23/9/76.
Let me express in first instance, dear Dr Hooker, my best gratulation to your new matrimonial union with the distinguished Lady, who is to grace your home.2 I wished only that a similar happiness would brighten my future, but it will not likely be, unless I can regain my Department, my House and position, and prosperity
I trust your Lady will soon be styled Lady Hooker. Pray express also to her my reverence, my remembrance of the distinguished editor of Natural History Library.3 My Card herewith.
In the undeserved oppression which I have still to endure the unexpected gift of one of the three portions of Mr J. [St] Mill's collection, has been a great moral support to me, and I consider it as one of the triumphs of my life. Two of the daily journals of Melbourne have noticed in becoming terms the honor thus far conferred by your generosity and Miss Taylor's friendliness on this Colony.4 I have endeavoured to render this country honored and respected abroad in my branch of knowledge, but have gone myself thereby to ruin.
The young Doctor, Mr Baker's5 disciple, can express to him and you how sad, homeless and cheerless he found me. If however an earnest appeal from Europe was made, I might come as a Phoenix out of the Ashes; here no one carries the influence of a Hooker, Darwin, Paget, Bentham, Cobbold, Owen &c.
With my best wishes for your happiness,
Ferd. von Mueller.
Please cite as “FVM-76-09-23,” 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 25 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/76-09-23