To George Bentham   26 September 1870

26/9/70.

 

On the concluding pages of vol. V,1 which you kindly sent, dear Mr Bentham, I have but few observations to offer, and I congratulate you to the accomplishing so admirably and so rapidly the task of bringing before the science of the day such an extensive other volume. It will surprise many, that though D.C.'s orders corresponding to those of the 5th volume appeared mostly within the last few years, that yet such an enormous number of species and many genera had to be added. I do not think however that for this volume much of supplementary importance will be discovered.

What a clear exposition you have made of the Proteaceae. it is quite a pleasure now to work among them. I am sorry there were so few new species left for yourself.

Of the additional initials on the title page I am very proud, yet you, who long ago were entitled to some act of recognition of your semisaecular 2 researches by the crown, assuredly ought to have long since had a far prouder addition to your name.3

Always your gratefully attached

Ferd von Mueller

 

I am glad the work on the genera is progressing.4 If you are once among coralliflorae & monochlamydeae you & Dr Hooker will get on rapidly, as the respective genera have all comparatively recently passed their reviews before masterly Botanists.

What horrors brings this war! Fee & Schimper must have sadly suffered in Strasburg & others elsewhere!5

 

Coralliflorae

Monochlamydeae

Proteaceae

 
1
G. Bentham to M, 8 July 1870, implies that these sheets were either Bentham (1863-78), vol. 5, pp. 384-512 or 400–528. However, M's reference to the 'concluding pages' suggests that other sheets were sent before these.
2
That is, half a century.
3
M's appointment as a Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George was recognised by the addition of C. M. G. on the title page of volume 5 of Flora australiensis.M later recommended that Bentham 'receive for his brilliant services the fullest imperial recognition'; see M to G. Bowen, 17 November 1878, and also Lucas (2003), pp. 275-6.
4
Bentham & Hooker (1862-83).
5
Strasbourg was under seige for 50 days during the Franco-German War of 1870-1, before being captured and annexed by Germany.

Please cite as “FVM-70-09-26,” 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 19 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/70-09-26