Characterisation, especially by Letters 



507 



was fair in Rutland Gate but as I approached the Agricultural Hall the fog began and 

 worsened until at 9 a.m., the time for beginning, nothing could be seen at a short distance! 

 However, in time, the day cleared, with the result that all the horses selected for making the 

 final judgment were taken. The only mistake was in not securing a lighter background. My 

 stall' consisted of the photographer, his son who did the main part of the work, and a most 

 intelligent stud-groom (whom he borrowed from Lord Arthur Cecil to help him) and two 

 collegiates sent by the Veterinary College to make the measurements. There were others in 

 the yard, besides the groom that led in each horse in turn. I was surprised at the facility with 

 which they placed them. Of course some of the beautiful brutes stood on their hind legs and 

 pawed in the air, and others kicked fore and aft, but on the whole they were hustled into 

 place, and in every case stood on the middle row of flags which was only 25 inches wide. So 

 all the photos are in standard position. I wanted to mark the position of the hip bone and did 

 so with paper wafers, each the size of a shilling, with a dab of very thick 

 paste in the middle, which was laid on with a little spud, that I cut from 

 a pencil. It was held by its edge, clapped on the right place, and adhered | \Cd> 



firmly. They told me that the grooms were puzzled as to the object, but 

 on the whole thought it was a mark of distinction, so they left them on 

 and in the afternoon parade there were the spotted horses! It must have puzzled the 

 spectators. I was standing about helping, on a coldish day from 9 to 2 ; then there was lunch, 

 and afterwards the final judging, but by 4 I began to feel cold, and left before being formally 

 introduced to the Duke of Portland, etc. It certainly teas cold (to me). A friend of Edward's, 

 Sir John Gilmour, to whom I was introduced, asked me for some particulars, but at that moment 

 my teeth were chattering so that I could hardly reply intelligibly. The upshot is that I have got 

 material for a useful little paper, but time will be needed to work it up. I shall have the photos* 

 sent to me abroad, to work at when otherwise idle. Yesterday Frank Butler came for final 

 instructions. He will act altogether for me, in emergencies, and will answer my letters, which will 

 be forwarded to him. His address is A. Francis Butler, Esq., Haileybury Cottage, Hertford. 

 I will take every care of Eva Biggs t- She comes to me on Monday. I want to tell Edward 

 Wilder about the photography but have little time just now to write more. Will you send 

 this, therefore, to him? Ever affectionately, with much love, Francis Galton. 



At SKA, past Lisbon. March 21, 1899. 

 DEAREST Emma, I begin now, as there will probably be hurry and sight-seeing to-morrow 

 morning at Gibraltar. The sea has been unexpectedly favourable, but weather is so cold that I have 

 used all my wraps the whole day and over the bedclothes at night. Eva and a very few other ladies 

 have been squeamish and sick and she is not yet quite right, though sitting on deck. It is a 

 wonderfully well-arranged steamer. W T e each of us have had the good luck of having a cabin all to 

 ourselves, which, as a cabin is 6 ft. 3 in. long, the same or a little more in height and 6 ft. wide, 

 is luxurious. With two in a cabin it would be rather hugger-mugger, at the best. The ship 

 rolls so slowly, it takes 17 seconds to roll to one side and 

 back again. There is no jar or smell of steam engines 

 whatever; the ship seems propelled by attraction or some 

 other smoothly acting force. This is the section as I under- 

 stand it. Nobody but the ship's officers are allowed on the 

 upper deck, but we walk and sit mostly at A, which is 

 under the eo\er of the captain's deck and very pleasant 

 to be in. We can walk along B but it is much narrower 

 than A. The first class passengers are separate from the 

 and walking all round their part at A is just , ', , 1 1 1 

 of a mile, as I find; so 10 "laps" are 1 mile. They feed 

 us nver abundantly. Esehbach (the courier) makes a 

 capital lady's-maid for Eva, and evidently knows all a 

 courier's duties very perfectly. There are about 100 first 

 class passengers, some pleasant to talk to. I think much 

 of you all, also of the great sorrows left temporarily behind. So much for the present. 



•These photographs have disappeared entirely, and Mr Reid informs me that after taking 

 two sets of prints he destroyed the negatives. Alas ! 



f Galton's great-niece was about to travel with her uncle for the first time, and Spain and 

 Tangiers were to be visited. 



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