Privat
4/2/92.
Lassen Sie meinen besten Dank ausgesprechen sein, lieber Herr Tepper, für Ihren gefühlvollen und einsichtsvollen Brief. Noch immer bin ich in geistiger Agonie, so dass ich mich für langes Correspondiren noch nicht zu fassen vermag. Aber meine wissenschaftliche Ehre ist gerettet; so sind mir auch die Sammlungen und die Bibliothek (beide grossentheils mein Eigenthum) geblieben. Das Salair werde ich wie von Jahr zu Jahr vorher, nachdem meine ganz bescheidenen persönlichen Erfordernisse bestritten sind, der Anstalt zu Gute kommen lassen. Es ist nur 1/4 von den Betriebs Mitteln geblieben, aber nach und nach lässt sich auch wohl wieder etwas mehr erringen in soweit. Eine Sammlung von etwa 800,000 Bögen in Ordnung zu halten u zu erweitern erfordert allein 2 Gehülfen.
Schicken Sie nur gleich die Pfl. Ihres Sohnes. Das Arbeiten daran wird mich von den trüben Gedanken ablenken. Es könnte ja auch vielleicht etwas Seltenes oder gar Neues darunter sein. Hr Eckert's letzte Sammlung weist Scirpus mucronatus für S.A. nach. Er scheint die Wasserpfl. aber nicht genug berücksichtigt zu haben.
Ihr
Ferd. von Mueller.
Private
4/2/92.
Let me express my best thanks, dear Mr Tepper, for your sensitive and understanding letter.1 I am still in mental agony, so that I am still not capable of composing myself for long correspondence. However, my scientific honour is saved; so also the collections and the library (both for the most part my property) have remained for me. Just as from year to year previously, I will allow the institution the benefit of the salary after my quite modest personal requirements are defrayed. Only ¼ of the operational funds have remained, but gradually something more will probably be gained again in this respect. To keep a collection of possibly 800,000 folders in order and to enlarge requires alone two assistants.
Just send the plants of your son2 quickly. The work on them will distract me from the bleak thoughts. Perhaps there could indeed also be something rare or even new among them. Mr Eckert's last collection establishes proof of Scirpus mucronatus for South Australia. However, he seems not to have considered the aquatic plants enough.
Your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Scirpus mucronatus
M's position had been under threat when his appointment was reviewed for renewal under the provisions of the Public Service Act concerning retention of officers aged over 65. It had been renewed only until 31 March (see T. Wilson to M, 31 December 1891), and he had been instructed to give notice to his staff that their services would be dispensed with from that date (T Wilson to M, 15 January 1892). There was public opposition led by the Argus; see M to T. Wilson, 27 January 1892, and associated documents.
M's position was clarified and retained at a Cabinet meeting on 28 January 1892 (Argus, 28 January 1892, p. 5; Argus, 30 January 1892, p. 15); see M to T. Wilson, 29 January 1892. However, the funding for the department was cut back and he was left with only £300 to cover its operations. His formal renewal beyond 31 March until 31 December 1892 by the Governor in Council was notified to him in T. Wilson to M, 31 March 1892.
J. W. O. Tepper.
MS annotation by Tepper: 'Reply and parcel plants 150-154'. Letter not found.
Please cite as “FVM-92-02-04a,” 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