212 Life ami Lefterff of Francis Gal ton 



doubtful success from psycliology to anthropology'. But it seems to me that 

 the work of the two men was wholly independent and that Galton was 

 the pioneer of experimental j)sychology in this country. Indeed very little 

 real progress was possible in this new science without the aid of Galton 's 

 correlational calculus, and jwychologists not only owe Galton a great debt 

 for his .suggestive experiments and actual apparatus, but also for those 

 mathematical methods which are now t1i«- nuiinionplace tools of psychologictil 

 investigation. 



I do not speak without careful examination of the facts, when I claim 

 for Galton a pioneer position in experimental psychology in Great Britain. 

 His Inquiries into liuman Fnodty ami its Dereloiyment appeared in 1883, 

 but it was a rSsrimS of work which had occupietl Galton foi- at least seven 

 years previously, and if we include folk j)8ychology, for twelve years'. 

 Gralton 8 notebooks and (pieries to him.self and friends begin as early as 

 1876, and one docket is inscribed by himself "Psychometric Inquiries 1876." 



In March, 1883, Galton printed and issued a four-page pamphlet in the 

 preparation of which he had trie aid of the late Professor G. C'room-Ilobertson '. 

 Galton opens with the statement that: 



"I ajn endeavouring to compile a list of instruments suitfible for tlip outfit of an Anthro- 

 pometric Laboratory, especially those for testing and measuring the eHiciency of the various 

 mental and bodily powers. The simplest instruments and methixls for miequately determining 

 the delicacy of the several senses are now under discussion. After these sliall have been dis- 

 poaed of, the next step will be to consider the methods of measuring the quickness and the 

 •ocumcy of the Higher Mental Processes. Any information you can give, or suggestions that 

 you can make, will be thankfully accepted." 



The remainder of the pamphlet deals with the measurement of sensi- 

 tivity, giving an analysis of the facts of sensation, and a jirogranune of what 

 has to De measured in (I) Skin -sensation, («) Temperature, and (h) Touch, 

 (II) Sight, (III) Hearing, (IV) Smell, (V) Taste, and (VI) the so-called 

 muscular sense. Much of this is of coui-se very familiar now. But it led 

 Galton him.self to devise various instruments for testing skin-sensation, hear- 

 ing, smell, etc. As the pamphlet states, having the facts clearly before us, 

 we must next "proceed to consider the most suitable apparatus to afford 

 the measurements (or other tests) suggested by the several paragraj)h8." 

 This pamphlet was followed by a proj)08al to hold an exhibition of p.sycho- 



' Compare the great difference in value between Wundt's PnychologUche Studien and his 

 ViiUctrptyehologie. 



• As evidenced by correspondence in the Ualton laboratory. The first published paper was 

 that on the WktMlUn of 1877, and the Composite Porlraitt and Generic Imogen followed in 

 1878 and 1879 respectively. 



• Gallon's friendship with Croora-Roliortson Ix^an in 1876, when the latter was just starting 

 Mind. Galton hod sent him two of his papers on Heredity, and Crooni-llolx'rtson said they 

 should not lie ovi-rliKjkf-il in the second issue of that Journal. He also asked Galton for 

 p>-\  ' iitions. "There was no one to whose int<>iligent c<X)peration 1 then owed 

 tu'-. . . Crooni- Robertson (1842-1892) of University Ojllege. His genius and 

 teni)ifniiiieril were of the mcjst attractive Scottish ty|>e — exact, sane and very genial.... Ho 

 was a thorough friend whose death left a void in my own life that has never been wholly 

 filled." Uemoriet, p. 267. 



