130 Life and Letters of Francis Gait on 



I found the Sentinel standing with a fixed bayonet. I however kept still and soon went 

 to sleep. Set off at 3 in the morning (Sunday) and got to Giessen at 4i p.m., tooled 

 to the inn and on inquiry fortunately found Miller there. In the evening walked about 

 the town round the ramparts etc., etc. Miller introduced me to Playfair, late chemical 

 assistant to Graham, to Gilbert, also assistant to Thompson, and to Herr Bettenbacher, 

 a Vienna professor, all studying at Liebig's. Went to bed, slept gloriously, up at 6 

 this morning, went to the Laboratory, heard Liebig lecture, saw all that was going 

 on. Made arrangements with the German Professor for daily lessons. My present plans 

 are as follows. Work hard at Giessen for a fortnight till I can speak it tolerably. 

 I shall then expect letters from you with Berlin, Dresden or Hanover introductions ; 

 go to one of these places, and mix in society and lark for 3 weeks at least, and shall 

 be in England on the 14th of September. Please write to Hodgson and tell him about 

 my alteration mentioning that Miller thinks it the best thing that I can do. Write an 

 answer please by return of post and another letter with introductions (if you approve 

 of the plan) as soon as you can get them. 



I am most comfortably housed etc., eating, drinking and sleeping cost 3 shillings 

 a day. I dine with the chemicalizers at 6 o'clock. There are great top-sawyers amongst 

 them. We always speak German. I am much vexed at losing my Chemistry, but 

 I shall gain far more by stewing away at German, than I should had I worked at 

 Chemistry, Liebig's arrangements being as I had expected. I have enjoyed myself 

 excessively, 



Good bye. Y r affectionate Son, 



FRAS. GALTON. 



Miller and myself are great chums and we talk German to each other most 

 unintelligibly. I have no doubt that the linguists at the table d'hote will have much 

 discussion on what the tongue is in which we converse. 



Of the men mentioned in this letter several reached distinction 

 later. William Allen Miller also a Birmingham General Hospital 

 man became Professor of Chemistry at King's College, London, and 

 later, especially in conjunction with Huggins, made noteworthy chemical 

 investigations. Playfair, afterward Lord Playfair, was well-known to 

 our generation both as chemist and politician. But the mood of Francis 

 Galton was at this moment neither for research nor intellectual society. 

 He could not possibly have settled down to either chemical analysis or 

 " stewing at German." The roving lust had seized him and it was to 

 hold him for many years, until indeed it should itself become sub- 

 servient to his love of scientific inquiry. 



