Document information
Physical location:
D85/7187, unit 116, VPRS 3992/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 85.07.16Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Thomas Wilson, 1885-07-16. 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/1880-9/1885/85-07-16-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
Melbourne,
16/7/85.
T. R. Wilson Esqr
Undersecretary.
Sir,
In answer to your question, verbally made, how the circumstances arose, which led
to the intended presentation of a copy of the Eucalyptography to the Prince of Wales,
I have the honor to inform you, that incidentally the suggestion was made by me to
Dr. Bride, of such presentation being desirable to his Royal Highness, as now the
work was closed,
I feeling however some delicacy of making a direct request to Government as author
of the work.
1
On 11 July 1885 G. Verdon, President of the Trustees of the Public Library, Museums
and National Gallery, had forwarded a copy of M's Eucalyptographia, intended to be presented to the Prince of Wales, to the Chief Secretary for transmission
to the Prince (C85/7006, unit 116, VPRS 3992/P, Public Record Office, Victoria).
2
Eucalyptographia was issued in 10 Decades, the last being B84.11.02.
As the Trustees of the public Library effect the presentation it seemed appropriate
to suggest the sending through them
on behalf of the Government
, the actual transmission taking generally place through the honorable the Minister
of the Department by his Excellency the Governor. The permission for the dedication
was obtained from his Royal Highness already in 1880,
then also through the Governor, and a copy of the first six decades, which up to
that time had appeared, was through his Excellency then forwarded to the Prince, with
the identical dedication, which appeared at the end of the 10th Decade; but it is
now only that a
complete
copy of the work can be offered to the Prince.
3
See F. Le Patourel to M, 16 April 1880 (in this edition as 80-04-16a).
4
The file includes a copy of a letter from Wilson to the Premier, authorized by the
Chief Secretary, G. Berry: 'By direction of the Chief Secretary I have the honor to
forward herewith a copy of the work on the Eucalypts of Australia by Baron von Mueller
Government Botanist of this Colony, which has been prepared by order of the Trustees
of the Public Library, Museums and the National Gallery with a view to its presentation
to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to whom the work is dedicated by the author.
It may be well to mention that the permission to dedicate the work to His Royal Highness
was obtained through His Excellency the Governor in 1880 when a copy of the six decades
which had up to then been published was forwarded through His Excellency with the
dedication which now appears on the enclosed copy of the completed work.'
I have the honor to be,
Sir, your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller.