Document information

Physical location:

F58/1857, unit 745, VPRS 1189 inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 58.02.01

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Charles Pasley, 1858-02-01. 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//letters/1850-9/1858/58-02-01-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Melbourne bot Garden
1 Febr. 1858.
Sir
Being desirous to offer to the utmost of my means facility for instruction on botany, I pray your Honor will permit me to deposit a collection of botanical specimens at the public library of Melbourne, where they can be easier consulted than either at this office or at the University
It will however not lay in my power to furnish quite as large an herbarium than that deposited at the University Museum, or that with which I work at this department, but it may become gradually completed. I would with your Honors consent limit the collection to Victorian plants.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient & humble servant
Ferd. Mueller.
The honorable the President of Land & publ. works &c &c &c
1
On 6 February 1858 Pasley ordered that M's letter be forwarded to the Chairman of the Trustees of the Library, R. Barry, to enquire whether they 'would be willing to take charge of this collection'. Barry replied on 22 February: 'the Trustees will have much pleasure in receiving & taking charge of the Botanical Collection which Dr Müller proposes to furnish for the use of the Public' (F58/1857, unit 745, VPRS 1189, PROV). On 27 February Pasley recommended M's propositon to the Chief Secretary, W. Haines, who duly gave it his approval.