25/3/65.
Edler Freund.
Wie soll ichs Ihnen danken, dass Sie meiner so freundlich am Hofe des edlen Herzogs gedacht? Das Wenige, was ich für Ihre Anstalt u das Museum gethan bedurfte keines Dankes, u. nun fühle ich mich so tief gegen Sie u Ihr Land verschuldet, dass ich eifrig sein muss meinen Dank zu zeigen. In meinem eben geschlossenen Dankschreiben an den Minister v. Seebach glaube ich Ihnen als dem grössten Geographen unserer Zeit Gerechtigkeit gewährt zu haben. —
Das Ordensdiplom war von einem Begleitschreiben des Ministers gefolgt, nach welchem die Decoration gleichzeitig an mich abgesandt wurde. Ihnen im Vertrauen darf ich nicht verhehlen, dass der Orden aber mit der Post nicht anlangte. Um das Verlorengehen zu verhüten, zumal da ich anheischig bin durch meine Erben das Ehrenzeichen einst zurück zu erstatten, schreibe ich heute an den Postmeister in Ostende (der Brief war via Ostende u England signirt) u an den Secretary of the General Postoffice London, um dort nachfragen zu lassen, ob das Vermisste aus irgendeinem Grunde zurückblieb u lasse Dr Sonder die Mittheilung machen, dass er die notwendigen Schritte zur Einlösung thue. Vielleicht sind Sie freundlich an dem Gotha Postbureau privat anzufragen u Dr Sonder zu lenken in Bezug der Sache. Sonst habe ich selbigen gebeten, das Ehrenkreuz für mich, falls es erlangbar ist zu erstehen in Dresden.
Hoffentlich kann ich Sie für längere Zeit mit interessanten Nachrichten über die Aufsuchung Leichhardts durch die Damen-Expedition versehen.
Ich erlaube mir einen Brief der Damen beizufügen, dessen Veröffentlichung dazu beitragen möchte in einigen Theilen unseres Vaterlandes durch Damen weitere Beiträge für das schöne Unternehmen sammeln zu lassen. Mit nächster Post mehr darüber. Noch eilig bemerke ich, dass ich mit dieser Post einen Band Illustration der Pflanzen Victorias u den 4 Band der Fragmenta zusammen mit andern Büchern an das Museum in Paris sandte u Brogniart u. Decaisne bat, Ihr Exemplar Ihnen baldigst zuzusenden.
Für mehrere interessante Blätter von Ihnen schulde ich Dank.
Stets in Freundschaft u
Dankbarkeit Ihr
Ferd. Mueller.
Vielleicht wird uns die Damen Expedition die ganze Westhälfte Australiens aufschliessen.
25 March 1865.
Noble friend,
How am I to thank you for remembering me so kindly at the Court of the noble Duke?2 The little I have done for your institute and the Museum did not require any thanks, and now I feel so deeply indebted to you and your country, that I must be zealous to show my gratitude. In my just concluded letter of thanks to Minister von Seebach3 I believe I have done you justice as the greatest geographer of our time.
The certificate of the Order was followed by a cover letter from the Minister,4 according to which the decoration was dispatched to me at the same time. To you in confidence, I must not conceal however, that the Order did not arrive with the mail. To avoid loss, especially as I am obliged to return the Order one day through my heirs, I am writing today5 to the postmaster of Ostende (the letter was stamped via Ostende and England) and to the Secretary of the Postmaster General in London to make enquiries there as to whether the lost article remained behind there for some reason or other, and have passed on the message to Dr Sonder to undertake the necessary steps to redeem it.6 Perhaps you will be so kind as to make private enquiries at the post office in Gotha and to guide Dr Sonder concerning this matter. Failing this, I have asked him to purchase the Order in Dresden for me, if it is available for sale.
I hope to be able to provide you for a long time with interesting news on the search for Leichhardt by the Ladies' expedition.
I take the liberty to enclose a letter from the ladies;7 its publication might assist in getting further contributions for this fine venture collected in some parts of our fatherland by ladies. More about this with the next mail. I still add in haste, that with this mail I sent a volume with illustrations of the plants of Victoria8 and the 4th volume of the Fragmenta together with other books to the Paris Museum and asked Brongniart and Decaisne to forward your copies to you as soon as possible.
I owe you my thanks for several interesting copies of your journal.9
Always in friendship and gratitude
your
Ferd. Mueller.
The Ladies' Expedition might perhaps open up to us the whole western half of Australia.
The following circular from the Ladies' Committee of the Leichhardt Search Expedition was sent by M as an enclosure to Petermann:
'Melbourne 8th March 1865
The recent discovery by Mr McIntyre of new and important traces of Leichardt in Northern Australia having revived public interest in his sad fate, his countryman Dr Mueller was induced to deliver a lecture in this City, on the ninth ultimo, with the object of initiating measures for a renewed search for that distinguished and intrepid explorer.
It was resolved at that meeting to form a representative committee of sixteen ladies, two from each religious denomination, to undertake the task of collecting the necessary funds. To this call we have responded and we earnestly beg that you will kindly aid us in our effort. We particularly solicit your attention to the accompanying address by Dr.Mueller in which he most feelingly and eloquently sets forth the importance of the object and the probability of still finding further traces of Leichardt. It is estimated that a sum of not less than £3000 will be required to fit out a suitable party and maintain it in the field for a period of two years. The proposed enterprise is one which we feel assured will engage the sympathy not only of all the Australian Colonies, but of the whole civilized world and it is not our intention to limit our efforts to Victoria alone. Queensland we think owes most to the lamented Leichardt, and we confidently trust that she will show her solicitude for Australia’s honor, and redeem her debt to her great explorer, by contributing a large share of the amount required. It will be our endeavour to enlist the sympathy of the ladies of England and to secure the co-operation of the leading scientific societies throughout the world.
Remembering the deep debt of gratitude we owe to this illustrious hero, we venture to make this appeal to you, feeling assured that you will not refuse us your kind and liberal aid.
We have the honor to be
Yours faithfully
Marie Bunny
Jane Cutts
Rebecca Nordt
S. Harker
E. Tierney
Elvina Rintel
Mary Ann G. FraserE. S. Bromby
Margaret F. Thomas
Margaret Hetherington
Mary E. Wilkie
Jane W. Embling
Elisabeth Testar
Sarah Horwitz.The favor of an early answer is respectfully requested addressed to Mrs Cutts Hon. Treasurer 119 William Street or to any lady of Committee.'
Letter annotated by Petermann 'Erh. 22. Mai 1865.' [Received 22 May 1865.]
Please cite as “FVM-65-03-25b,” 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/65-03-25b