I feel that I discharge a duty in recommending to the favorable consideration of the Patrons and Directors of the Royal Literary Fund Mr James Rennie, who is well known in every civilized part of the globe as a meritorious contributor towards the natural sciences. Highly advanced in age1 he solicitously hopes, that he may share in the aid, by which the Royal Literary Fund Committee relieves always so nobly authors undeservedly in distress.
Melbourne botanic and zoologic Gardens
10 May 1859
Ferd Mueller
M.D., Ph.D., F.R.G & L.S.
President of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria
Rennie was aged 72.
The testimonial is written on the back of an application form for support from the Royal Literary Fund completed, signed and dated 3 May 1859 by James Rennie. The form includes details of Rennie’s life and publications, and is an appeal for support from the fund. M’s testimonial is preceded by one from Henry Barkly, Governor of Victoria, and followed by testimonials from John McAdam, Hon Secretary of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria, and James Darling, incumbent of St John’s Melbourne. An annotation on p. 1 of the form shows that Rennie was granted £30 from the fund on 9 November 1859. See also M to Royal Literary Fund, 17 December 1858 (in this edition as 58-12-17b), and M to Royal Literary Fund, 24 March 1862 (in this edition as 62-03-24d), and notes thereto.
Please cite as “FVM-59-05-10a,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on