Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne,

20 Sept. 1887.

To the Right Honorable Sir Henry Holland, Bt., P.C., G.C.M.G., M.P. &c

H.M's Secretary of State for the Colonies.

It is to me a source of great pleasure, most honored Sir, that my mark of homage from the field of science is regarded with so much appreciation by yourself;

1

Letter from H. Holland to M not found; a minute accopanying M's letter asks 'In reply to a private note?', with the reply 'Yes | Put by at once'.

and it was particularly opportune, that I could connect the honored name, of which you are so illustrious an heir, with a tropical tree from an order of plants, in which since 1866 the names of four of your Right honorable predecessors became commemorated within the floral realms of this great Continent for all times.

2

Hollandaea pinnatifolia was named in B83.02.02, p. 33. Other Proteaceae genera named for Secretaries of State for the Colonies are Cardwellia (see M to Edward Cardwell, 26 October 1864, (in this edition as 64-10-26d); B65.04.01, p. 24); Buckinghamia (see M to H. Manners Sutton, 10 September 1868; B68.12.02, p. 248), Carnarvonia (see M to H. Manners Sutton, 21 August 1866; B67.12.01, p. 81), Hicksbeachia (see B83.02.02, p. 33).

Though the expedition, which Mr Cuthbertson now conducts by the generosity of the Victorian Government and under the auspices of the Royal geographic Society of Australia into the highlands of British New Guinea, is mainly devoted to geographic researches, Mr Sayer in his byework as that of a Collector of plants and animals will likely enable us to enrich the records of [...]

3

Word interlined, but the top edge of the paper has been worn away leaving insufficient text to decipher.

the Flora and Fauna of the great Papuan Island, as hitherto only the first and second regions became reached, while likely now the third and fourth zone of elevation will be disclosed to biomorphic science, the fifth and sixth likely to be reached in the closing year of the first Century of Australian colonisation.

4

i.e. 1888.

In concluding, may I remark, that it was especially pleasing to me, when an opportunity aptly occured to me, to offer the humble phytologic dedication, to approach you, Sir, with a sense of veneration at a time, when under your Presidency the Colonies were permitted to share in the Counsels of the empire.

5

In 1887, upon the initiative and under the presidency of Holland, the first colonial conference was held, in conjunction with the gathering to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee as monarch (DNB).

It would indeed be most cheering, if our forthcoming exhibition

6

Centennial International Exhibition, Melbourne, 1888-9.

was honored by a visit from you — a hope which you hold out so graciously.