Ferdinand von Mueller

1

MS black-edged. Annotation by M: 'Meteorite'.

Buxton Derbyshire

Address Kew. Oct 9/65

My dear Mueller

The papers will have carried to you the intelligence of the death of your sincere friend my dear father;

2

W. Hooker died on 12 August 1865.

& very probably Bentham has told you of my severe illness,

3

J. Hooker suffered a severe bout of rheumatic illness after sleeping on the floor under an open window beside his father's bed on the night of 9 August. He did not see his father again (Allan (1967) p. 209).

& has thus accounted for my not writing to you myself. Indeed I think B. promised to do so, but I forget a great deal of what happened in the early stages of my illness. I am now nearly recovered, having been sent to this high & healthy Watering place for the purpose, & I hope to commence my duties as Director next month.

My loss indeed has been & is a grevious one, my father having been for so many years more my daily companion than any other person. I shall never see his equal, for liberality of purse & Library & Herbarium, for genuine kindness, for utter absence of self love or self esteem, & for single minded devotion to Science: he thought nothing of himself in all these matters, & scrupulously avoided applause flattery & distinction — these attributes brought their own reward; — he lived & died more happily than any scientific man I know, & had not a single enemy or even detractor.

I do hope my dear Dr Mueller that our correspondence may continue. I have been for nearly 3 months forbidden to do any duty, & so do not pretend to answer any of your late letters to my father or myself till my return to Kew. The business ones, Mr Smith,

4

John Smith (1821-88), curator at Kew Gardens.

my Garden "locum tenens" attends to, & he has informed me that you are pleased with a box of succulents that we sent you;

5

See M to W. Hooker, 25 May 1865 (in this edition as 65-05-25a).

for which I am very glad. We have to thank you I think for a packet of choice seeds.

6

M announced the sending of seeds in M to W. Hooker, 9 June 1865, and M to W. Hooker, 20 August 1865.

We are to have great changes in the details of management in the Garden, which, with my fathers affairs (hitherto untouched), my own 3 months arrears, & my new duties, will occupy me busily all the winter.