Document information
Physical location:
RB MSS 439c, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 71.07.18Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to William Guilfoyle, 1871-07-18. 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/1870-9/1871/71-07-18-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
Melbourne bot Garden
18/7/71
Your kindness, dear Mr Guilfoyle, is quite touching and to me inexpressibly encouraging.
I have very seldom in life met with so much genuine kindness from one, on whom I have
so little claim for consideration.
The plants, so kindly secured by you, have as yet not arrived. Be not impatient should
after arrival I not immediately give much information, or should I delay the backsending,
because the duties for the new forest Board
might fall on me heavily for a time.
1
M was appointed in July 1871 a member of a Commission on Foreign Industries and Forests,
together with Robert Brough Smyth and Clement Hodgkinson. The Commission reported
in 1872, recommending the creation of a central administrative body to oversee the
colony’s forests.
Your likeness I shall ever treasure much,
and now I send one in return made 6 years ago; but I intend to go to an atelier soon
again and then send you a new photogram
2
No image of Guilfoyle has been identified mong M's photographs at MEL, but see M to J. Haast, 29 July 1862 (in this edition as 62-07-29b) and notes thereto.
I beg to draw your attention to two groups of plants, likely to afford yet
novelty
in your district: mosses and seaweeds.
Your list of plants,
occurring on the Tweed, is very instructive and I will utilize it.
3
List not found.
With the best wishes for your success and my best hopes for your building up early
a family domicile I remain your regardful
Ferd. von Mueller.