To William Branwhite Clarke¹    8 October 1873

Melbourne

8/10/73.

Private ²

It is always a source of great pleasure to me, reverend and venerable friend, when I receive a communications from yourself, and it belongs to the brightest of my recollections when I think of friends so illustrious & kind as yourself. When I did not seek the pleasure of your writings to me oftener, it was, because I did not wish to tax you with communications to me when your geologic and ecclesiastic work must already leave you even but little of that domestic enjoyment, for which now I envey you most, and which is and remains denied to me, because my position is utterly insecure and my future in the event of illness totally unprovided.

Let me thank you for the full information of the first discovery of Musa Banksii.³ I was aware that Sir Jos Banks found it first, not only from a fainth recollection of a passage in Banks work,⁴ but also from a note in Endlicher's prodromus florae insulae Norfolkianae.⁵ Bentham in the immensity of his work, carried on in a marvellous manner almost with youthful strength, had overlooked the reason of my Dedicating the species to Cook's companion, when it was got nearly 100 years after Banks at Rockinghams Bay.

I shall send you by this or next mail such of the fascicles of the "fragmenta", as are available still for your kind acceptance, though the series is now very incompletely left. But you may have a chance of adding stray numbers occasionally to it. The misery, persecution and starvation in my Department brought even this work for 12 months last year to a complete stand-still, not to speak of the disturbance of so much other work. My Laboratory is closed since three months; the field branch was discontinued since 2 years; the lithographic work since 4 years. For Books no vote was forthcoming since 7 years; to my Museum building is not added since 14 years. I employ 2 assistants now on my private expense, and to my whole Department is left only £300 working expenses! I have sold the last property I had in the world to provide books & maintain the communications with men of science. I sunk altogether about £8000 in my Department; the main branch, i.e. the Directorship of the bot Garden is given to a young Sydney Nurseryman.⁶ So I am driven out of my creation my means of working & home after 22 years! With such prospects and under such treatment, I could not build up a home for family life, though my rank is hereditary. But it seems as if a new ray of hope is to fall into the present darkness. I am asked now to state for the additional Estimates my supplementary requirement, but as Gov Botanist only. Imagine, honored & dear friend, a Gov Botanist without he directing the bot Garden. Imagine Dr Hooker without Kew. Whether really I am to get some aid, I do not know yet. I cannot leave my 34 years collections & Library behind, nor leave 4 of the 10 volumes of the Australian Flora after my 26 years Australian toil, unwritten.⁷ To the University I could not go, as there is no vacancy. I should only be an intruder. Moreover at my age (48) I cannot afford time for regular lectures, even if my hereditary inclination to Bronchial catarrhs did allow me regularly to enter on public discourses

R Brown in 60 years of his scientific career never gave a single public lecture, nor Sir Will Hooker in the 25 years of his Kew Directorship nor Dr Hooker in the last 6 years.

Pray give my card to the Gentleman, Mr Walker, who so kindly looked up for me the note.

Always with the sincerest regards your

Ferd. von Mueller.

Pray let me be kindly remembered to the excellent Mrs Cobham.⁸ Let me also hope, that though suffering from the infirmities of your great age after the enormous exertions during your life, you will continue bright in mind and in fair enjoyment of worldly goods.

The three expeditions in the field,⁹ now from our transcontinental telegraph line to the West coast, ought to reveal this year poor Leichhardts fate! —

Musa Banksii