106 Life and Letters of Francis Gait on 



ditto carpetted ; fire etc.; furnislied with a most capital libiaiy, about 10 skeletons, etc., 

 a loyal cast of St George and the Dragon, and a bust of Harvey, and I don't know what 

 else. A view from the window of the Admiralty witli a telegraph at the top continually 

 working and attitudinizing like a skeleton learning gymnastics ; the Horse Guards etc. 

 My bedroom is small and a garret, but the most comfortable one possible not too large 

 nor too small, with bookshelves and a reading desk where I stew away most com- 

 f ortablj' 



King's College is a very nice place. I am there from 9 till 4 attending lectures and 

 dissecting. There is a sight there which a Frenchman would give his ears to see, viz. 

 a most splendid collection of large green frogs all alive and kicking and croaking too, 

 kept, however, for Dr Todd's Physiological Experiments. Thank you for the microscope 

 it was just the thing; the shirts too were werry acceptable'. 



I was quite surprised to hear that you got home without such an amiable personal 

 as myself. I am glad that the tartans were properly appreciated. Good bye etc. Fras. 

 Galton. 



Dear Pemmy — I want you to be in the very best humour possibly and the reason is 

 this : in my bedroom there is a yellow wall 12 ft. x 5; now this does not accord with my 

 notions of beauty but — remember you are a capital Pemmy — if there were two water- 

 colour pictures to relieve its monotony, it would be most reputable. Now there is not 

 a single engraving that will do in all London, they are all either too large and too 

 expensive or too small and good for nothing. Now if you would but paint me two 

 pictures, each about the size of a novel and send them up by some parcel or other 

 I could get them framed in black for 1 bob apiece. I should like something in a Prout 

 style, not three Turks smoking their pipes in a triangle, with one blue hill in the 

 distance and a white river between them, and something on the hill with two uprights 

 and a cross bar like a gibbet only intended for the ruins of an old temple 

 but some building or other well touched up with Indian Ink and reed ' j -i r? 

 pen. I shall take such care of them. Now remember the "aspect "of J[- -j\, 

 the room is this : pretty well-lighted, 1 window not opposite the wall, 

 which is yellow. The frame will be black. You will now know what sort of things 

 will suit. Tell Bessy that the paws are improving. Hair very bad. Nails middling 

 but better and that "smutty" week is not quite passed. Good bye — You are, at least 

 will be, a nice Pemmy. Love to all 



Postscripts and other addenda refer to the presentation of his first 



cheque at Barclay's Bank. It is clear that Sister Pemmy provided for the 



artistic element, and Sister Bessy supervised Francis' neatness of attire and 



personal appearance. Although there are no letters bearing on Francis' 



transfer from Birmingham to London, it is clear from the next letter I 



shall quote that his career — a year in London followed by Cambridge — 



must have been practically settled before he left Birmingham. 



I have retained any intentional wrong spelling, the unintentional slips are 

 somewhat numerous, they would comfort other suiferers, but I have thought it best to 

 remove them. K. P. 



