204 Life and Letters of FraHcin (ralton 



OcU 18, 1886. 4, iMaklborouoh Plack, Abdey Road, N.W. 



My dear Gai.TON, I havf nothing to Hay against your now form of epitaph. Indeed 1 think 

 it is quite just, I am not quite 8uro, however, whether a 'topic' can l)e 'explored.' But it is 

 easier to eriticise than to suggest something letter. Charles Darwin used to scold me for not 

 appreciating the 'Vestiges' (that flimsiest of Ixxiks) so you may judge how tenderly he Uxikud 

 at his grandfather's work. He had the noble weakness of thinking too much of other people's 

 doings and too little of his own. I wish none of us had worse sins to be forgiven. 



Ever yours very sincerely, T. H. Huxlkv. 



Did Enisinus Darwin pos.sess vivid imagination, incessant activity ami 

 energy of mind, ^reat ori(finality of thonglit. prophetic spirit both in science 

 and the mechanical arts, had he the true spirit of the philosopher — all 

 which characteristics Charles Darwin ascribed to him, — or did lie contribute 

 little or nothing to posterity? Personally 1 see no truer way of answering 

 that question than pointing to the achievements of his grandchildren, his 

 great gi-andchildren and threat great grandchildren. Tiien- scientific worth 

 and mechanicid ingenuity, their originality of thought and energy of mind 

 suggest that Charles Darwin's judgment was not in this case the product of a 

 'noble weakness.' Hut those who bave had a friend in the least approaching 

 Darwin in largeness of mind and charm of character will fully appreciate 

 Huxley's criticism on the first of Galton's epitaphs which ventured to name 

 Enisnms in the .sjime breath as his ow n hero Charles. On our Plate XX the 

 reader will find the final 'epitaph,' and its phraseology may obtain for him 

 a deeper meaning in view of this correspondence Iwtween Galton and 

 Huxley. 



NOTE II. CONTINUATION OF THE GALTON AND DE CANDOLLE 

 CORRESPONDENCE, 1879-1885. 



In order not to break the thread of Chapters XI and XII, I have placed 

 here the continuation for six years of the above correspondence. It is not 

 an unfitting place for it, because the letters not only provide ftn-ther evidence 

 of Galton's admiration for Darwin, but indicate how occupied his mind was 

 during these years with psychological problems. The "visuali.sed numerals," 

 and the " visions of the sane " are discussed in Chapter XI, and composite 

 photographs (" photographies cumul^es") in Chapter XII. 



(iKNKVB, 8 nov. 1879. 



MoN CHKK Mo.NBiKUR, J'ai lu avcc lieuucuup do plaisir Ics opuscules que vous avez bien 

 voulu m'envoyer. Les photographies cumulees m'ont paru curietises. Elles serviront probable- 

 nient duns plusieurs cas et pour diverses recherches de md<lecine, physiologie etc. On peut en 

 inf<;rer aussi certaines con8«-quences utiles dans les arts. .Je me propose, pjir cc motif, de 

 montn-r vos generic inuujen (hiiis une seance de notre societc des arts on se trouvent toujours 

 des dessinateurs, des photogniphes, etc. Hi vous jmbliez d'liutres es.sais, je vous serai tri's 

 oblige de me lea envoyer avunt le niois de Janvier proclmin. 



L'as[M;ct de vos criniiiiels confirme ce que je lisais hier dans un article scientifique sign6 de 

 Parville dans le Ti-mpt, sur les cranes de 36 assassins frant^is. Ixiurs crftnes (5taient larges 

 d'ane tempc h, I'autre. 



Les ol)st!rvation8 psychom^triques dont vous decrivez les resultats me seniblent bien difficiles 

 & faire. Cependant je sais, par exp^'Henee, qu'on arrive en se donnant de hi peine a constater 

 des faits de cette nature. J'ai aussi observi' des choses analogues pendant la nuit, et ce que j'ai 

 conclu appuie votrc opinion par dos approchemeiits assez interessants. 



