F. Von Mueller
Thursday
1878
I feel honored, dear Mr Gibbs,1 with your kind invitation on behalf of the council of the Victorian Academy of arts, to witness the opening on Saturday,2 but I have to be from Friday til Monday on departmental engagements away from Melbourne3 which arrangement prevents me to share in your festival.
Pray express to the Council my best gratitude for the consideration shown me.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Error for Gibbes, the long-term secretary, Victorian Academy of Arts.
The letter is dated on the basis of the report in the Argus, Monday 29 April 1878, p. 5: 'The eighth exhibition of the Victorian Academy of Arts was opened on Saturday afternoon by His Excellency the Governor. Sir George Bowen arrived shortly after 2 pm and was received by the president. There was no formal ceremonial of any kind…'.
In M to G. Berry, 26 April 1878, he announced that he was going to an unspecified place in the country until 29 April, but would continue to work there and maintain daily communication with his office.
Please cite as “FVM-78-04-25,” 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