To Joseph Hooker   16 January 1860

Melb. bot. & zool. Garden,

16. Jan 60.

My dear Dr Hooker

It was long since I experienced so much delight as your kind notes on the Indian-Australian gave me and I am under the greatest obligation for your generous & disinterested aid offered on this occasion again. I shall be able to add to the list.¹

Never, my dear Dr, would I wish you to persuade a single member of the R. S. to vote for my election If the membership is a true honor, it must be conferred on merit alone & not by favor, & I fear much, that what little in my humble sphere I was able to do here for the advancement of science is but a very poor claim indeed for so great an honor. My reason for entering the R. S. is chiefly, that I feel persuaded the phil Institute (now by Her Majesty’s gracious consent elevated to the R. S. of Victoria) would feel such an honor paid to their temporary president as one conferred to the society itself.² I beg to enclose a draft for £65 - - to defray all expenses should I be honored through your kindness with the election; otherwise I relinquish seeking for it an other year when I shall not longer be in office. I feel the duties of a President in a young society in an unconsolidated colony are so extremely onerous, that I cannot longer hold it without either ruining my health or neglecting the Societys interests. But I may have a little more leisure after a few years & my colleges³ may call me th[en] perhaps again to the chair.⁴

I am putting now Mr Oldfields plants in order for distribution & will soon send you the best set I have to spare. You will also receive splendid collections from N. S. Wales formed by Dr Beckler on my request, ⁵ & I hope soon something as the Result of the Camel expedition we are about to organize.⁶

The Capparis from Dirk Hartogs Island sent in good Specimens by Mr Clifton⁷ to me & gathered abundently by Mr Oldfield on the Murchison is very different from that Capparis spinosa which we cultivate. I thought of recognizing in it C. nummularia of DC., because Baudin's expedition touched at these places & could not have failed to secure it.⁸ I have fully described it in the Fragmenta, of which I have the gratification of sending you the finishing sheets & plates of the 1. volume⁹

Mr Oldfield sends his regards & says that he had not received any number of the Flor. Tasm you were so kind to forward to him & that he would be glad to get any spare copy, if you could conveniently remit it.¹⁰ Many thanks for your advise in putting the herbarium in the most advantageous order;¹¹ this advise comes well as I have in my new museum¹² to rearrange the whole

I intend to proceed to Cape Howe in a few weeks.

My annual report is written but not yet printed.¹³

No XI. of the Fragmenta will appear yet this month.¹⁴

Give, my very dear Doctor, your venerable father my most affectionate regards[,] & maintain a friendly feeling as usual towards your very humble & grateful

Ferd. Mueller

Should I fail to become a F R S.,¹⁵ pray hand the balance of draft to Mr Pamplin for the purchase of books.

Capparis nummularia

Capparis spinosa