4715 Life and Letters of Francis Gallon 



From Louisa Gallon : 42, Rutland Gate, S.W. November 4, [1886], Private. 



(It's not private at all. P. G.) 



Dearest Emma, Sec the Telegram just come, quite unexpeeted hut not the less welcome. 

 I am so glad. Frank works on so patiently and quietly, there is less to bring him to the front 

 than with many who do less. He is very pleased but do not talk about it for a few days, as 

 the President of the Royal Society puts " private " till confirmed by the Queen (a mere farce). 

 It is given for his Statistical inquiries and investigations in Biology. You will be pleased, 

 I know, more than anyone next to ourselves. I write in bed having been sick half the night, but 

 hope the attack has passed its worst, still I cannot write much. The encomiums on Montagu* 

 are delightful and not too great. I long to hear we shall soon see him. Friends are so hearty 

 and pleased ; we were none of us satisfied with his Deanery from the first and very dissatisfied 

 with Gladstone. I am so thankful he has this rather than a bishopric, but he will sadly need 

 a wife. I am grieved your Cookery has been troubled by Miss Ellis's illness, and that so much 

 has devolved on you. We shall anxiously await tidings, how all goes on, including Miss E. 



November 5. Dearest Emma, I finish the letter as Louisa is arranging with cook. We are 

 very sorry indeed about Miss Ellis and your troubles in consequence. The full-sized design for 

 the Lichfield memorial is ready to be seen and sent down, and I shall go to the Sculptor this 

 morning, but being rather busy afterwards at distant Committees will not be able to send an 

 account of it to-day. I was so pleased last night about the Royal Medal. Stokes, the President, 

 wrote to me this morning to say it is for my "statistical inquiries into biological phenomena." 

 These things don't get into the papers, certainly not for a couple of weeks, as the names of the 

 Royal medallists have to be submitted to the Queen, because she gives the medals. But this is 

 a pure form. The medal contains some £50 worth of gold. George Darwin got one as you will 

 recollect, two years ago, for his most elaborate researches into the early planetary history. Two 

 Royal medals are given each year. There are also two others usually given to foreigners, the 

 "Rumford" and the "Davy," but by no means always; beside the great medal of all, the 

 "Copley." Tell Bessy with thanks that the book covers have returned safely. 



Ever affectionately, Francis Galton. 



42, Rutland Gate, S.W. November 15, 1886. 



Dear Mrs HERTzf, Best thanks for "Vain Discourse" which I have thoroughly enjoyed 

 and return. 



I stole an "umberella" from your house yesterday, taking it by mistake for my own — really 

 by mistake, and it is a better one, which I know throws doubt on my honesty. If you can tell 

 me who the owner is, I will penitently return it. Yet my own had merits. It was of real silk, 

 very light, and I bought it new from an itinerant dealer in Lombard St for 4/6. I could have 

 got one of inferior silk for 4/-. The "umberella" deserved study; it was made up of clippings of 

 silk. It certainly acted and looked handsome and I took it abroad. The one I stole probably 

 cost a guinea or more. Very faithfully, Francis Galton. 



The "Ascidian flippant in an infinite azure" as heraldic bearing for the Darwinians is 

 charming. Can't you get someone to draw it? 



Letter to Alphonse de Candolle. 



42, Rutland Gate, London. May 26, 1887. 



My dear Sir, It gave me great pleasure to receive the "Extrait" from the Revue d'Anthro- 

 pologie of May 15 containing your article on the relative healthfulness of the brown and blond 

 types. You had told me of the suspicion you then had of the accuracy of the American 

 references and I had long wished to see your article. Their statistics are clearly imperfect 



* Henry Montagu Butler, Galton's brother-in-law, appointed Master of Trinity College, 

 Cambridge, in 1886. 



j" See my footnote p. 464 above. I have a letter of Huxley to her from the year 1870, 

 expressing great sympathy with the Prussians. 



