Lehrjahrc and WaiidtTJuhre |:>7 



the table d'hote. He was a great phrenologist and I got him to paw my head, he gave 

 me I think a very true character (self-esteem was remarkably full). I have not now the 

 bump of constructiveness very large though he says it is large. Mary's hump is firmness, 

 I described her character and he immediately said that he had observed equally well 

 developed cases'. I have just descended from Skiddaw, it is a very seedy mountain to 

 go up, there being no difficulty whatever, the view is very extensive including the Isle 

 of Man and Ben Lomond. It was very hot and we pitched into much whisky, and on 

 the strength of it cheered 3 times 3 for God save the Queen, Trinity, etc. Whatever 

 Father Mathew may say there is nothing like vast quantities of whisky on a mountain 

 top, it would be a splendid way to subject a convert to temptation. -Please address in 

 future Browtop as an oblique-eyed intimate of our skullion having nothing else to do 

 brings up the letters. Love to all and each ; may the critical spirit of Bessy smile on 

 this epistle. 



Good Bye, Your affectionate son, 



FKAS. GALTON. 



The Keswick letters show such joy in life, such healthy vigour 

 and a nature bubbling over with such fun that those who read them 

 must feel at once on terms of intimacy with Galton's genial personality. 

 I have allowed his criticisms of Whewell to remain, for they are only 

 the opinions of a boyish undergraduate on the Master of his college 2 - 

 and most of us remember what fair game the Master must ever be to 

 the world of junior members of his college ! 



Buow TOP, KESWICK. 



July 18, Sunday, 1841. 

 MY DEAK FATHER, 



Thank you for your letter. I am very glad that you talk of coming towards 

 the lakes, as they are well worth seeing, and as a long course of fine weather almost 



1 Galton's interest in phrenology was a precursor of his later system of head- 

 measurements. While Francis was a boy at King Edward School, Birmingham, a 

 Cambridge examiner fond of phrenology asked to be allowed to inspect the boys' heads 

 to test his phrenological opinion against the results actually found in the following day's 

 examination. He went into the school-room and was much struck with Francis' head 

 and sent for him for a second inspection. He then said to Dr Jeune, "This boy has the 

 largest organ of causality I ever saw in any head but one, and that is the bust of 

 Dr Erasmus Darwin." "Why," said Dr Jeune, "this boy is Dr Darwin's grandson." 

 Owen, the Lanark Utopian, also noted Galton's head when an infant and predicted from 

 its peculiarity that he would not be a common character. The large organs of causality, 

 i.e. a good temporal development in ordinary parlance were noted by the professional 

 phrenologist, Donovan, who gave in 1849 an amusing estimate of Francis Galton's 

 character as wonderfully correct in some respects as it was absurdly incorrect in others. 

 I shall cite some part of it later. 



- Whewell was made Master this very autumn. 



