A plan was set afoot here some time ago to establish a great marine
Aquarium at Brighton by means of a company. They asked me to be their
President, but I declined, on the ground that I did not desire to
become connected with any commercial undertaking. What has become of
the scheme I do not know, but I doubt whether it would be of any use
to you, even if any connection could be established.

As soon as you have any statement of your project ready, send it to me
and I will take care that it is brought prominently before the British
public so as to stir up their minds. And then we will have a regular
field-day about it in Section D at Liverpool.

Let me know your new ideas about insects and vertebrata as soon as
possible, and I promise to do my best to pull them to pieces. What
between Kowalesky and his Ascidians, Miklucho-Maclay [A Russian
naturalist, and close friend of Haeckel's, who later adventured
himself alone among the cannibals of New Guinea.] and his Fish-brains,
and you and your Arthropods, I am becoming schwindelsuchtig, and spend
my time mainly in that pious ejaculation "Donner and Blitz," in which,
as you know, I seek relief. Then there is our Bastian who is making
living things by the following combination:--

Prescription: Ammoniae Carbonatis
Sodae Phosphatis
Aquae destillatae
quantum sufficit
Caloris 150 degrees Centigrade
Vacui perfectissimi
Patientiae.