Document information
Physical location:
VPRS 5831/PO/5, correspondence inward — miscellaneous letters 1861-81, p. 149, VA 912 Trustees of the Public Library, Museums and National Gallery of Victoria 1869-1944, Public Record Office, Victoria 75.09.20aPreferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Henry Sheffield, 1875-09-20 [75.09.20a]. 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/1870-9/1875/75-09-20a-final.odt>, accessed May 10, 2026
S. Yarra
1
South Yarra, Melbourne.
20/9/7[5].
2
The final number is illegilble but the context suggests that it must be 5.
Let me offer, dear Mr Sheffield, my best gratulation to your elevation to the high
and honorable post, which you so well deserve to hold.
Will you kindly allow me the loan for
one day
of Henry Watts Dictionary of Chemistry,
only
the
first
volume.
Sir Redmond told me that for my studies I might have books at any time
3
Sheffield was promoted to the position of Librarian of the Melbourne Public Library
in September 1875, having been sub-librarian since 1858.
4
Watts (1866-1868). Two copies of this edition are listed as Watts (1863-72) in Public
Library of Victoria (1880), vol. 2, p. 1736, the first including the 1872 supplement,
and the second with the additional supplements for 1876-79. However the start date
may be in error, based on the date of the preface, as other libraries catalogue it
as from 1865, or 1866 which is the date on the title page. The first volume has entries
‘Abichite—Conglomerate’.
I have still the one volume of Cavanilles
here, but shall not require it after a few days, when I will return it. Not likely
any one will
look
for that
work.
5
There is no copy of Cavanilles (1791-1801) at MEL, but there is one at the State Library
of Victoria. M cites vol. 4 of this work in several entries in his Eucalyptographia, which he is known to have been working on for some time before the first four decades
were published as B79.13.11 (see M to G. Berry, 7 August 1877).
your regardful
Ferd. von Mueller.