Characterisation, especially by Letters 495 



The weather is improving here and the lilacs, laburnums, etc. will be glorious when the sun 

 shines. There was a chilly geographical river party yesterday to see the Franklin remains at 

 Greenwich, which I did not care to join. What is Arthur Galton's address in Sydney? I owe 

 him a letter of thanks for a published lecture which he recently sent me (unaccompanied by an 

 address). 



The following is the Speech delivered by the Public Orator on presenting 

 Mr Francis Galton, M.A., F.R.S., of Trinity College, for the honorary degree 

 of Doctor in Science*. 



Sedes olim sibi notas hodie revisit alumnus boater, qui flumine Nilo quondam explorato, et 

 Africa Australi postea perlustrata, velut alter Mercurius omnium qui inter loca deserta et 

 inhospita peregrinantur adiutor et patronus egregius exstitit. Idem, velut alter Aeolus, etiam 

 ipsos ventos caelique tenipestatcs suae provinciae audacter adiunxit. Hodie vero Academiae 

 nemora nuper procellis minium vexata non sine misericordia contemplatus, e frondibus nostra 

 caducis capiti tam venerabili coronam diu debitani imponi patitur. Tempestatum certe in 

 Scientia iamdudum versatus, ventorum cursus tabulis fidelibus olim mandavit, gentesque varium 

 caeli morem praediscere docuit, laudem philosopho cuidam antiquo a Xubium choro Aristo- 

 phanico quondam tributam uno saltern verbo mutato meritus : ov yap av aXXto y waxowai/iev twv 

 vvv fx.eTto>po\oyom'T<i>v. Longum est avorum et proavorum ingenia magna in ipsorum progenie con- 

 tinuata ab hoc viro, Caroli Darwinii cognato, virorum insignium exemplis illustrata percensere. 

 Longum est tot honores titulosque ab ipso per tot annos cunmlatos commemorare. Hoc autem 

 in loco, eloquentiae eius undecim abhinc annos conscio, instituti anthropologic! praesidem non 

 corporis tantum sed etiam mentis humanae mensorem appellaverim. Inter antiquos quidem 

 celebratum erat illud Protagorae, omnium rerum mensuram esse hominem. Inter recentiores 

 autem notum est hunc praesertim virum hominum omnium, imprimis pessimorum, mensuram 

 ad amussim velle exigere. Ceterum plura hodie dicere supervacaneum est ; constat enim ne 

 optimorum quidem virorum a laudibus abessedebere mensuram. Duco ad vos virum de scientia 

 anthropologica et meteorologica praeclare meritum, caeli et terrae indagatorem indefessum, 

 studiorum denique geographicorum etiam inter nosmet ipsos fautorem insignem, Franciscum 

 Galton. 



Translation of Dr Sandys' speech by Archdeacon Breefor the benefit 

 of Miss Emma Galton, mid possibly of some of my Readers. 



The Public Orator, Dr Sandys, in presenting for the honorary degree of Doctor in Science 

 Mr Francis Galton, F.R.S., M.A., Trinity, referred to Mr Galton's early travels on the White 

 Nile and in the Damara- and Ovampo-lands in South Africa, adding that the author of the "Art 

 of Travel," "velut alter Mercurius omnium qui infer loca deserta el inhospita peregrinantur 

 adiutor et patromu egregius exstitit. Like another Aeolus, he had also taken the winds and 

 tempests for his province, and on his return to his former haunts at Cambridge he had doubtless 

 looked with pity on the "groves of Academe," lately laid desolate by a disastrous storm. As 

 meteorologist he had been the first to map out the course of the winds on an extensive scale, 

 and had thus facilitated the forecasting of the weather; the high regard in which he was held 

 in this department of science might perhaps be expressed in language partly borrowed from the 

 < 'h,, nl* of Aristophanes: ov yap av aXXw y vxamwaifwv twv vvv paTempoXoyovvTinv. Descended 

 from the same grandfather as Charles Darwin, he had himself written largely on subjects 

 connected with heredity. His Rede lecture, on "The Measurement of Human Faculty," 

 delivered in the Senate-house 11 years ago, entitled the former president of the Anthropological 

 Institute to be called a measurer, not only of the human body, but also of the human mind. 

 Protagoras had in ancient days taught the doctrine that " Man was the measure of all 

 things." Mr Galton had in modern times taken a leading part in insisting on taking the 

 measure of men in general and of criminals in particular. It was, however, superfluous to 

 expatiate any longer on his merits; even the praises of eminent men had their limiting law 

 and their proper measure. 



* Cambridge Reporter, May 21, 1895. 



