2/2/96.
Bringing out, dear Madam, the 9th (again enlarged) edition of my work on "Select Plants for industrial culture",1 — a heavy extra-work in an always labourious branch of the public service here, my correspondence got greatly into arrear, so you must kindly excuse my tardy reply to your very kind last letter.2 I will send your little ones some picture books very gladly now, — it had escaped my attention in the overwhelming work.
The depression here is unexampled. Most of even the richest people had such heavy losses through the bank-difficulties, that they all retrench, and businesses of all kinds are much stagnant. No one will expend anything. So, I am sad to say, it would be quite impossible to dispose of any Algs-Albums at present.
With best wishes for all of you
Ferd von Mueller
I have sunk my whole I had in the world into my researches have neither household nor property.
The young eyes of your children would soon discover the various minute land-plants near you, if once their attention was directed to them
Please cite as “FVM-96-02-02,” 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