Ferdinand von Mueller

1

The letter does not have an addressee but was found among Casey's papers and clearly refers to a meeting that M had with Casey on 11 July 1872. For a report of this meeting see M to J. Hooker, 15 July 1872, n. 3.

Melbourne

11/7/72

I feel, honorable and dear Sir, that I owe you an early and special expression of my thanks for the graceful urbanity and uninbiassed impartiality, with which you treated me during the long interview this day. I feel my hopes of life quite revived and feel confident again under your and your honorable colleagues administration for the future. If in my deep depression of mind, which well nigh merged on desperation, I have ever said or done anything, that could give the least umbrage, I trust it will be over looked under the very exceptional circumstances in which I was placed. Allow me to assure you, that everything will be done by me with renewed hopes of life to give satisfaction to my superiors, and I trust that I may have the happiness under your able administration to help in building up a Forest department (though inexpensive only) for the next generations. It was my intention to have asked you to allow me the honor of introducing to you some day soon the Chevalier Dr Christopherson, who is commissioned by his Maj. the King of Sweden and Norway to visit Australia with a view of extending the commercial relations of Scandinavia, and who is anxious to pay his homage to all Ministers.