From James Neild1    18 July 1868

166 Collins St. East

Melbourne July 18 1868

My dear Dr Von Mueller

I was sorry your engagement obliged you to leave the other night before the office-bearers of the Victorian Medical Benevolent Association had been elected for the ensuing year, as I should have been glad to offer you my personal congratulations on your being elected as one of the Vice-Presidents.2

Permit me now, in forwarding you official information of the fact, to say that I regard the association as most distinguished in including among its office-bearers one so renowned in science, and so celebrated for philanthropy as yourself; and to say that I am sure the association cannot fail being benefited by your intimate connexion with it.

Believe me

with great respect

Faithfully yours

James Edward Neild

Hon. Secy V.M.B.A.

 

Dr Von Mueller F R.S.

&c &c &c

1
MS written on Neild's personal letterhead bearing his initials.
2
M was elected one of the two vice-presidents of the Victorian Medical Benevolent Association at its annual meeting on 15 July 1868, Robert Knaggs being the other. M attended several meetings during the following twelve months and chaired one of them, but he was not re-elected the next year. See Minute book, Victorian Medical Benevolent Association (Australian Medical Association, Melbourne).

Please cite as “FVM-68-07-18,” 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/68-07-18