Ferdinand von Mueller

South Yarra,

10 June 1886

Consul Litton &c

1

Litton was appointed Consul-General for Liberia 'for Australasia and the Islands adjacent thereto' in September 1885 (Victoria, Government g azette, 4 September 1885, p. 2511).

Hon. Secr. of the geologic Society,

Melbourne.

Dear Sir

In accordance with my promise I will write a short introduction to the first volume of the geol. Soc. of Victoria; but the pressure of departmental work is such, that I shall not be able to attend to it this week.

2

i.e. Geological Society of Australasia. The promised introduction was never published.

Indeed I have felt since some time, that I could not do justice to the position, so honorably allotted to me in the geol. Soc. here, and as I have before me a multitude of work in connection with my official position, I was obliged quite lately to decline also the Presidency of the Field Naturalists Club, however highly I value the honor and confidence thus shown me by that large and florishing Association.

3

The request was in F. Barnard to M, 6 April 1886 (in this edition as 86-04-06b); in M to F. Barnard, 9 April 1886, he declined the invitation. He however accepted election as a Patron in M to F. Barnard, 22 May 1886; see also M to F. Barnard, 17 June 1886.

I beg therefore now to intimate to you, that I cannot hold any longer the Vice Presidency of the geologic Society here, the proper active maintenance of which would involve far too much time, than I could for a long time to come withdraw from strictly official engagements.

4

The Society was founded in March 1885 (Litton (1886), p. 6); M was elected as a Vice president in July 1885 (Argus, 6 July 1885, p. 6). He was an active member, including chairing the first Annual Meeting on 9 April 1886 (Argus, 10 April 1886, p. 10). See also M to R. Litton, 26 June 1886 (in this edition as 56-06-26a).

Thus I now relinquish for the reasons above given that honorable position in the Society, and I beg of you, to intimate this as early as possible to the President and Council of the Society. My subscription for the current year is forwarded herewith

5

Annual subscriptions had been set at 'One Guinea' (£1:1:0) in the Society's constitution (Litton (1886), p. 5).

Wishing the Society a successful career

6

The bottom of the page, presumably carrying M's signature, has been cut off.