The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne, ¶ 14 /7/74. ¶ ¶ It had been my intention for a long time, esteemed friend, to write to you; but as the disruptions continue in my administration, ¶ I was not only overburdened with additi...

Document information

Physical location:

Sign. 630.1.1. 4, Arkivet, Svenska Litteratursällskapet i Finland, Universitetsbibliotek, Helsingfors, Finland. 74.07.14b

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Otto Lindberg, 1874-07-14 [74.07.14b]. 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/74-07-14b>, accessed September 11, 2025

Melbourne

14/7/74.

Es war meine Absicht, sehr geehrter Freund, schon seit langer Zeit Ihnen zu schreiben; da aber die Störungen in meiner Administration fortbestehen so war ich nicht nur mit Extraarbeit überladen, sondern es fehlte mir auch der Muth zur geregelten Correspondenz. Es liegt mir indessen jetzt ob, Ihnen mitzutheilen, dass ich vor einiger Zeit durch unsern Collegen Dr Regel dasjenige Packet zurückerhiet,

zurückerhielt.

welches Dr Hampe früher schon hatte. Ich kann mich also über die Sicherheit der Sammlungen jetzt beruhigen; denn ich war in grosser Angst, dass solche in einem Schiffbruch an der Küste Brasiliens verloren gegangen, da eine Kiste für mich dort versank, über welche ich soweit es Inhalt und Sender angeht nie habe Auskunft erlangen koennen.

Es soll mich recht freuen, wenn Sie, als einer der leuchtenden Bryologen der Jetztzeit den Rest meiner Sammlung ebenfalls durchgehen und mir dann das Resultat Ihrer Untersuchung ebenfalls mittheilen, zumal da Sie sicher Ihre Beobachtungen dort drucken lassen.

Wenn mir die Vorsehung Leben und Gesundheit lässt, und ich überhaupt fortarbeiten kann, so will ich Ihnen recht gern von Zeit zu Zeit solche neue moos-sendungen

Moos-Sendungen.

zuwenden als bei mir einlaufen moegen.

Mit besten Wünschen für Ihr Wohlergehen Ihr

Ferd. von Mueller.

Melbourne,

14 /7/74.

It had been my intention for a long time, esteemed friend, to write to you; but as the disruptions continue in my administration,

M had been dismissed as Director of the Melbourne Botanic Garden in June 1873.

I was not only overburdened with additional work, but I also felt too disheartened for regular correspondence. However, it is now my duty to inform you, that through our colleague Dr Regel, that parcel was returned to me some time ago that Dr Hampe had had earlier. So I am able to relax now about the safety of the collections, for I had been in great fear that they had been lost in a shipwreck on the coast of Brazil, as a case addressed to me was lost there and I have never been able to obtain any information about it, either its contents or its sender.

M had earlier reported, in M to G. Bentham, 29 January 1870 (in this edition as 70-01-29a), that a consignment from Baillon returning specimens of Euphorbiaceae had been lost in the wreck of the Royal Standard off the Brazillian coast. No reports of other vessels destined for Australia lost off Brazil up to the time of this letter have been found.

I should be very pleased if you, one of the brilliant bryologists of the present time, would also work through the rest of my collections and then inform me also of the results of these examinations, especially as you will probably have your observations published there.

Lindberg did not publish an account of M's mosses.

If Providence will grant me life and health, and if I am able to continue working at all, I shall be happy to send you such new moss collections as come to hand here from time to time.

With best wishes for your well-being your

Ferd. von Mueller.