The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: ¶ After the departure of the poor Paolinis, on their way home, the duty devolves on me now to convey my sincere thanks for the generous patronage bestowed by you on that unfortunate family. At the oc...

Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M1, Library, Royal Botanic Grdens Melbourne. 82.05.00d

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James Holden, 1882-05 [82.05.00d]. 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/1880-9/1882/82-05-00d-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

MS found with a specimen of Gardenia megasperma (MEL 2225989). MS appears to be a draft, with numerous crossings-out and insertions. The draft could not have been written before 23 May 1882 (see n. 3 below), and it is dated to May as the earliest possible month.

After the departure of the poor Paolinis, on their way home, the duty devolves on me now to convey my sincere thanks for the generous patronage bestowed by you on that unfortunate family. At the occasion of the international exhibition

Melbourne International Exhibition, 1880-81. Details of appeal not found.

efforts were made by some Gentlemen of benevolent disposition to raise sufficient fund for the passage of the Paolini family to Italy, but these endeavours were not attended with success, and it is therefore all the more deserving of grateful acknowledgment that this work of particular charity towards people, who as foreigners had so little claim on your benignity was brought to such a happy issue. May I beg of you Mr Mayor, to express also that gratitude due to the many donors, who through your influence helped to brighten up the future of the distressed relations recently residing in your city

In a letter to the editor dated 17 April 1882 (Argus, 18 April 1882, p. 9), the Mayor of Fitzroy, James Holden, appealed for help to repatriate the destitute Paolini family to Italy, asking for donations to meet the cost of passage to Brindisi at the reduced rate of £60 available to the Italian Consul. The Ladies' Benevolent Society also appealed for help to meet the then shortfall of £30 in a letter to the editor dated 4 May (Argus, 5 May 1882, p. 6), and the Argus appealed for the remaining £12 (Argus, 19 May 1882, p. 6). The family left for Venice on Carthage on 23 May (Argus, 24 May 1882, p. 4).

A letter of thanks to the Editor, dated 27 May, was published over the name of the Italian Consul, A. de Goyzueta, in Argus, 30 May 1882, p. 7. The draft in M's hand and the published letter are very similar, perhaps a modification to thank the Mayor or, as suggested by the major modifications made to the MS, a draft prepared by M for the Italian Consul before his letter to the editor was written.