To Edward Ramsay   9 July 1880

9/7/80.

 

Sometime ago, dear Mr Ramsay, I wrote to you1 with a view of learning something of Mr Goldie's movements, also to see whether I could at last get some fair collections for the £50.- .- which he had from me some years ago. What I did get, was a mere nothing or at least very little indeed of dried plants; but as I had from him before some small sendings, which he sent without any monetary engagement then to me, I passed £20 - - for the whole as the fullest fair value for what I received. Thus £30 are still left at Mr Goldies disposal to collect & dry plants for me, which he could do so easily, even if he only gathered coast algae or flowering Mangrove branches & made successively some small sendings, I should at all events see his good will.

I feel all the more hurt, in the manner in which he seems to forget his obligation to me, as I did not authorize him to draw on me, still did honor his draft, out of my slender private means.2 Besides, it was myself, who in first instance directed his attention to N. Guinea, for unless my memory is wrong he intended to go to Fiji or some other pacific group of islands. Indeed I spent some time & took great trouble to inform him, when he arrived in Melbourne about the Papuan prospects.3

Regardfully your

Ferd von Mueller

1
See M to E. Ramsay, 4 April 1880.
2
See M to E. Ramsay, 30 July 1877.
3
Andrew Goldie arrived to Melbourne per St. Osyth on 27 June 1875 (Argus, 28 June 1875, p. 4). He had brought with him a collection of '2000 NEW and RARE PLANTS from the CELEBRATED NURSIRIES of B. S. WILLIAMS', London, including rhodedendrons, camellias and azaleas, which he advertised for sale by 'private bargain' at the sales rooms of Gemmell, Tucket, and Co., Collins Street. The sale was advertised daily from 8 July until 2 August in the Age and Argus; Goldie was to be present from 2 pm to 3 pm daily, except on Saturdays when he would be present from 12 noon to 1 pm.

Please cite as “FVM-80-07-09,” 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 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/80-07-09