22/11/82
A great and irreparable loss, rev. friend, that of Sir Will. M'Arthur. I always hoped to see this worthy man personally, as one of great historic renown in Australia, and as one who showed me many acts of consdieration in my scientific career. I had no idea, that his horticultural establishments and particularly his conservatories were so extensive. Had I remained in my garden, I would have been sure to have visited Camden1 some day. Baron Huegel, the Austrian Ambassador in Italy and a Major with the Austrian troops in 1813 in Paris, spoke to me in glowing terms about Macarthurs Camden in 1837, when he visited it, and when he named the genus Macarthuria,2 of which I recorded a N.SW. species (extending nearly to Cape York).3 Should you meet Mrs Capt Onslow4 or any other member of the M'Arthur family, then — pray — express my profound condolence at such a loss. At the residence of a son of Admiral King I spent only last week a happy evening.5
Perhaps among the numerous orchids at Camden new S. Sea Isl. species may be flowering from time to time. Could Mrs Onslow kindly arrange, that any flowering specimens (cut off) be sent fresh merely in an envelope to me, when ever out in bloom as likely new?
I hope your Lady is on the fairest way of recovery.
Regardfully
Your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Macarthuria
Camden, NSW, where Macarthur lived.
Endlicher (1837c), p. 11.
M. neo-cambrica; see B65.06.02, p. 28.
Sir William Macarthur’s niece Elizabeth, widow of Captain Arthur Onslow, inherited most of the Macarthur estates at Camden.
Two sons of Admral Phillip Parker King, William Essington King (1821-1910) and Arthur Septimus King (1827-1899), were prominent in Melbourne society at the time; see ADB.
The letter was evidently written to someone in the Sydney area. The form of greeting used by M, 'rev. friend', suggests that the letter was written to Woolls, as does the reference to the health of 'your Lady’ since Woolls's wife is known to have been seriously ill at this time (Gilbert (1985), p. 50).
Please cite as “FVM-82-11-22e,” 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