Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Filed with this letter is one from J. Rothschild to M, 26 May 1880 (in this edition as 80-05-26a), and one from the French Commission at the International Exhibition to Robert Curtis, Secretary to the Trustees of the Melbourne Public Library, saying that the books published by Rothschild that the Library had purchased were ready to be collected.

Melbourne,

9/3/81.

To his Honor Sir William Stawell, Kn.

Chief Justice,

President of the Trustees of the public Library &c.

Allow me, dear Sir William, to adress you on a subject, which has been under consideration of the Trustees of the public Library for some time, and in which your lamented predecessor, Sir Redmond Barry, took a special interest. It concerns the acquisition of the splendid series of publications, exhibited by Mons. Rothschild of Paris and Herr Fischer of Cassel, sent by these enterprising publisher of costly scientific works to the international Exhibition.

2

See M to H. Sheffield, 22 December 1880.

It would be a matter of regret, if these works were allowed to go back to Europe, especially as Mr. Rothschild has reduced his invoice-price from about £80 to £50—, and after I took upon myself to reduce the ordinary price of Herr Fischers works from about £220.- .- to £150. Your learned colleague, Professor Irving and one other of the trustees (so I learn) have examined these two collections of books carefully, and are persuaded of their great intrinsic value. Moreover the whole would be new for the public Library, over the trust of which you so worthily preside. Should the fund, at the disposal of the trustees yet in the current finance-year not be sufficient for purchasing at once these works, I shall as honorary agent of Rothschild & of Fischer be quite glad to let the payment stand over, until new votes become available for the public Library, in the next financial year.