Characterisation, especially by Letters 511 



ever see any English, if we do they are men and rather second-rate. Plenty of fat overfed 

 Frenchmen! Very much love to you and Aunt Wheler, Your ever affectionate niece, Evelyne. 

 Uncle Frank was a saint over my fire, wasn't it dreadful! I am ashamed of myself. I did 

 not burn Aunt Wheler's mantilla, but my evening bodice and night-dress and dressing-gown. 



Extracts from Letters of his Sisters to Francis Galton. 



5, Bertie Terrace, Leamington Spa. Friday, April \Uh, 1899. 



Erasmus goes to-day to Ryde, and will stay there till June — He says — Vessels without sails 

 to steady them, must roll — In his clay, a three-decker scudding in a gale of wind, having so 

 much top hamper, caused by three tiers of guns, took he believes nearly 30 seconds in recover- 

 ing herself — I wrote him word, what you said, about the Packet rolling* E. S. Galton. 



Tell Eva that Gussie went with Sophy Bree t to see the Twins. It appears they can't speak 

 English, only Hindustani. Margot sat on the rug listening to the conversation and hearing 

 Gussie say "Sophy Bree and the Archdeacon..." Margot with a face full of fun mimicked her, 

 saying "Soapy Bree and Archchicken" to their great amusement E. A. Whelek. 



Address up to April 29 inclusive, to Hotel de la Poste, Clermont-Ferrand, Puy de Dome, 

 France. 



Madrid. April 21, 1899. 



Dearest Emma and Bessy, Your letters of Friday 14th were here on our arrival last 

 night, which had been delayed two days by our taking Toledo by the way, instead of doing it, 

 as was intended, during our stay at Madrid. Nothing can have been more successful than our 

 tour thus far; perfectly healthful, full of interest, while Eva is a model companion with abundant 

 artistic pursuits of her own; so, on the few dull days, I take to my arithmetical figures, and she 

 to drawing human figures, and we are both happy. In an hour or two, we go to the grand 

 picture gallery which is the last great sight left to us in Spain. It is grievous to come north 

 already. The glorious vegetation of S. Spain is now left quite behind, and Madrid has a northern 

 and Parisian look. But all good things must finish, and so must this long-looked-for journey. 

 I gave both your letters to Eva to read; it was she (not I) who drew for you the sketch of Cape 

 Trafalgar. What a budget of news you send. 



I chanced to see Lady Frere's death J in one of the few English papers that I have lately 

 come across. It was very suitable that she should be buried in St Paul's. I am very glad that 

 Darwin § seems distinctly better. The coming summer will bring pleasure to you all. Eva asks 

 me to say how interested she is to learn that the "bat" pattern, which Lucy is working, comes 

 out well. If a bat is a symbol of sleep, a mosquito should be one of wakefulness. We have not 

 however been much teased by them. There are none here, not even mosquito curtains, nor at 

 Toledo, which has the repute of being the centre of Spain. We shall stay some four days here in 

 Madrid (Hotel de Rome), then a hateful railway journey of some 18 hours to Barcelona, after 

 which all will be straightforward. There are two ancient feudal towns in France that 1 have 

 always longed to see and which are on our way to Clermont-Ferrand, viz. Carcassonne and 

 Aigues-Mortes. Very amusing about the "twins and Archchicken." 



With best loves, ever affectionately, Francis Galton. 



So glad that Bessy enjoyed the outing. 



Address up to May 1 inclusive to H6tel de la Poste, Clermont-Ferrand, Puy de Dome, 

 France. I propose leaving Clermont-Ferrand early on May 5tli and to be home on or about 

 May 7th (Sunday). 



Madrid, on the point of starting. April 26, 1899. 



Dearest Emma, We have done Madrid and leave in three hours for Barcelona, thence by 

 Carcassonne, etc., to Nimes and to Clermont-Ferrand. Nothing could have been more successful 



* See our p. 507 above. 



t See the first footnote p. 494 above. Gussie, Augusta B. Stewart, Herman Galton's second 

 wife. { Wife of Sir Bartle Frere. § Gal ton's brother. 



