Melbourne bot Garden
26/6/63
Dear Sir William.
I need not say, how profoundly sorry we all here are to loose our excellent Governor, though Sir Henrys ordinary tenure of Office has expired. As soon as we learnt, that his Excellency acced[e]s to the Governorship of Mauritius I pointed out, how valuable his patronage would be, if he would undertake the direction of the labours of botanical collector in Madagascar, where by the more peaceable inclinations of the present ruler under proper gubernatorial influence a botanical traveller might penetrate into the ranges of the interior. His Excellency with his usual urbanity & readiness to promote scientific objects desired me to communicate at once with you, as we think one of your ordinary collectors might be disponible for the purpose of going to Madagascar. It would certainly the most cautious way to communicate first to his Excellency to Mauritius, who mean while would ascertain the whole of the facilities which he could offer for the collectors work. In the same degree as the traveller will penetrate into the interior ranges and towards the sources of the rivers, the harvest of endemic forms will become richer and richer.1
I have further to mention to you, that the Governor on my asking expressed a willingness to join the Royal Society, and I beg therefore of you to be kindly one of his Excellency's sponsors for the candidature. As you are one of the few, who fully can appreciate Sir Henry's worth as a cultivator and patron of science, I am persuaded you will render by your kind cooperation with Sir Roderick Murchison and General Sabine the Governors election as dignified as possible.2
Wishing you uninterrupted health I remain,
dear Sir William,
ever your
Ferd. Mueller
Please cite as “FVM-63-06-26,” 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 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/63-06-26