Childhood and Boyhood 71 



the earliest portrait of Francis Galton. Before her also she doubtless 

 had two of the three little packets which lie on my table as I writ-- 

 this: the first is entitled, "Baby's Hair," a fine golden shade, the second 

 " Baby's Hair, Fras. Galton " was preserved by his sister Emma Sophia, 

 and is of a paler shade and probably earlier, and the last " Francis' 

 Hair, 1829(?)," a bright light brown, must represent him much as he 

 was in Boulogne. 



At the school he was placed in a high class, although the boys' 

 ages ranged to fifteen. A collection of eight letters written from 

 Boulogne were copied into a notebook by his sister Adele, and the 

 originals of five of them have also been preserved. These letters are 

 boyish letters, referring to the animals at home, his garden patch, the 

 doings of his sisters and brothers, and of his grandfather at Duddeston. 

 The letters are probably not quite characteristic, for I shrewdly suspect 

 they were supervised by the master, who occasionally adds a footnote 

 of his own, and in one case cross-writes a good deal of the note. Most 

 of the letters begin with a statement that Francis is very happy at the 

 school, but in later life Galton always spoke of his unhappiness there, 

 and the reiterated statements of happiness and the kindness of the 

 other boys do not seem spontaneous. Here are samples of these 

 boyish letters : 



BOULOGNE SUR MEB, 



Saturday, 30th Oct., 1830. 

 MY DEAR ADELE, 



I am very happy at School. The Boys are all pretty kind to me. I am 

 growing very tall, and in better proportion, for I am just able to clasp my wrist. I am 

 invited out every Sunday which I like very much. I was put in the third class a little 

 while ago, because I was not able to keep up with them in lessons. I am reading a 

 French book called Robinson, for I have just got out of the Grammar. I do Florilegium 

 which I think is very hard in some places for they are taken out of the end of the 

 Delectus, but some are very easy. I have not begun to learn either fencing or dancing 

 but I think I soon shall begin. Tell Emma to take great care of my garden, and to see 

 that none of the sisters take any of my Hollyocks up, else I shall be in a most terrible 

 rage when I come home. I like Cowper's Poems very much for there is at the end a very 

 entertaining account of some Hares. I hope that the Pigs, Dogs, Horses and Cows are 

 quite well. Please don't feed Ringwood so much if you think it will make him a 

 bad Dog. Give my best love to Papa and Mama, Sisters, and to Grandpapa and 



Aunt Sophia, 



And believe me always, 



Your most affectionate Brother, 



FRANCIS GALTON. 



