Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found, and specific addressee not identified. For the text given here, see Journal of the Bureau of Agriculture (WA), vol. 2, no. 17, 6 August 1895 (B95.08.03); It was introduced by 'The Bureau of Agriculture wrote congratulating Baron von Mueller on the recent attainment of his 70th birthday. The Baron replies as follows :—'.

Congratulatory letter not found. The item was reprinted in West Australian, 12 August 1895, p. 4 (B95.08.05). M's birthday was on 30 June; his letter must have been written in July in order to reach Perth in time to be published on 6 August.

The generous felicitation which you, honored Sir, conveyed on behalf of your important institution, is highly gratifying to me, and I beg to express my deep emotion of gratitude. Whatever emanates from Western Australia has to me a special charm, because I am thereby carried in my thoughts to the vast areas of your colonial possession, which I widely traversed myself,

2

During the North Australian Exploring Expedition, 1855-6, and in subsequent visits to more southerly parts of the colony.

and in which, through discoveries in its rich flora, I have spent some of the happiest times of my life. Your kind allusions to my having shared by introductions from here through a long series of years, in adding to the rural riches of your territorial expansions, touches on subjects I count among the principal achievements — so to have exercised some influence on the geographic explorations in your extensive dominions, at a time when resources for the purpose were slender and facilities few. I felt much elevated by a congratulatory telegram of genial wording despatched by the Hon. the Premier, Sir John Forrest,

3

Telegram not found.

to whose statesmanship and energy the rapid advancement of Western Australia is largely due. It needs hardly my assurance that during what little may still remain of my worldly career, it will always afford me the greatest of pleasure to aid in the grand efforts of your department, and in any other way, to expand further knowledge for the increase of the wealth of your great land, and thus also in the promotion of happiness and welfare among the now already amply spread population.