Document information

Physical location:

MS papers 37, folder 210, no. 596, Haast family papers, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington. 75.04.06

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Julius von Haast, 1875-04-06. 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/75-04-06>, accessed September 11, 2025

Melbourne
6/4/75.
Es ist mir eine grosse Freude zu hören, edler Freund, dass Ihre Gemahlin wieder hergestellt, u so Ihnen und Ihren Kindern zurück gegeben ist. Das Leben muss Ihnen von Neuem aufgehen!
Ihren werthen Schwiegervater sah ich in Geelong, wie ich vorige Woche heim reiste. Er zeigte mir die Pläne seiner grossartigen Wasserwerke. Welcher Verlust für Neu Seeland, so einen tüchtigen Mann vertrieben zu haben. Er schien sehr wohl und vergnügt zu sein.
Bis jetzt ist nicht die geringste Verbesserung in meinen Verhältnissen eingetreten. Trotz dessen dass dies Ministerium die Colonie tief in Schulden gestürzt hat, so dass sogar öffentliche Parke verkauft werden, um einen Theil des Deficits zu decken, trotz dessen kann der Vetter der Frau Ministerin £10,000 für ein Glashaus bekommen! Ich hatte nichts ungeachtet alles Bittens für Conservatorien seit 1858, wie ich das erste Glashaus in Australien für £1200 bauete, ausser £120 für das Victoria regia Haus in 1866. Alles Andere ist jetzt in ähnlichem Verhältniss. Was hätte ich mit solchen Mitteln thun können. Es ist sehr gütig, dass Sie Ihren hohen Einfluss in einer würdigen u. klugen Weise zu meinem Gunsten ausgeübt haben! Ich werde dies in dankbarer Erinnerung bewahren.
Es ist zu bedauern, dass Sie Ihre Reise nach Europa, die Ihnen vielfache Triumphe bringen würde, noch verschieben müssen. Ich selbst machte 2 mal den vergeblichen Versuch, für 1 od
1
oder.
2 Jahre weg zu kommen. Es wäre aber unbesonnen gewesen, hätte ich mich unter der Staatsmannschaft, wie solche in Vict. seit mehreren Jahren waltete, weggewagt.
2
M wrote wegzuwagten, then altered it to weggewagt but did not change the u to e.
Mit bestem Gruss an Sie u Ihre Gemahlin
Ferd. von Mueller
Melbourne, 6 April 1875.
It gives me great pleasure, noble friend, to hear that your wife has recovered again and thus has been restored to you and your children.
3
Mary Haast had a severe nervous breakdown following the birth of her fourth son, Julius Hermann, in December 1873 (H. F. von Haast (1948), p. 682), and went to stay with her parents in Victoria, where her father, Edward Dobson, was engineer for the construction of the Geelong Waterworks. She arrived in Melbourne aboard Otago on 28 October 1874 (Argus, 29 October 1874, p. 4). Julius Haast arrived in Melbourne aboard Albion on 26 February 1875 to join his wife (Argus, 27 February 1875, p. 6) and he and Mary returned to New Zealand on Tararua, which cleared out of Melbourne on 6 April 1875 (Argus, 10 April 1875, p. 14) and arrived at Lyttelton on 15 April 1875 (Globe (Christchurch), 15 April 1875, p. 2). M might have met Haast during his visit, although M was travelling during part of the time; see note 5 below.
Life must seem to be starting afresh for you!
I saw your worthy father-in-law
4
Edward Dobson.
in Geelong, when I was travelling home last week.
5
M had been visiting the Western District, Vic. See M to W. Odgers, 23 March 1875.
He showed me the plans for his magnificent waterworks. What a loss for New Zealand, to have driven out such a capable man. He seemed to be very well and happy.
So far there has not been the slightest improvement in my circumstances. In spite of the fact that this Ministry has run the Colony deeply into debt, so that even public parks are being sold off to cover part of the deficit, in spite of this, the cousin of the Minister's wife
6
M frequently alleged that his successor at the Melbourne Botanic Garden, William Guilfoyle, was related in this way to the Minister, J. J. Casey.
can obtain £10,000 for one glasshouse! In spite of all my requests I got nothing for conservatories since 1858, when I built the first glasshouse in Australia for £1200, except for £120 for the Victoria regia house in 1866.
7
Maroske (1992).
Everything else is now in similar proportions. What could I have done with such means! It is very kind of you that you brought your great influence to bear on my behalf in such a dignified and clever way! I shall keep that in grateful remembrance.
It is to be regretted that you still have to postpone your voyage to Europe, which would have brought you manifold triumphs. I myself tried twice in vain to get away for one or two years. But it would have been ill-advised, had I dared to absent myself under a statesmanship such as that which reigned in Victoria for several years.
With best regards to you and your wife
Ferd. von Mueller.