Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne bot. Garden,

25./11./65.

The announcement, dear Dr Hooker, of the death of your venerable and beloved father has thrown me into deep sadness;

1

William Hooker died at Kew on 12 August 1865 (ODNB).

and when I reflect, how solicitously kind he acted towards even those, who merely were connected with the great departed by the bonds of science, I can understand your grief as a son who lost such a father.

2

See J. Hooker to M, 9 October 1865.

To him it must have been a joyful consciousness to know, that you would continue his great labours & uphold the celebrity of his name; - to yourself it must be a consolation to know, that your fathers name will be held in veneration as long as plants exist in this world, and that he parted at a silvery age in placid contentedness and with a prideful retrospect on his achievements, with a hopeful look on his descend[e]nts.

To me his memory will ever remain very dear! Indeed I cannot yet fully recognize, that I shall receive no more friendly words of encouragement & of consolation from him.

I trust that you are recovered from the severe illness, which prostrated you

3

.Rheumatic fever; see Allan (1967), p. 209.

& that in the continuance of your glorious labours, — ever connected with your fathers —, you will find a mournful pleasure.