Characterisation, especially by Letters 543 



about Gavr'inis and have photographs of the big stones — casts of them are in the Museum of 

 St Germain. They are cut apparently as conventional renderings of the marks made by a bloody 

 thumb or linger on a flat surface. They are certainly not exact copies of any real finger mark, 

 being far too regular, but their patterns seem clearly to be based on the general appearance of 

 one or more. The museum authorities allowed ine to have the photos to examine. My resemblance 

 problem hangs fire, for the makeshift apparatus I have been using proves inadequate, and 

 1 must get some (of which I possess the essential parts in London) properly fitted together. 

 There are many alternative ways of carrying out the same principle and I am somewhat 

 l)ewildered which finally to adopt. The subject too has many ramifications and I ought to show 

 many illustrations. So the whole thing must wait awhile and mature. The greenery with you 

 in England seems little short of what it is with us. There are however not many deciduous trees 

 here to judge by. One horse-chestnut is in bloom, but the mass of the verdure is olive, palm 

 and orange. What a sight a flourishing orange garden is! One understands their ancient name 

 of golden apples. How pleased you will all be with your holiday trip. Best love to you all in 

 which of course Eva would heartily join. Miss Cuenod asks after you. Do you recollect her at 

 Veveyl Ever affectionately, Francis Galton. 



Letter of Erasmus Galton to his brother Francis. 



Royal Victoria Yacht Club, Ryde, I. op W. May 3, 1905. 



My dear Frank, I am so very glad to hear you are now quite well and on your way home. 

 Yesterday was bitterly cold, but this morning we have sunshine and all appearance of summer 

 coming on. Your idea about fruit trees is excellent in theory but not in practice. Fruit, to be 

 first class, must have sunshine and room. Fruit trees planted as you saw them at Loxton 

 have plenty of it, and have two wide avenues and two narrow ones, so that carts, bush 

 harrows, and mowing machines may pass between the trees, in fact everything can be done by 

 horse cultivation in place of manual labour. For instance, hay is cut, made, stacked and finished 

 entirely by machines. Turnips are cultivated in rows of from 28 to 32 inches apart, cabbages still 

 wider to allow horse hoes to work between, one horse and one horse hoe easily doing the work 

 of twelve men. The Royal Agricultural Society's Journal of this quarter gives a long account 

 of fruit farming, which I think you should read before sending in your paper, which paper 

 I enclose in this letter for your re-consideration. I would advise sending it to the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society Journal or to the Field, to which papers I have sent a few articles which they 

 accepted. Ever very affectionately yours, Eras. Galton. 



P.S. Bessy has been so good as to tell me every fortnight about you. 



42, Rutland Gate, S.W. May 13, 1905. 



DEAREST Milly, My letter is belated, for you have no Sunday delivery, but there is 

 nothing to say. Eva and I go toClaverdon on Monday, for four days or so. We are nearly square 

 again at home. There is now a mahogany rail put into my house, from the ground floor up to the 

 second floor, up which I pull myself like an orang outang, and find it very handy in descending 

 also. You will be very glad to be off and enjoy spring and change in Brittany. I feel now as 

 though the past winter were a half-forgotten dream. The first letters almost that I opened on 

 returning, were to say that the Council of the British Association had nominated me as Presi- 

 dent next year at York. They were very kind, assuring me that I need not attend Committees 

 on account of my deafness, and might absent myself much, leaving the duties to a Vice-Presi- 

 dent, but I dared not risk it. The social duties are what chiefly knock me up. I think T could 

 get through the Address, but even that, with my uncertain throat, would be a doubt. So 

 I refused at once. Something of the same kiud occurred to me before, and not only once, but 

 1 am conscious of many limitations to my strength, and then, as now, declined. It is a bore to 

 renounce the opportunity of having so good a pulpit to set forth one's fads; it is in fact 

 a unique opportunity for addressing all men of science and the public as well. George Darwin 

 will have a very fatiguing time in S. Africa, lie has to give two addresses, one at Cape Town 

 and one at Johannesburg, and the travelling will be very long. It is a great way, and by slow 

 trains, to the Victoria Falls. I fancy more than 48 hours each way, and there is ever so much 

 more to be done. The Diplodocus (big beast 90 feet long, when measured along the undulations 



