Melbourne Botanic Garden.
July 15th 1869
It affords me much pleasure to testify, that Mr G. Christian Hoffmann has had charge of the chemical and technological laboratory of my department, ever since the foundation of this branch of the service here in 1865, and that the various analyses and experiments, which I desired to be carried out, and which have given many important results, were conducted by this gentleman with great skill, much circumspection and scrupulous accuracy.
The system of order and neatness, which was apparent in all his work, has always elicited my praise, and his command of several languages made it possible for him to trace out many references in the extensive chemical and technological literature of several nations, not other wise equally accessible to others.
With gratification I also bear testimony to this gentlemans highly honorable character and principles, his modesty and quiet and unostentatious application to his work in which indeed, it would seem, the whole delight of his life consists.
While anxious to promote the welfare and prosperity of Mr Hoffmann, and while most willing to aid him in gaining a higher position, I should at all times regret to loose his services.
Signed. Ferd. von Mueller C.M.G., M.D., Ph.D., F.R.S.
Government Botanist of Victoria and Director of the Botanic Gardens of Melbourne.
In the 19th century, a testimonial was typically sent to the person requesting one and treated as an open document for use by the recipient, often by printing it along with the other testimonials supplied. Occasionally the letter might concern a specific role but was still sent to the person requesting it, who then forwarded it; see, for example, M to J. Hector, 5 December 1870 (in this edition as 70-12-05a), and notes thereto.
The MS is located among the papers of George Monro Grant (1835-1902), with the following note on the back: 'Copy of certificate from Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, C.M.G., M.D., Ph.D., F.R.S., Commr. Ord. Santiago, Kn. of Order of Austria, France, Prussia, Italy, Würtemberg, Denmark, Mecklenburg, Gotha, Government Botanist for Victoria (Australia) and Director of the State Gardens, Melbourne.' The copy is in an unknown hand. The note was presumably added subsequently to M’s being awarded the Order of Santiago (29 November 1870) and his barony (6 July 1871) but before 1874 when he was awarded further knighthoods. Presumably Grant received copies of the testimonials as an active member of the Board of Trustees of Dalhousie University before Hoffman was appointed to the Geological Survey of Canada in September 1872. That would be consistent with the omissions of later knighthoods in the documentation.
See Rae and Maroske (2020) and Rae and Maroske (2021) for Hoffmann's career.
Please cite as “FVM-69-07-15,” 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