Charles Appleton an Ernst Haeckel, London, 1. November 1874
THE ACADEMY,
A WEEKLY REVIEW OF LITERTURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.
OFFICES: 43, WELLINGTON STREET, STRAND.
LONDON, W. C. Nov. 14 1874
Dear Sir,
I am sorry that we can’t claim you as an “Academician” yet, but hope to do so after your return. May I ask you to send me a short note stating where you are going and with the object of making what researches? People in England are much interested in the Jena School of Biology – more particularly in any work that you are doing. I am hoping to get Professor Huxley to review your Anthropogenié: perhaps if you sent him a line (address 4 Marlborough Place, Marlborough Road, St. John’s road London N. W.) it would decide him, as he writes reviews with difficulty || and doesn’t like writing them.
I have put the Literaturzeitung in our exchange list: and if my letter to the Editor is to be published in it, should be glad to receive a copy of that number.
We are making a great effort here to get some of the large funds of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge (not less than 750,000 pounds sterling per annum!) applied to the endowment of Scientific Research in all branches, Historical and Philological as well as Physical. Our opponents say: it is not safe to endow a young man, who is not yet eminent, because the probability is that he will put the || money in his pocket and discretely abstain from adding to knowledge. How do you manage this in Germany? Is it a good thing to make a young man who has the scientific impulse, learn his living by teaching and make researches at odd times? People say: you can tell whether or no a man gives his lectures or not, but he may deceive you and himself into the belief that he is making fruitful researches when he is not. This I have been combatting in the newspapers in no measured terms, and if you take an interest in the matter I will send you the materials of the Controversy and ask you to help us by your experience –
At present owing to unfavorable conditions, research is almost dead in this country – a great deal of that is done in || Physics being the work of the Germans residing here. I shall be very glad too of Prof. Ludwig’s experience: and would ask you, if you care to look at the controversy to xxx materialism to him for his advice xxx you have perused them. Please send a line.
With much respect
Yours very faithfully
C. Affleton
Prof. Haeckel