To Joseph Hooker   8 June 1879

Melbourne

8/6/79.

These lines, dear Sir Joseph, concern solely the Royal Society, into which I wish very much to be elected: Prof Frederick M’Coy, FGS, a friend in your youth, who often speaks enthusiastically about you. It is on my suggestion alone, that Prof. M’Coy allows himself to be placed in nomination, and I should therefore be anxious, that his return is secured without the necessity of a second candidature.¹

It is unnecessary to speak to you about his merits, as you have watched his early brilliant career. Here he has held the Professorship of all branches of Natural History, (inclusive Geology) since a quarter of a century. In later years he has followed up his former palaeontologic work by Australian Decades,² and latterly he is issuing a magnificent serial of zoologic illustrations in Chromolithography,³ such as are not surpassed for beauty by any in Europe even. Prof M’Coy long ago ought to have had a place in the R.S., but never sought for it; he is still in robust health and bids fair to add lustre to Australian science up to the end of this century. I have written to Prof Williamson, Prof Stokes, Sir John Lubbock and Mr Carruthers,⁴ praying to help me in this effort to honor a highly meritorious man, and I feel sure you will gladly do so.

The Professor, as you are aware, has recently been the recipient of the “Murchison Medal”, the 7th bestowed.⁵

Do you think that Dr Rudalls election into the RS could be carried? He is our most accomplished operative & ophthalmic surgeon, & a most reliable general practitioner⁶ of excellence, who would have taken a high standing in London even! He has translated Schroeder Van Der Kolk's posthumous work on the physiology of the insane,⁷ and contributed extensively to the Australian medical journal, & is a most accomplished musician also, which I merely mention to show the wide range of his talents. Dr Bowman must know him well, and would surely support his cause at the R.S, and so would doubtless Prof Huxley and Prof Simon, if asked by you.

Such is the medical skill and the high standing of Dr Rudall, that in most cases our best medical men, when themselves severely ill, place themselves into his hands. He is a FRC.S by examination . James Rudall stands so high, that I dare not risk to loose his election, but If you think well of it and see your way clear, pray place him also on the list of candidates likely to be elected.⁸

Rudall is a german & french scholar for the sake of reading always foreign medical journals at once. A thorough sterling man in public, scientific & private life and the same can be said of M'Coy.

Regardfully

your

Ferd. von Mueller.

Rudall is not aware that I have written about him, but I know from remarks of his in former years, that he would value the FRS most highly; so you, my dear Sir Joseph, can not be wrong in placing him on the list of candidates, provided the members of the Council of the R.S. will not allow him to be unsuccessful. He is only about 50 and so has likely 20 years life for medical exertions before him. I made with him some observations on the Monotremata, which Prof Owen embodied many years ago in his paper[s] on the mammary glands of Trachyglossus for the R.S. So his name came before the Society already⁹.

Dr Rudall ever since our ophthalmic Hospital was built was its honorary Surgeon and he was also for many years hon. Surgeon to the Melbourne Hospital.