Melbourne bot Garden,
12/10/71
In first instance dear Mr Guilfoyle, let me express my grateful appreciation of the felicitation, which you bestow on my elevation to a new rank. Your kindness is all the more touching to me, as I experienced already so much generosity from you and have on your consideration so little claim.
My baronial dignity, which is hereditary, came from Germany, and does not entitle me to the British Predicates, with which you so flattering honor me. Nevertheless the dignity is a very high and rare one and was not conferred on any scientific man by the throne, from which I was graciously raised to it, for more than 25 years.
The view from Mt Warning1 must be charming, and you with your poetic tendency & ingenious spirit are sure to do justice to it.
Let me hope you are well and happy, & that you will not miss your years of youth in building up a domestic home.
With every sentiment of regard yr
Ferd. von Mueller.
The difficulties in my department are not yet overcome. Do you think, that if I placed a few £ into your hands for red Cedar seeds, the sawyers would secure such through their children for me?
Chinese & Assam Tea ought to grow famously in your place also Peru Bark plants. All these I could send you, if you will indicate the way and require them.
Northern NSW. Michael Guilfoyle accompanied by William and two others climbed it in April 1871, and described it in a letter to the local newspaper, quoted in Pescott (1974), pp. 52-3. Pescott gives William's membership of the party at p. 36.
M does not indicate whether his letter is addressed to Michael Guilfoyle or his son William Guilfoyle, but the comment about not missing the years of youth in building a domestic home suggest it was the younger man, as do the postscripts which seem to relate to the Guilfoyles' property in northern NSW, which William was managing, rather than to the Sydney nursery here the father was based.
Please cite as “FVM-71-10-12a,” 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