Document information

Physical location:

Wisley Library, Royal Horticultural Society, London. 83.03.25a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Charles Nicholson, 1883-03-25 [83.03.25a]. 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/1880-9/1883/83-03-25a-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

1
Letter tipped into p. iii of the library's copy of B83.03.04. In 1883, Easter fell on 25 March.
Easter 1883.
I have to express my best thanks, dear Sir Charles, for your attentive kindness of sending me the volume of the brilliant orations, delivered by you as Head of the Sydney–University.
2
Nicholson (1878?).
I shall treasure this book as much for the erudite and elegant discourses perpetuated therein, as also on account of the generous feelings, which prompted you in offering this additional Souvenir.
Meanwhile you will have received a copy of the Census of Australian plant-species,
3
B83.03.04.
in which at p. 94 you will see entered the
Hoya

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, named in Honor of Lady Nicholson, and at p. 89 your
Goodenia

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.
4
Hoya

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nicholsoniae, B66.10.01, p. 159;
Goodenia

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nicholsonii, B59.12.01, p. 203, tab. iv. The plants were named, respectively, around the time of Nicholson’s marriage in 1865 and his creation as a Baronet in 1859.
I pleaded in a former letter the cause of Mr Samuel Davenport of Adelaide and of Dr Brownless of Melbourne as among the most deserving of Australians for honors from the British throne.
5
Letter not found.
As her Majesty’s Birthday is soon approaching again, perhaps their long services for Australia will receive on that occasion the generous consideration of the […].
6
One or more lines obscured where final page is tipped into volume.
I have written on behalf of both to Sir Henry Barkly also.
7
Brownless was appointed C.M.G. in 1888 and K.C.M.G. on 2 January 1893 (ADB); Davenport was knighted in 1884 and in 1886 appointed K.C.M.G. The letters to Barkly to which M refers have not been found.
It is stated, that in Sydney Hydrophobia has broke out,
8
See Sydney morning herald, 24 February 1883, p. 25; Australian medical journal, 15 March 1883, p. 127.
of which dreadful disease we had hitherto only in Australia one isolated case at Hobarton.
9
In 1867. See Australian medical journal, vol. 12 (1867), pp. 166-84, and Saunders et al. (1995), p. 43.
It would be a sad calamity, if the condition for that disease had arisen permanently in this part of the Globe now also.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.