Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne, 3/9/92

To Prof. Josiah P. Cooke &c,

President and Professor

Ch. Lor. Jackson, Corresp. Secretary of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Honored Gentlemen.

It is with the deepest grateful emotion that I receive your communication of the 15 June,

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apprizing me of the extreme honor, shown me by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in electing me to the position, which became vacant by the lamented death of the illustrious C. J. Maximowicz, as a foreign honorary Member. This singular mark of generosity touched me all the more, as unlike my celebrated Predecessor, I had so insignificant claims on the consideration of the science of the western world, with which Prof. Maximowicz by his East Asiatic travels and researches became so intimately connected. I am therefore all the more beholden to your great Academy for raising me to the proudest postion attainable in American Science! Indeed I regard it especially from antipodal distance, as an honor, equalled only by one other bestowed on me during my 53 years phytologic studies, more particularly so, as it comes from the eldest Union in science of your great country. The bonds of progressive intellectual efforts, linked together all over the world will ever be fascinating, and will individually encourage me also always to share, if ever only so humbly in advancing knowledge, a privelege all the more proud under the aegis of the "American Academy of Arts and Sciences"