The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: I hail with delight the actual institution of a musical professorship here at our University by the princely munificence of the late lamented Mr. Francis Ormond, ¶ In 1885Ormondpledged£20,000 to found...

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91.03.11a

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Anthony Brownless, 1891-03-11 [91.03.11a]. 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/1890-6/1891/91-03-11a-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Letter not found. The text given here is from 'The Chair of Music. Inaugural lecture by Professor Marshall Hall', Argus, 12 March 1891, p. 5. The occasion, in the afternoon of 11 March, was chaired by the Chancellor, Dr. Brownless, and the extract is preceded by Brownless's announcement that 'Several letters of apology for unavoidable absence had been received and he would read a portion of one received from one of the greatest scientists of the world, who had often shown his love for the cause of music. Baron von Mueller wrote:–'. M's letter is dated to the morning of 11 March, as the latest it could have been written for Brownless to receive it before the lecture.

I hail with delight the actual institution of a musical professorship here at our University by the princely munificence of the late lamented Mr. Francis Ormond,

In 1885 Ormond pledged £20,000 to found the chair, subject to a further £3,500 being raised, which was in hand by 1886. Filling the post proved difficult and controversial (Sellick (2003), p. 320 ff.). M had been at the 'meeting o f gentlemen interested in raising £3000 to secure [Ormond's] donation ' on 3 September 1886 ( Argus , 4 September 1886, p. 5).

and I offer my best felicitations to the distinguished man who fills the chair so auspiciously and thus casts additional lustre on our University.

The inaugural address by Marshall-Hall follows.