Ferdinand von Mueller

16/12/92

Lass meine tiefe Condolenz ausgesprochen sein, lieber Krichauff, beim plötzlichen Hinscheiden Deines Freundes Hon. Mr Cotton. Es war ein prächtiger Mann, u er war auch einer Derjenigen, von dem ich öffentliche Anerkennung hatte für meine Werke. Sein Vortrag in der Austral. Assoc for Advancem. of Science in N. Z. war ein glänzender. Sollte er Angehörige hinterlassen haben, so bitte denen mein Beileid zu bezeugen. So geht Einer nach dem Andern dahin. Letzten Dienstag war ich einer der Sarg-Träger des schnell erkrankenden u sterbenden Capt Rowan, für dessen Gemahlin ich die Namen für die vielen Blumen Bilder seit Jahren gab. Er war noch nicht 40 Jahr alt. Wenn die göttliche Vorsehung mir Leben u Gesundheit erhält, werden wir uns im Sept ja wieder sehen.

16/12/92

Allow me to express my deep condolence, dear Krichauff, at the sudden death of your friend, the Hon. Mr Cotton.

1

George Witherage Cotton, MLC, died in Adelaide on 15 December 1892. A paraphrased translation of the beginning of this letter appeared as if a quotation in South Australian register, 27 December 1892, p. 2.

He was an excellent man, and he was also one of those from whom I received public acknowledgement for my works. His address before the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science in New Zealand was brilliant.

2

Cotton was President of the Section, 'Economic and Social Science', at the third meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, held in Christchurch, NZ, in January 1891. His address was published in the Report of the meeting, pp. 324-41.

If he has left any family, please express my sympathy to them. Thus one after the other passes away. Last Tuesday I was one of the coffin bearers of Captain Rowan,

3

Frederic Charles Rowan, husband of the artist (Marian) Ellis Rowan.

who got ill and died suddenly; I have given the names for the many flower paintings of his wife for years. He was not even 40 years old. If Divine Providence keeps me in life and health, we will see each other again in September.

4

The fifth meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science was held in Adelaide in September 1893. M was one of the Vice-Presidents for 1893, but ill-health prevented him from attending the meeting.