To Redmond Barry   8 July 1878

8/7/78

Allow me to ask you, dear Sir Redmond, whether your grand Library possesses the important catalogue of the scientific papers, which are scattered in prints all over the civilized world and collected into an index form through the R.S. of London.¹ If not, it will be one of the most important additions, which can be made to the Melbourne Library.

I was anxious to procure these important volumes myself, but alas! my worldly means admit of such like purchases no more. — These catalogues greatly facilitate reference & to ascertain chronologic sequence of discoveries.

I have merely sent one copy of my English enlarged Edition of Wittsteins Chemistry of plants² to the public Library, but for any very special case I would spare one or more copies to aid the interchanges of your institution;³ but the issue of this work has cost me £250 out of my private means, and as it absorbed my last wordly⁴ property, it would be unjust to myself to give the work largely away.

Regardfully

Ferd. von Mueller.⁵