[After 26 November 1871]1
The interference for 2½ years with me in my Department, dear Mr Bentham, has disorganized all work in the establishment here, and involved such enormous loss of time, that even now the supplemental Monochlamydeae are not yet quite arranged for you. I will however hasten to get them away within the next weeks, so that they may still be timely utilized.
You will have received from Mr Verdon or Mr Childers the contribution toward the 6th vol, as regards fund; at all events it is available for you.
I look with intense delight forward to the new volume of genera!2 What a treasure of information it will be; how it will ease the work of all generations to come! If I cannot keep up supplies, I trust you will not be impatient, as I have by this mail explained all my difficulties to Dr Hooker.
Do you prefer the supplemental species to the 5 volumes first, or will you finish the 6th vol with Orchideae. I do not care, that the latter should be rendered accessible to G. Reichenbac[h] after the manner in which he lately behaved to Mr Fitch and myself.3 It was actually on my suggestion that he worked up RBrs Orchideae of Australia.4
It is very generous of you, dear Mr Bentham, to recognize my new title. The strict letter of the regulations forbids only the acceptance of orders & medals; but a rank, like mine, cannot come under the operations of these Office rules of Earl Clarendon, even if they were confirmed by any law, passed through Parliament.
I like to mention this rank, and even his Excellency in courtesy recognizes it here. I can share it with a Lady, and thus I value it doubly; it is hereditary and was not given by the Wuerttemburg house for more than 20 years to any scientific man.
It was bestowed on the day, when their Majesties of Wuerttemburg celebrated their 25 anniversary of marriage;5 the Queen (formerly princess Olga) being a sister of the present Emperor of Russia
So — if my cruel adversaries have been vanquished, my hopes of life may not continue for ever blighted, and late yet domestic happiness may florish for [me]6
Always your
Ferd. von Mueller
Probably letters from you and Dr Hooker were lost in the Rangoon.
Monochlamydeae
Orchideae
Please cite as “FVM-71-11-00b,” 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 18 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/71-11-00b