352 Life and Letters of Francis Galton 



rofniliKMl from circulating his questionnaire, as so many of the recipients 

 niijjht re^istmably associato "mental overstrain" and "mental breakdown" 

 with a form of mentjil illness they would he unwilling to admit having 

 suffered from. As we have seen', Galton took up the toj)ic again in 1888, 

 endeavouring to obtain the requisite data from school teachei-s. 



The next circular I pick up is entitled: Kthnologicnl Inquii'ies on the 

 liiii'iti- Ch'iviu-ter and Jntellif/i'iicc of Different Races. By Francis Galton. 

 'llie object of these inquiries is ckuvr, they were intended to obtain stfitistical 

 data upon which a judgment might be made as to how far racial character 

 or training influences the mental characters. The "subjects" dealt with are 

 to be those "who have l)een reared since childhotHl in European or American 

 schools, families, asylums or missionary establishments. By this restriction, 

 it is hoped to eliminate all peculiarities that are due to the abiding influence 

 of early education, and to the manners and customs of their own people.'" 

 The standard to be kept in mind in answering these questions is the 

 atrrw/*' Anglo-Saxon character; paying strict regard to the influence of sex, 

 age, education and social position. Wnere there is no decided divergence 

 from this standard, it will oe best to reply — 'ordinary.' 



The (Jaltoniana contain no replies to this circular; I do not know whether 

 it was ever issued in mass, nor have I anywhere seen a reference to it, nor to 

 data obtained by its circulation. The origin of it may be connected with the 

 idea conveyed by Galt<:»n's treatment of unlike twins under like environment 

 (see our p. 12(5 et seq.). As we might suppose the questions iire well chosen, 

 and bear closely on Galton's own experience with uncivilised races. As the 

 questionnaire would be distinctly helpful to anyone eml)arking on an incjuiry 

 of like kind — and one might be well worth pushing with more vigour than 

 Galton seems to have given to the matter — 1 reproduce the questionnaire here : 



1. Signature, title and full addrcsH of the sender of the information. 



2. Name or initials, sex and age of individuiil whose cliarfirter is dcscriljcd. 



3. Hiu (or \wr) country and race. State spi'cifically if his nice- is known to Ik- pure, if not 

 describe the admixture. 



4. Age at which he was removed from his parents and people, also particulars .showing the 

 extent to which he has since tieen separated from their influence. 



r>. What language, or languages, does he commonly s|)eak 1 Does he retain the use of his 

 native tongue 1 



6. State any circumstances that may or may not justify his being considered a good typical 

 specimen of his race. 



7. Is he capable of steady and sustained hard labour; or, is he restless and irregular in his 

 habits t 



5. Is ho capable of filling resjwnsible situations) Hoes he show coolness of teni|>er when in 

 difficulty 1 (It is said that Hindoos are incapable of steering large ships, that is, of acting as 

 quart/Tmastcrs ; while in British vessels that duty is commonly performed by native Christians 

 of the Philippines.) 



9. Is he «locile or obstinate 1 



10. Children of many races are fully as i|uick, and even more precocious than European 

 children, but thoy mostly c<«se to make progress after the season of maiiliood. Their moral 

 character changes for the worse at the same time. State if this has Ijeen ol>serve<l in the present 

 inslMice. 



' Of. our p. 276. 



