University Melbourne
March 26.08
My dear Miss Howitt,
Very many thanks for your letter giving me particulars about Dr Howitt. I have tried to write a short life for the "Victorian Naturalist" which shall give those amongst whom it circulates some idea of the work that he did but of course it is not possible to tell them about the man himself in a short account of his life. For myself I deeply regret that I was away from Victoria until it was too late to see him once more & I feel his loss more than I can say. When I went over to New Zealand I little thought that I had seen him for the last time. I shall never forget the day or two the he spent with me here when we went carefully through his reply to Andrew Lang. He was so keen that it was quite a
pleasure to watch him & I felt that it was like and 'old warrior' taking the field against some upstart who had ventured to contest his superiority.
I wish that you could have been, unseen, at the last meeting of the Royal Society. It would at least have been some consolation to you to have realised the estimation in which Dr Howitt was held by the scientific people in Victoria. Professors Skeats & Ewart spoke most warmly about his work in their different departments & we are intending to institute a medal in memory of him - which I think is the way in which he would best like to have his memory perpetuated. A 'Howitt medal' awarded for research in scientific work will be a perpetual reminder to the people of Australia of the work that he did.
I cannot understand the action of the English Government in regard to Mrs Fison. There are definite cases of the pension being continued to the widow or daughter but I fear that the decision arises from the fact that the original pension was granted under the late Conservative government & the
mention of Mr Balfour or Mr Chamberlain's name is quite sufficient to settle the matter with the present government in power. Dr Fison's work in regard to the native land laws in Fiji which did more than anything else to secure him the pension was of considerable assistance to the Colonial office and not to Australia. However I have written to Mr Deakin but am not very hopeful as that �500 does not appear to be available as yet.
It is most refreshing to hear Mr (now Professor) Fraser saying that in his new work on totemism he will not notice "that fellow - R.H.Mathews" whose letter in 'Nature' was simply impertinent.
When it is published I will send you a copy of the short article in the 'Naturalist' though I feel how quite inadequate it is.
I hope you will remember that if I can be of any help to you in regard to Dr Howitt's papers my time is at your disposal.
Yours very sincerely
W. Baldwin Spencer.
