LETTER TO HUMBOLDT. 215 



of animals ; then the hope of freeing myself 

 from the burden of my collections ; and next, 

 the quiet of my life here with reference to 

 my somewhat overstrained health. Beside my 

 wish to remain, these favorable circumstances 

 furnish a powerful motive, and then I am sat- 

 isfied that people here would assist me with 

 the greatest readiness should my publications 

 not succeed otherwise. As to the publication 

 of my fishes, I can, after all, better direct the 

 lithographing of the plates here. I have just 

 written to Cotta concerning this, proposing 

 also that he should advance the cost of the 

 lithographs. I shall attend to it all carefully, 

 and be content for the present with my small 

 means. From the gradual sale he can, little 

 by little, repay my expenses, and I shall ask 

 no profit until the success of the work war- 

 rants it. I await his answer. This proposal 

 seems to me the best and the most likely to 

 advance the publication of this work. 



Since I arrived here some scientific efforts 

 have been made with the help of M. Cou- 

 lon. We have already founded a society of 

 Natural History, 1 and I hope, should you 

 make your promised visit next year, you will 

 find this germ between foliage and flower at 



1 Socie'te des Sciences Naturelles de NeuchStel. 



