1/10/90
It was a pleasant surprise to me, dear Miss Rolleston, to receive with your kind inscription the volume on the "History of Ballarat",1 a place visited by me, when it was a small lot of tents only. By this thoughtful gift of yours I am also reminded of my generous friend, Mr Oddie,2 so that I have sent him also a private copy of the "Select plants" to Ballarat.
With regardful remembrance your
Ferd. von Mueller3
The book has not been positively identified. The most likely candidate is Withers (1887).
Probably James Oddie (1824 -1911); but could be his brother Thomas Ralph Oddie (1830-1927).
There are two associated envelopes:
(a) In M's hand:
Miss Mary Rolleston
82 Nicholson- Street
Fitzroy.
[Annotated in another hand, in the top right corner above the address:
'Oct 1890. Baron von Muller | Melbourne']
(b) in an unknown hand:
Sir Ferdinand Müller
[or] Baron Ferd. von Müller
Arnold St.
St Kilda Road
Melbourne
Letter found in Kew Museum Library's copy of B88.12.01 and transferred to RBG Kew Archives. The book is inscribed 'To Miss M. F. Rolleston for friendly acceptance and occasional use from the writer of these pages. Sept. 1890'. A calling-card printed with M's coat of arms and 'Baron Ferd. von Mueller. K.C.M.G. M.& Ph.D. F.R.S.' is pasted below the dedication.
Please cite as “FVM-90-10-01a,” 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