25/7/85.
It is with the most grateful recognition, honorable and dear Sir, that I acknowledge your generous consideration in sending me your important volume on irrigation in Western America,1 a work so clear, terse, full and comprehensive as it is eminently practical and utilitarian. You have delt with a question, affecting the vital interests of rural economy of our adopted country, in a masterly manner; and allow me to say, honored Sir, that it reflects infinite permanent credit on you, that you brought your elated2 ministerial position to bear on the development of the main-branch of the industrial resources of our colonial territory even by extensive foreign travels.
But, my dear Mr Deakin, how shall I thank you for the generous sentiments expressed in your letter,3 accompanying your splendid treatise! The tone of your letter is most encouraging and elevating to me, a poor and unostentatious toiler in the field of applied science; and for those expressions of yours I shall treasure the gift of your work all the more highly. As you have traversed North America so widely for rural purposes, perhaps you will kindly accept the byefollowing work from the other side of the pacific ocean4 as a mark of homage and gratitude also.
With regardful remembrance your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Please cite as “FVM-85-07-25a,” 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