290 MEMORIES OF MY LIFE 



find myself still in accord with nearly every one of 

 those recently re-read or referred to. 



Hereditary Genius [22] made its mark at the 

 time, though subjected to much criticism, no small 

 part of which was captious or shallow, and therefore 

 unimportant. The verdict which I most eagerly 

 waited for was that of Charles Darwin, whom I 

 ranked far above all other authorities on such a 

 matter. His letter, given below, made me most 



happy. 



" Down, Beckenham, Kent, S.E. 

 $rd December 



" My dear Galton, I have only read about 50 

 pages of your book (to Judges), but I must exhale 

 myself, else something will go wrong in my inside. 

 I do not think I ever in all my life read anything 

 more interesting and original and how well and 

 clearly you put every point ! George, 1 who has 

 finished the book, and who expressed himself in just 

 the same terms, tells me that the earlier chapters are 

 nothing in interest to the later ones! It will take 

 me some time to get to these latter chapters, as it is 

 read aloud to me by my wife, who is also much in- 

 terested. You have made a convert of an opponent 

 in one sense, for I have always maintained that, 

 excepting fools, men did not differ much in intellect, 

 only in zeal and hard work ; and I still think this is 

 an eminently important difference. I congratulate 

 you on producing what I am convinced will prove 

 a memorable work. I look forward with intense 

 interest to each reading, but it sets me thinking so 

 much that I find it very hard work ; but that is 

 wholly the fault of my brain and not of your beautifully 

 clear style. Yours most sincerely, 



(Signed) " Ch. Darwin " 



1 Now Professor Sir George H, Darwin, K.C.B., F.R.S., etc. 



