Item 82 - Letter from George Bunsen to Frank Buckland

1 letter

17 April 1880

Dear Mr. Buckland
Your first boxes arrived the very morning of Thursday when I had heard from you. They were unpacked under my eyes. The man who was employed by us declared that in his experience of this Exhibn nothing had arrived in so desperate a state of packing [so?] as these boxes! I am sorry to say that much glass, & much plaster too, was smashed. Whatever can be mended, is now in the hands of a very experienced man from the Zool Museum, & I hope the Crown Prince will when visiting us officially on the Opening Day -20th- see everything in a pleasant condition & be most favorably impressed. We are at a loss to imagine what can have induced Mr. Johnson to send off the boxes so late. It is impossible to do full justice to those exhibits which arrived after the opening day which was announced months and months ago! Several boxes are advised today. I hope that yours of Wednesday last may be among the number, & assure you that your exhibits, even if we should not get them until a few hours before the opening shall be placed to the best of our ability. - I say ‘ours’ because my brother Theodore is assisting me. The Committee were delighted when I could announce to them today that you are in a fair way of recovery.
Hoping soon to report favorably,
I remain
With kind regards to Mrs. Buckland
Go. Bunsen