1846.] BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 



believe I am going on very well, but I am rather weary of my 

 present inactive life, and the water-cure has the most extra- 

 ordinary effect in producing indolence and stagnation of 

 mind : till experiencing it, I could not have believed it possi- 

 ble. I now increase in weight, have escaped sickness for 

 thirty days." He returned in June, after sixteen weeks' ab- 

 sence, much improved in health, and, as already described (p. 

 108), continued the water-cure at home for some time.] 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down [October, 1846]. 



MY DEAR HOOKER, I have not heard from Sulivan * 

 lately ; when he last wrote he named from 8th to loth as the 

 most likely time. Immediately that I hear, I will fly you a 

 line, for the chance of your being able to come. I forget 

 whether you know him, but I suppose so ; he is a real good 

 fellow. Anyhow, if you do not come then, I am very glad 

 that you propose coming soon after. . . . 



I am going to begin some papers on the lower marine 

 animals, which will last me some months, perhaps a year, and 

 then I shall begin looking over my ten-year-long accumu- 

 lation of notes on species and varieties, which, with writ- 

 ing, I dare say will take me five years, and then, when pub- 

 lished, I dare say I shall stand infinitely low in the opinion 

 of all sound Naturalists so this is my prospect for the fu- 

 ture. 



Are you a good hand at inventing names. I have a quite 

 new and curious genus of Barnacle, which I want to name, 

 and how to invent a name completely puzzles me. 



By the way, I have told you nothing about Southampton. 

 We enjoyed (wife and myself) our week beyond measure : 

 the papers were all dull, but I met so many friends and 

 made so many new acquaintances (especially some of the 

 Irish Naturalists), and took so many pleasant excursions. I 



* Admiral Sir B. J. Sulivan, formerly an officer of the Beagle. 



