Stntiiitiral Invest tyationn 



355 



The next Hchedule I have come across is termed a " Biographical liegister." 

 It starts with a genealogy of the subject as far as the gnindparents and 

 their de.sceiidants with a space for more distant relatives. Then follows the 

 biographical register proper with a column for each age i)eriod of seven years, 

 with spaces for education (class lists), amusements (tastes and pursuits), 

 accidents and ba<] illne.sses, anthropometric tests at various ages, and other 

 characteristics. The "Notes" show tliat pei"sonal appearance, pigmentation, 

 height, weight, etc. were to be included, and eventually marriage and children. 

 There is not a doubt but that this was the original scheme from which the 

 Life- History Alhnm sprung. The inteie.sting point is that this biographical 

 register was designed for undergraduates, ihe returns were apparently to 

 be preserved in the archives of the colleges for future statistical purposes 

 and for the compilation of college histories. 



"It is believed that a large collection of personal and family records such as these, would 

 furni.sli iinjwrtant data for investifpiting the social and hero<litary antecedents that are meet 

 fiivounililo to success in foll('j^'(> and after life. They will certainly protect from oblivion many 

 facts that may hereafter prove of considerable biographical interest to the undergraduates them- 

 selves and to their families; [Kiasibly to a much wider circle." 



Again there appears to have been no result fix)m this schedule, even if it 

 were ever i&sued to an undergraduate population. The author of this 

 biogmphy knows only too well — having collected with the aid of colleagues 

 two long series of schedules from nnaergraduates — how hard is the task; 

 each series took four to six years to collect even by those who were actually 

 working and teaching among the population ; and Galton had none of these 

 advuntages. The very wealth which enableil him to carry out effectively his 

 experimental ideas, prevented him from seeking and holding a teaching post, 

 whereby he could have created more quickly a scliool, and been able to collect 

 adequate material. It would be hard to say whether the balance was one of 

 gain or loss to the world. There were factors in Gralton's character — his 

 invariable courtesy and kindliness, his love of simple methods, his sympathy 

 with younger minds, and his suggestive enthusiasm — which would have made 



Decimal Si/etem. We translate the binary into the ordinary scale. Thus : 



A want of these systems is an expression for the sibsliip of any individual, his or her brothers 

 and sisters, or again for his or her nephews and nieces, uncles and aunts. Perhaps decimal 

 figures might be added. 



45—2 



