Lehrjahrc and Wanderjahre 111 



a complete Snowdonia of them soon and my mouth is rather sore. Paws rnther 

 improved. 



(1) When a note of invite is sent unpaid by the twopenny post, may I answer it 

 by ditto or how 1 ? 



(2) Ought I to call at St James Square 2 before these boils go away and take the 

 chance of more not coming, or not? N.B. the 2nd is just the sixe of and exactly like 

 those purple polypuses there were at Weymouth. 



(3) When the Homers invite with a note beginning with " My dear Francis " how 

 am I to answer it ? 



Give my love to all. Ask Emma what I can do for the boils. 

 Diet. Breakfast, 1 large cup of tea. 

 1 round dry toast. 



Luncheon, not always, Bread and Cheese. 

 Dinner, 1 or 2 times of meat, vegetables, melted butter. 3 glasses wine. 



Pudding or Tart. 1 glass of water. 

 Tea, several small cups, bread and butter. 



This is my full diet. Please Emma tell me what sort of low diet will do. T have 

 fearful indigestion, sleepiness, variable appetite etc., etc. 



Good Bye, FRAS. GALTON. 



Possibly the very Spartan diet had more to do with the boils than 

 Francis imagined. But he was soon to be home for the Christmas 

 vacation and he was preparing for it. To his father he writes on 

 Dec. 15th: 



" 1 have agreed with Erasmus to spend a week in looking him up at Loxton, the 

 time of travelling inclusive. Erasmus came yesterday to London. I introduced him to 

 the Dissecting I loom, from which he seemed rather glad to bolt. Would you ask Mater 

 to see that my gun is in perfect condition, and as clean as a peeled potato, 2ndly to sec 

 that my powder flask, which I think is in a Bank Box in my room, is gunpowder tight ; 

 if not to let the hole be soldered up. I want now to ask you about the state of my 

 wardrobe." 



Then follows a very complete account of Francis' wardrobe, the 

 morning coat which will "do for the Strand, but not St James Square," 

 the dress-coat " not exactly a perfect fit," the " two pair reputable 

 trousers," etc., etc. 



"What am I to do? Cartwright has no conscience, he has charged 15. 18. 

 altogether. 



Would you also send me word how many morning coats you and Darwin wear 

 yearly. My consumption would be 3 per year about. Please write soon as I am going 

 to a ball at Homers next week. Moreover I have no great coat which is rather 

 unpleasant in a London Fog." 



1 On the introduction of general letter post, it was considered as rude to prepay 

 a letter, as it is now to leave it unstamped. 



2 Great-aunt Mrs Hudson Gurney (Margaret Barclay, sister of Captain Barclay). 



