Lehrjahre and Wanderjahre iO.i 



great-great-gieat-grandfather Barclay wrote his famous 'Apology for the Quakers.' We 

 went up a small hill at the back of the house to the chapel where all the Barclays are 

 buried. Then into the garden, where my great-grandfather pushed a bull over the wall, 

 60 feet down. We went over the farm with my uncle Barclay, and walked through 

 a wheatfield, the stalks higher than our heads'. In the sitting-room we saw a moveable 

 panel, behind which was a secret chamber to hide in. Margaret Barclay showed me 

 a lock of Prince Charles' hair and after much urgent entreaty, I got her to give me the 

 one hair I have. She also showed me a miniature of Queen Anne set with diamonds, 

 which Queen Anne gave to my ancestor. She gave presents to many of the Jacobite 

 families, it was suppo.sed with the hope that they would espouse her brother's claims to 

 the throne after her death." (Mrs Wheler's Reminiscences, Sept. 1839.) 



Francis went back with his father and sister to Leamington, and on 

 Oct. 3rd the lengthy letters to his father start afresh. We find him 

 at New Street, Spring Gardens, established in the house of Richard 

 Partridge, Profes.sor of Anatomy at King's College, London. Here 

 Galton had two or three fellow pupils all attending the medical lectures 

 at King's College. The.se were a distinct advance on the Birmingham 

 system of education. There was preliminary training in anatomy 

 (under Partridge with Bowman and Simon as directors in the dissecting 

 room), in physiology (under Todd, a man who.se encyclopaedic works 

 can still be studied with occasional profit) and in chemistry (under 

 Daniell, of battery fame). For the first time Galton came into a more 

 or less modern scientific atmosphere, and a microscope became a necessity. 

 Forensic medicine also was a subject of delight : 



" It had a sort of Sherlock Holmes fascination for me, while the instances given as 

 cautions, showing where the value of too confident medical assertions had been rudely 

 upset by the shrewd cross-questioning of lawyers, confirmed what I was beginning 

 vaguely to perceive, that doctors had the fault equally with pai-sons of being much too 

 positive." {Memories, p. 42.) 



Li his first letter Francis expresses pleasure with his environment, 



his fellow pupils are " two scamps " and one seemingly very nice fellow. 



In his second letter he gives a more detailed account of his sur- 



I'oundings : 



October 12, 1839. 



17 New St., Spring Gardens. 

 My DEAR Father, 



Thank you very much for your letter — uncommonly so for its contents, 

 which I have got duly receipted. This is a very comfortable house and I certainly have 

 many extra opportunities of reading. Our sitting room is quite respectable, well lighted, 



' Captain Barclay was not only a famous pedestrian, he was also a great agricultural 

 reformer, and did much for Scottish agi-iculture. 



p. (i. 14 



