1 .-,4 Life and Letters of Francis Gallon 



exceedingly high and who know their early subjects very well. I hope to do better in 

 each succeeding examination, but ill health, for I severely overstrained myself my first 

 term, and I feel convinced that to have read during the X 1 "" 9 Vacation would have 

 been madness, has necessarily kept me back. But with no more excuses, as there is 

 much in what Dr Jeune used to say. Good bye, Your affectionate son, 



FRAS. GALTON. 



Galton appears to have taken only a third class in the Trinity May 

 examinations, but apparently the class was determined not only by 

 mathematics but also by classics : 



Friday, OLD HUMMUMS [11 June 1841]. 

 COVENT GAKDEN. 



Left Cambridge on Tuesday, the classes are just out. 



MY DEAR FATHER, 



I am not yet aware what my place is in all the math, subjects. I was 

 fourth in Trigonometry (Matliison told me) and as I did comparatively better in 

 Geometry and Algebra, I probably am higher in those two. Having done but little- 

 classics and that badly I am in the third class I care scarcely at all about being 



where I am as I am as high in maths, as I expected. You must not forget that, as 

 regards Classics more especially, I have to compete with men who have spent that time 

 on them which I have employed in medicine, and it is therefore improbable that I should 

 take a good place amongst them. 



The Math, papers were exceedingly easy this year so that everybody, who knows 

 anything about them, must of necessity do three fourths, hence there was little room for 

 a man to distinguish himself in them. 



In the Algebraical paper there were absolutely only 3 questions not bookwork, that 

 is problems. This is too bad, it is also unusual. 



I am moving about town, doing one thing or another, dined with the Huberts 

 and Homers. I stay here till Tuesday morning to hear Madame Rachel on Monday. 

 I expect to be in Leamington Tuesday afternoon 



I have had to invest in a frock coat and two pair of trousers 



[P.S.] Hence as you observe I have not paid my Classical Tutor .1, who had left 

 Cambridge without an address. I have not paid for my Frock Coat which will be 

 about 5. I should be obliged for 5 10 as my bill at the Old Hummums will be 

 for a week and I take one meal daily. My stock in hand is 6. 19., there being a 

 mistake somewhere of 3 shillings in my account. 



Somewhere about the October of this year Tertius Galton sent 

 his son Francis an "Essay on Book Keeping." It is a very simple 

 description of how to keep accounts in an orderly manner, but it is of 

 interest as showing us that from July 1st Francis was given a regular 

 allowance, payable in advance quarterly, and thus the minute details of 

 expenditure hitherto transmitted to his father cease. The allowance 



