Dear Mr. Darwin

I hasten to thank you most cordially for your generous offer.¹ It is at once the greatest honour that possibly could happen to the Zoological Station, and it will be of very great service to the very ends, the Station has to promote.

In accepting your great gift I venture to propose a little change in its employment. Of course there are many, many things still wanting in the Laboratory, Library etc.; but as time goes on, and if I succeed in getting the Subvention of the German Empire a lasting one (an event, which I anticipate to see soon accomplished) I may be in 2 or 3 years quite able to endow the Zoolog. Station with a small chemical and physiological Laboratory, to promote physiological Research on marine Animals, and bring Physiology and Morphology into closer material and personal union.²

But there is another serious want, which might in part be filled up by your gift. The English Naturalists, when coming to work in the Zool. Station do not enjoy the same privileges, which most of the other Naturalists enjoy: to be assisted by either a government—or another travelling fund for paying travelling and other expenses. Of course not all do want such assistance, but I know some Naturalists would have asked for either the Cambridge-Table or the one taken by the Brit. Association, if they had had some assistance in the said way.³

Now I believe if you would consent to grant a sum for founding such a fund, it might easily lead to similar gifts; I know even it would, and thus English Naturalists might be enabled to come more frequently to Naples than has hitherto been the case,—an event which would give me the greatest satisfaction, the Zoological Station and I myself owing so much to English help, sympathy and encouragement. Besides there is always one danger to be taken in view: the Zoolog. Station becoming more and more exclusively German;—I wish to do all in my power to prevent that, and it would be of great help towards maintaining the International character of the Institution, if England continued to have a greater share in its working.

I venture to submit this proposition to your consideration and approval, adding once more my sincerest thanks for your generosity and asking your permission to speak of your grant publicly, as it will show and prove your acknowledgement of the scientific usefulness of the Zool. Station.—

This letter remained a day on my desk. Meanwhile Prof. Allen Thomson has arrived to visit Naples and to see the Station.⁴ I hope he is satisfied with its general arrangement, he will take the trouble of inspecting it still more; and told me, that it wanted to be made much more known in England.

Another good notice I am able to add. Prof. Du Bois-Reymond writes to me about a conversation which he had with one of the chief men in the Foreign Office at Berlin, who told him, that the German Government is ready to ask already now the transfer of the new Subvention upon the ordinary budget of the Empire; thus I shall soon hear about the definite result.⁵

The Naturalists at the Zool. Station join me in my thanks for your gift, and want me to express their renewed wishes for your good health and welfare.

With my own sincerest regards and kindest wishes | I remain | dear M^r. Darwin | Yours most truly | Anton Dohrn