19/9/81.
This evening, dear Sir Joseph, I learn from a letter of Prof. Caruel1 that Bentham is dead!2 I really cannot believe it, that he should have passed away so suddenly and so unexpectedly! Though an octogenarian he seemed so youthfully bright in his mind, and seemed to have remained in such robust health and continued to work most labouriously! — I assume then, that the pains of a lingering illness were spared him as well as your never to be forgotten father. Thus far it is an enveyable end! You will miss this great man more than anyone else; and it must be to you a source of melancholic yet also pleasurable thoughts, that he was spared to bring with you the "genera" to a near close!3
Somehow I thought, he would live as long as Chevreul & Miers,4 - and I hoped, that also I should have the happiness of some day seeing him for once in life! So it was with my wish towards your father; so it is with my wish towards you; but unless I can go as a Director of a resuscitated Department to Europe to meet my Compeers, I shall never cross the equator again. With all those who could understand what Bentham has done, I shall honor his memory. When nothing of new specific forms will be left to be discovered in the vegetable empire, and when it will come to a counting up, how many were described by any one worker, it will be Bentham, who stands foremost, Linné will have more genera, but Bentham & DC more species, and next will likely be Sir Will Hooker and you will be close apace with them leaving Willdenow and others far behind.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Please cite as “FVM-81-09-19a,” 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 30 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/81-09-19a