My dear Sir!

As habitually I have assisted the Meeting of the British Association at Brighton, to deliver my Report as Secretary of the Committee for the Foundation of Zoological Stations.¹ I came right on from Naples, taking just three days and three nights till London.

I am very glad, that I could tell in my Report, that everything was going well with the Station at Naples, and that I hope, I may open it, to admit the Public in January next. There was a good deal of battles to be fought, but success was obtained everywhere, and my hope to get the Station into an effective working Institution is greater than ever.²

You will perhaps have noticed in one of the last numbers of Nature, that I told about large presents I had got from German Publishers for the library of the Station.³

I alluded to that in my Report and asked the British Association to present the Library of the Station with a complete set of its publications and to recommend, that other British Societies might do the same. This has been agreed to, to my great satisfaction.⁴

But then You see, I am not yet at an end with all my beggary. I want single Naturalists to do something of the same kind. I have got already a good deal of such promises, and Agassiz has already sent most generously all he has published under his name.⁵ Will You think it immodest, if I beg leave to insert Your name equally in the list of those, who will send their publications on biological matters, either Zoological or botanical, to the Station? Williams & Norgate⁶ are ready to act as Agent of the Station in this country and forward everything that is sent to them, down to Naples.

I hope thus to get by and by a great and complete library which will assist mightily all those, that come to Naples to work with Marine Zoology or Botany.

I have seen, that your new book is ready.⁷ I dare say, that I am very curious to see, what it contains. Poor Wallace completely drifts away, and now most unfortunately associates himself with such men as Bastian! His two articles in Nature are the worst thing, he ever did in his life,—and it becomes really difficult for his friends to speak with respect of him.⁸

I cannot say much of my own Scientific work; I had to put it aside for a six month. But then I have thought a good deal about it, and I hope, I may be capable next year, when I may return to England, to ask You an audience, to communicate strange but very consistent things. You know, I disbelieve in Ascidians as our ancestors.⁹ I am sure, what I have to substitute will please You, as it is less open to principal objections, such as Mivart suggested about the incipient structures though they are quite wrong.¹⁰ But I better wait, till I may tell all about it.

May I nourish the hope of getting a short answer while I am still in this country? Lady Lubbock¹¹ told me in Brighton Your health was at present not unsatisfactory,— I sincerely hope, You might state that to me and to all Your German followers and friends.

Perhaps Mrs. Darwin and Your son recollect the time when I came as a Prussian invasion into Your frontier, and accept my kindest regards this time.¹² | Yours very sincerely | Anton Dohrn