Lelirjahre mul Waiulerjahre 187 



not as hospitable as they might be which is far fi'om the case, but still they might 

 think it. My uncle is very much better and stronger than I expected, and I have 

 enjoyed my visit extremely. Your affectionate son, 



F. Galton. 



At the beginning of May, Galton was back in Cambridge full 

 of his medical studies and pointing out the value of a Cambridge 

 degree for a medical man. 



" Robert Frere who was ni}' senior at Partridge's, and who has indeed taken a 

 surgeon's degree has had this fact so much urged upon him by different London Doctors 

 that he intends coming to Cambridge as a freshman next term. So I was right after 



all, notwithstanding Hodgson's forebodings, in wishing for a Cantab, education 



Tell Delly that as soon as I came up, and through the medium of Tooke I served a writ 

 for total abstinence on Selwyn. He professes himself not quite decided as yet, though 

 undoubtedly in favour of the cause. Tooke introduced me to him the day after. The 

 Epigram Society flourishes in great vigour, we meet next time to write epitaphs on the 

 various dons now in authority. Selwyn I hear desires to join us. The Kays come up 

 next week to t<ake degrees in Freemasonry', and then they are to tell nie about any 

 lodgings near them they have found out for me in town." \^May 1, 1844.] 



Only two more letters of the Cambridge period have been pre- 

 served — indeed we shall soon reach the end of our material of this 

 kind ; for with the death of Tertius there was no other member of 

 the family who preserved Francis' letters with the same tender care. 

 At the risk of wearying the reader, I give them both. 



Mvuday ^fornhtf/ [May 6, 1844]. 

 Mv DEAR Father, 



Thank you very much for your two letters and I have just received Emma's 

 also with the account of .Miss E. I should think Mr T. was not a person of very 

 sanguine temperament. What is the correct thing for a lady to do under those 

 circumstances? I always thought that the bridegroom was made to breakfast with 

 the bridal party before the ceremony, and never lost sight of till after it was over, lest 

 lie might bolt. It .seems so odd to make an appointment to meet and be married at a 

 given hour at a church. Had Mr T. only been a di.sciple of my Father's, he would have 

 been shivering at least half an liour before his time waiting for the church-door to open, 

 and not he so grievously late. I am glad Mrs Onslow is getting better, did you say the 

 Imll went right through her? My old friend, Joe Kay, is in Cambridge and he tells me 

 of several lodgings about where T should like to be in London. I have not actually 



' Francis Galton him.self was initiated on February 5, 1844, into Scientific Lodge 

 No. 105 of the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, held at the Red Lion Hotel, 

 Camljridge, and on March 12, 1845, he was registered on the books of the Grand Lodge, 

 London. 



24—2 



I 



