr M'Haffies generosity, who has met me most gentlemanly in the Acclimation Society & at a Concert at Prahran.

Melbourne suburb. See also M to E. Henderson, 5 December 1863.

He has evidently noble sentiments & christian charity more than is usually found in the world. I hope you will not exclude yourself from visits to Melbourne & was sorry, that you did not accompany Mr M'Haffie. Can I send you any music?

I had most interesting letters many from some great coëtans by last mail nearly 40 in all. It is indeed a proud position to receive from 10 or 12 of the most illustrious authors in natural Science letters by each mail. Sir Will Denison writes from Calcutta as usual a most kind letter

Letter not found.

& intends to rise as a public antagonist to Darwin. His talent & the power of his writing & his influence are so great, as to give Darwins theory likely a dead blow.

Many British newspapers announced in August 1863 that 'Sir William Denison, Governor of Madras, is writing a reply to Sir Charles [Lyell's] recent work on the Antiquity of Man'. This was published as Denison (1865), issued in a 'second edition' but 'without any alteration from its original form' as Denison (1868). It is based on known rates of population increase and uses statistical arguments to attack attempts to 'vindicate for the race [i.e. humans] a much longer period of existence upon earth than that which has been deduced from the Bible records. … The motive … of Mr Darwin is to get rid of some of the difficulties which the received chronology opposes to his modification of Lamarck's theory of development'.

Let me pray of you that you will forgive all that is past, that you will look cheerfully in the future & preserve me your friendship

Ever with kindest regards

Ferd Mueller