Melbourne bot. Garden
31/3/64
My dear Miss.
You must have felt some surprise, that I did not reply before to your kind letter, bearing date March 13th.1 But I received it only yesterday when Mr Smith2 returned and when he simultaneously brought the Algae, which you so beautifully prepared and for which I feel greatly indebted.
I was much gratified to hear from Mr Smith that you look well and to perceive this also confirmed in your letter. Health is indeed amongst the indispensable blessings to really enjoy life. Without health this worlds life can have but little charm for us. I trust that the rural tranquillity and salubrious air of your beautiful island will act as a restorative to Mrs Windeyer's health. I should think from what I learnt of this Ladys malady that brush friction combined with cold ablutions effected by wet towls will do more to invigorate the invalid than any other remedy that could be adopted. Would it not be well if this Lady before returning consulted a Melbourne physician? No doubt in Sydney are most excellent medical Gentlemen, but it is in long protracted diseases always of importance to obtain the independent views of several physicians. I would recommend the honorable Dr Wilkie, who has had for more than 20 years an extensive Ladys practice.
The last mail brought me again a most kind letter of Prof. von Martius,3 the famous & learned Brazilian traveller, one of the great luminous men of München. He might almost be my Grandfather, & still he evinces an elasticity of mind & beaming intelligence & a poetical beauty of style, which are quite fascinating. I have scarcely anything to mention, that can interest you, except that Prof Maskelyne in most laudatory terms acknowledges the attitude I assumed in the Meteorite affair & expresses himself in excessively strong terms towards an other scientific man in this city.4 With gratitude for the kindness shown to Mr Smith & with my sincerest wishes for your happiness & welfare I remain your obliged friend
Ferd Mueller
If Mrs Windeyer desires it I will send her a pair of brush-gloves.5
Please cite as “FVM-64-03-31,” 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