17/8/92
With much regret, dear and honored Sir, I feel myself discapacitated from attending the Concert, to which you so kindly invited me, and which is sure to be a great treat!1 But I suffer from a severe bronchial catarrh, so much so, that during last night I had hardly any sleep from continuous coughing, and thus I am afraid to go out into the cold night-air. Let me hope, that I can enjoy your next musical soiree, when the weather will be warmer also.
Please accept the bye-following portrait2 of which I received several impressions from a lithographic friend.
Perhaps some of your friends and yourself will honor us with your presense at the next Concert of the Melb Liedertafel.
Regardfully
your
Ferd von Mueller3
'The first of the three farewell concerts of M. Ovide Musin and his gifted collaborateurs took place last night in the Town Hall' (Argus, 18 August 1892, p. 7).
Troedel & Co's portrait of M; see http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/299306.
MS annotation by Sisley on a blank sheet with MS: 'Baron Von Mueller. 17/8/92. Answered'. Letter not found.
Please cite as “FVM-92-08-17,” 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