To George Bentham   11 August 1873

Melbourne

11/8/73

Private

The Case with the Orchideae is in the Bay here, dear Mr Bentham, but I shall only be able by next mail to acquaint you with the state of its contents, doubtless uninjured as in all except one of the former Cases. You must kindly let me know, when you wish me to send Liliaceae, Junceae and allied Orders. They fill two large boxes. Gramineae also one and Cyperaceae an otherlarge box. Junceae & Liliaceae can be sent at any moment, but the true Glumaceae are still under preliminary examination, many having been added since my last revisal.¹

If I do not fall seriously ill, which may easily be the case, as Mr Edw. Wilsons and Mr M'Kinnons & Spower's men and many other traducers both in high and low quarters give me even no peace in my private rooms, I shall finish off Glumaceae, before you will have finished with the liliaceous & Juncaceous plants. I can do this sort of work in my private hired rooms, as I can have there the few necessary books. Since I am suddenly driven (after 21 years) out of my Office Home, the Gov Library is in my Museum, from which it is attempted now to take it away from my control; the greater part of my costly private Library, on which I spent about £1000, is in a hired store room and therefore inaccessible to me. As I spent all my means in the Department, (never speculating &c) I have none to furnish a House of my own, even if not the morsel of official position (as Gov. Botanist without the bot Garden) may not any moment be taken from me, when our Legisl. Assembly is prorogued (after next month) on the plea of economy or any other excuse! I wonder that Mr Darwin, who so gloriously & so successfully headed the defense of Dr Hooker,² could not exercise the least influence on Mr Edw Wilson, his next neighbour, in my case.³

I modestly and respectfully applied to Mr Francis, who is now my Ministerial Chief for £150 for a Field Assistant for this year and for £150 for a Laboratory Operator, as I cannot do all mechanical or routine work with my own Hands.⁴ But altho' the Observatory for its comparatively limited operations (exclusive of the Directors Salary) gets £3000, I am refused anything over my £300 for the whole Department (including the £100 for the next vol of the Flora). A Pension is after 21 years incessant work refused me,⁵ and without means, help, apparatus, mechanism, everybody comes to me for gratuitous official information as if nothing had happened

Ever your regardful

Ferd. von Mueller⁶

House Rent is added to my modest Salary but I shall not be able to save anything as I am departmentally starved out and all things are expensive here

I have taken refuge in a Hotel, where I have my private rooms.

My position may of course any moment improve but I write as it is now. At present the Counsels of the "Oracle of Fitzroy Park"⁷ prevail

I see your & Reichenbachs Siebera[s]⁸ must become Cataphas now⁹

Will you kindly support my proposition of the exalting R. Fitzgerald Deputy Surveyor General, Sydney as F.L.S.

Catapha

Cyperaceae

Glumaceae

Gramineae

Junceae

Liliaceae

Orchideae

Siebera