The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: 6/10/84 ¶ ¶ Let my best wishes be expressed, highly esteemed friend, as professor and director in Breslau! Thus a magnificent institution that shone under the noble Goeppert, who also was so kind to ...

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Physical location:

Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin. 84.10.06

Plant names

Aroideae
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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Adolf Engler , 1884-10-06. 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/84-10-06>, accessed September 11, 2025

6/10/84

Lassen Sie meinen besten Glückwunsch ausgesprochen sein, hochgeehrter Freund, zur Professur und Directur in Breslau! So kommt Ihnen eine herrliche Anstalt zu, wie solche unter dem edlen auch mir so gütigen Goeppert erglänzte! Eigentlich ist sie unvergleichlich in den Einzelnheiten vieler Details, und hat mit verhältnissmässig geringen Mitteln grosses geleistet. Da nun Sie als Haupt an die Anstalt kommen, wird der thätigste unter den jugendstandkräftigen Botanikern der Jetztezeit trefflich mit einer herrlichen Anstalt für sein Fortwirken vereint, u vielleicht gönnt auch Ihnen die Vorsehung, dort ein semisäculäres Jubiläum zu feiern!

Ich erhole mich jetzt etwas von meinem Pulmonarleiden, u so hoffe ich auch Ihnen mehr gerecht werden zu können.

Die schönen Abbildungen der Aroideen empfange ich gerade mit bestem Dank. Sie bieten auch mir eine Sammlung von getrockneten Aroideen an; recht gern will ich Ihnen dafür trockne Pflanzen von hier senden. Glücklicherweise wird die Sendung jetzt durch ein Expeditions Bureau hier billiger u bequemer. Früher war das Versenden von hier mit ausserordentlicher Mühe u gar vielen Kosten verbunden.

Also der grosse Bentham ist nun auch dahin! Er erreichte das Alter von Sir W. Hooker, Goepperts u Hampe’s. Kuetzing, noch älter, hält sich brav und arbeitet fort, und scheint sich für Longevität an Chevreul anschliessen zu wollen. Der arme Hochstetter hatte sich aber offenbar lange überarbeitet, u ist zu früh dahin geschieden, ohne in sein Riesen Museum einziehen zu können.

Behüte Sie die Vorsehung lange in Ihrem herrlichen Wirkungskreis.

Stets der Ihre

Ferd. von Mueller

6/10/84

Let my best wishes be expressed, highly esteemed friend, as professor and director in Breslau! Thus a magnificent institution that shone under the noble Goeppert, who also was so kind to me, comes into your hands!

Engler moved from Kiel to Breslau in 1884 in succession to Goeppert as professor of botany.

Actually it is matchless how in the particulars of many details, and with relatively small means, he has accomplished great things. As you now become chief of the institution, with youthful vigour, the most active among the youthfully vigorous botanists of the present time, you will be admirably united with a magnificent institution for its continuation, and perhaps Providence will permit you also to celebrate a semi-secular jubilee there.

Goeppert became an assistant at the botanic garden in Breslau in 1827 and remained associated with the garden for over 56 years until his death in 1884.

I am now recovering somewhat from my pulmonary affliction and so I also hope to be able to be more just to you.

The beautiful figures of the I just received with best thanks. You also offer me a collection of dried , for which I shall very gladly send you dried plants from here. Fortunately the despatch is now cheaper and more convenient through a forwarding office here. Previously the dispatch from here was coupled with extraordinary trouble and very high costs.

So the great Bentham is now also gone.

Bentham died on 10 September 1884, shortly before his 84th birthday.

He reached the age of Sir W. Hooker, Goeppert and Hampe. Kuetzing, even older, keeps well and continues working, and seems to want to follow on Chevreul in longevity.

The French chemist Michel-Eugène Chevreul continued active well into his 90s and lived to the age of 102. He died in 1889.

Poor Hochstetter, however, had obviously long overworked himself and departed this world too early, without being able to move into his huge museum.

Ferdinand von Hochstetter had been appointed Intendant of the new Natural History Museum in Vienna in 1876, charged with forming the museum by bringing together all the state natural history and ethnographic collections into a single collection in a new, purpose-built building. However, he died on 18 July 1884 at the age of 55, five years before the museum was finally opened.

May Providence keep you for a long time in your splendid sphere of activity.

Ever yours

Ferd. von Mueller