Document information

Physical location:

D73/5465, unit 664, VPRS 3991/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 73.05.01a

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to William Odgers, 1873-05-01 [73.05.01a]. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/73-05-01a>, accessed September 11, 2025

Melbourne bot Garden
1/5/73.
Sir
In reply to your memorandum numbered 2593
1
W. Odgers to M, 30 April 1873 (in this edition as 73-04-30a).
I have the honor to state, that I have no bound copies or complete unbound copies of any of my works here available,
2
Bound volumes published before May 1873 are: B60.02.04, B62.02.03, B62.03.03, B63.04.06, B64.10.02, B64.10.03, B65.02.09, B67.02.07, B69.08.01, B70.02.08, B71.06.03, B72.07.01, B74.05.02, B75.04.06.
as all bound copies were left for disposal at the Governments Printing Office, where of several volumes the supply is also exhausted. Not foreseeing the large demands for these works the edition was a comparatively limited one. The volumes were (not by my desire) presented to more than one Parliament, also to the numerous Mechanic Institutes, also often otherwise provided on Ministerial requisitions through the last 16 years. Many copies were sold in Europe, many here. I myself purchased out of my private means a great many volumes. Others were needed in interchanges of other publications. So also the public Library had some copies for effecting interchanges. It is only at the public Library and at the Gov Printing Office where any copies, now out of print, can be obtained now.
3
On 5 May, Odgers annotated the file: 'Will the Government Printer be so good as to furnish a set of the volumes he has got'. A note dated 12 May adds: 'Supplied'.
Failing that the necessity of a second edition will arise like with so many other works.
I have the honor to be, Sir,
your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller
Direct. botan. Garden
The Undersecretary.
Some of the volumes might perhaps be got at the Private Secretary's Office, where they are not likely to be much wanted.
F.v. M.
The lectures and exhibition essays might be got from the trustees of the Industrial Museum.
4
Lectures at the museum include B71.03.01, B71.07.02, B72.07.02; 'exhibition essays' are B61.13.06, B67.13.12, but M may have also had in mind the other contributions published in the volumes published by the Exhibition Commissioners. For the complex publication history of these lectures and essays see 'Muellers-publications' on this website.
F.v.M.