29/9/87
Herewith, my honored and venerable friend, I beg to send some uncorrected proof-pages
of part I, "Key to the system of Victorian plants,"
which work is now completed in msc, and will likely be in October through the press.
The method of Lamarck
was for this unpretensive little book not adopted by me voluntarily, but chosen on
particular request of the Vict-Field-Naturalists Club, of which I am the Patron. When
in a few weeks you will receive the complete volume, you will be in a position, to
see, on what plan I was working throughout. The novel treatment is two-fold: 1, abolition
of all terms used in human anatomy and thence in zoology; 2, supportive notes to each
positive characteristic phrase in the dichotomia. The greatest difficulty I encountered
was in choosing such course throughout as would not break the chain of linear affinity.
The innovation "albumentum" rests on a good classic work, and separates the albumen
of seeds from that in chemistry and human physiology. The elder DC already called
the vegetable placenta "placentarium",
and I feel sure, you as a medical confrere will approve of calling the fibro-vascular
tract in leaves by one name, instead of three, as neither ribs nor nerves occur in
plants. "Venules" seemed the best, as veinlets is an expression also in medical science.
The great vena cava, rena portal
stand as you are well aware, to the smaller veins quite in the same relation, as
the "midrib" in leaves to its secondary and tertiary venules. Here I was in a particularly
favorable position, to make these changes, because I have to work here in this remote
and latest settled corner of the world "de novo" for the beginners, and can thus without
local restraint and traditions, some from Plinius
time, stear a new course.
That I have placed the
next to
will doubtless meet with your approval; indeed that seems to me their only possible
position. You are aware, that I am "conservative", and that I have not made these
new alterations in either terminology or systematology rashly or at caprice. If from
your unmeasurably rich store of knowledge you can afford me enlightenment on preferential
positions of orders, I shall be greatly beholden to you, and I can utilize such remarks
then — if divine benignity will spare me yet a little longer for my worldly career
— for likely subsequent editions of this little book.
Regardfully always
your Ferd. von Mueller.
I think you received part II of the "Key"
already with the xylographic illustrations and the systematic enumeration and geographic
notes.
