31/3/79
Herewith, dear Mr Shillinglaw, I return the letter of Sir Joseph.1 Why is it necessary to dwell so much on Jorgenson? after his degraded life? He can add neither lustre nor information concerning Flinders's discoveries.2 — Whatever you do, quote not Sir Joseph's unhappy comparison to that of Humboldts visage without special permission. It would sully your book! and was not intended for publication, while Baron Humboldts memory should be dear to all of us.
In reference to information of R Brown3 I could help you. 1, with a good likeness and secondly with autographic words of his, though I have not his signature.4 I could also furnish a note on his writings, & have only just referred to him in my preface to the new School-book on Victorian plants.5 If you would call some day, say Saturday afternoon early, we could consult about your requirements, but my mind is so much taxed, that I do not wish to write more than I can help and must talk it over with you first.
Can you not spare me a single letter from Flinders for a friend in Italy,6 who has a large collection of autograms of celebrated men. I shall be glad to pursue7 your "records".8
With best regards
Ferd. von Mueller.
I hardly ever am in town, so could not well call at your office
Joseph Hooker. Letter not found.
Jorgenson was a crew member of Lady Nelson, which accompanied Flinders' Investigator from Port Jackson, NSW, northwards to map the east coast of Australia from May until October 1802, when it was sent back from the Cumberland Islands, Qld, to Port Jackson, after damage to its keels.
Robert Brown (1773-1858).
In M to A. de Candolle, 4 August 1880, M said he had received 'specimens of R. Brown' from Joseph Hooker; he may here be referring to labels on some of these. (Most of Brown's specimens now held at MEL did not arrive until 1882; see M to J. Hooker, 22 May 1882.)
B79.06.04, pp. xiii-xiv: 'But for an advanced learning in the Australian vegetation the "Prodromus" of R. Brown will always remain the firm though unfinished basis; indeed no subsequent individual researches can compare in importance to those carried on by that great man already in the beginning of this century, when it fell to his enviable share under the most favorable circumstances to examine personally the vegetation of our island-continent along much of its litoral tracts, and thereby to continue what was begun by Sir Joseph Banks; thus R. Brown's illustrious name has become impressed on every square-mile of this great portion of Her Majesty's possessions for all ages, through the thousands of plants, which he as the first in the field discovered, many of which carrying his name from the oceanic shores also to Central Australian regions.'
Possibly Maria Negri. Shillinglaw did supply a specimen of Flinders' signature; see M to J. Shillinglaw, 3 July 1879.
peruse?
Shillinglaw (1879).
MS annotation: 'Recd. 3.IV.79.'
Please cite as “FVM-79-03-31a,” 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