Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Annotations on file cover: 'Date of letter 24. June 1874 When received 29. June 1874' and 'Read at meeting of Council 29. June 1874'; 24 June 1874 was a Wednesday.

Wednesday

Last evening, dear Dr Brownless, when spending some hours at a fete in the hospitable house of Dean Macartney,

2

Macarthy corrected to Macartney (i.e. H. B. Macartney).

I was told by one of the guests, who has long been on the Council of the University, that some arrangements were to be made of my lecturing there.

3

James Casey (Chief Secretary) had written to Barry on 18 May 1874 (UM312 Registrar's correspondence, 1874/19 Grounds, University of Melbourne Archives, Melbourne) saying that 'There will be a vote on the estimates (I hope) for the erection of a Botanical museum in the University Grounds. And it is proposed to transfer the admirable & valuable collection gathered by Baron Von Mueller to the new building'. This may have led to the assumption that M was to be transferred to the University staff or be required to lecture. No direct evidence of such a proposal has been found. The proposal to transfer the herbarium did not proceed: see R. Barry to M, 10 December 1874.

This took me by surprise; for not only have I never been asked, whether I was willing to accept such a position, but more I have always stated with distinctness that I would decline it, even if offered.

It has however been the custom since years to dispose of me without consulting my own views, and it might therefore happen, that such a position was to be a compulsory addition to my office of Governm. Botanist. With all my best wishes for the University, in which you take such a deep interest, I would ask of you the great kindness to inform the Council, that under no circumstance I should add to my duties those of any University position. This resolution is unalterable. You, my dear Doctor, are well aware, that chronic bronchial irritation renders me quite unfit to lecture with regularity, and when I occasionally gave a lecture at the industrial museum or elsewhere, it was under great distress. A position as University teacher was offered me when I was but 21 years of age,

4

At Kiel University? No record of such an offer has been found.

but I refused it on the grounds of my health. I have suffered even the last 2 or 3 months severely from cough.

Moreover I can serve the University and all other purposes of education and information best through my literary labours. In these I cannot allow disturbances to break in except those incident to my office as Gov. Botanist. Sir Will. Hooker in his position as Gov Botanist at Kew never gave in 25 years a single lecture, and so it has ever been with his successor, Dr Hooker. In 60 years of his scientific career R. Brown

5

Robert Brown (1773-1858).

never gave even a single lecture. I accepted from Mr La trobe in 1852 a certain position, and I cannot now late life add to the obligation or move from one place to an other. Moreover the University is ably provided in all, that concerns the teaching of plants by Prof. M'Coy and Dr Bird, and in the event of additional lecturing being needed, it would be found, that more than one man would be got able to enter on such additional duties.

I have still to write four volumes more of the Universal work on Australian plants

6

Bentham (1863-78). M did not write these volumes but he provided Bentham with copious notes and descriptions. By 1874 all but the last volume of the series had been published; M's 'four volumes' presumably include the supplementary volume that was planned but never published, and the two volumes on cryptogams that M constantly but always unsuccessfully urged Bentham to undertake, once the main series was finished.

and that alone will take 8 years more time. These reasons will be sufficient to show, that it would be hopeless to change my mind on the subject. Will you therefore be so friendly to mention this to your University colleagues, so that no useless correspondence may arise. With deep regards always your