29/6/85
I am greatly beholden to you, dear Mr Dyer, by sending me your excellent photogram, which I shall value all the more, as it is the first likeness I ever have seen of you, and as we not likely will ever meet personally in life. This is an other mark of your generous sentiments towards me, of which you have given me so many proofs. I shall give this beautiful photographic picture of a sterling scientific friend a prominent position in the Album of illustrious correspondents.1
My photgraphic card will ere long be offered you in return for kind acceptance; but I have none at hand and have not been for years in an "atelier"; indeed I had never yet a large card-picture done for all my life!
I am somewhat out of the run of ordinary mortals; never bought a watch in my whole life; used in travelling the compas2 instead, even chronometer-watches becoming unreliable for longitude in land-exploration. Never brought a mirror, only one a few spare3-inches large being in my poor place. My Hottentot-life so long in the "bush" has made me indifferent about the ordinary luxuries in the world, even if my money had not gone in travels, books, charities &c Still, as there was no Lady in the poor place at any time it did not matter much — The whole last 2 weeks we had here cloudy skies and rains; hence the photgram4 of ♀and ♂ of Macrozamia Dyeri5 did not get ready by this mail. Next post I shall also be able to send N. vii of "Papuanplants"6
Regardfully ever your
Ferd. von Mueller
Lots of extra-work for London Colonial Exhibit.,7 but I cannot do it to advantage, and only very partially.
Will try to get more seeds of the large Byblis.8
Byblis
Macrozamia Dyeri
Please cite as “FVM-85-06-29,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on 17 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/85-06-29