Characterisation, especially by Letters 545 



which I shall have to write a preface. We have taken the Rectory at Ockham for six weeks, 

 beginning with August 18th. Ockham is in Surrey, north of Guildford, and we have friends 

 near, especially a very old and kind friend of Eva, who has suddenly become quite blind and 

 whom she wishes to cheer and read to. I am afraid that my sister Bessy has been much pulled 

 down by her influenza. The doctor ha." compelled her to stay in bed more than she likes. She is 

 very calm and cheerful, but feeble. I hope to see Edward* to-day, who is in London about cattle 

 shows, etc., and witli whom it was fixed to go to the Zoo this afternoon. Penelope t dined here 

 yesterday. I had two Syrians to take care of. One of them took great and hospitable care of us 

 when we were in Egypt, so I had a little party for them. I wonder when and where we shall 

 next meet. Amy's perfect recovery must be your primary occupation. I am for the present 

 drifting aimlessly, but with a great deal of work to do ahead, for 1 must now "boss" these 

 Eugenic matters a good deal, to make them "hum" as the Yankees are pleased to say. Arthur 

 Butler and his daughter slept here the night before last and the Master of Trinity came yester- 

 day morning. There had been a great function at Haileybury College. Lyttelton, the old Master, 

 taking his leave, before going to Eton. Arthur B., you may recollect, was elected long ago to 

 re-create Haileybury on its present footing and lost his health finally in doing so. I will keep 

 this letter open till to-night in case there be anything to add about my sister Bessy. She is on 

 the sofa: no anxiety. 



Ever affectionately, with loves to all, and with much respect for Guy, Francis Galton. 



Claverdon Leys, Warwick. July 31, 1905. 

 Dearest Milly, Your letter was full of information. I came here on Saturday. Eva writes 

 from "The Log Hut, Teigncombe, Chagford" very happily. She has "a dear old curtseying 

 woman to wait." Thank you much for your sympathetic telegi'am and writing. My precious 

 Eugenics has now been advanced a notable stage in University recognition and ought to 

 prosper. Murray is in full swing printing. I go to the Lakes to-morrow, touring about through 

 once familiar scenes till Saturday, when I get to Highhead Castle, near Carlisle, for a stay of 

 four days, or five, with my old friends the Hills X- A letter there would rejoice me. I saw Bessy 

 this morning, wonderfully well in face and talk, but rheumatic. Otherwise she would have been 

 here in Claverdon, whither I have brought a calorif § for her amusement. Edward and I have 

 been constructing a mechanical "toss-penny." I want to illustrate what T have to say in my 

 preface about Statistics that "chance" means merely the result of unrecorded, and by no means 

 necessarily of unknowable, influences. The example I take is that of tossing a penny, which is 

 typical of a "chance" result but which few would deny is the result of pure mechanism. 

 I thought it would be well to see what sort of influence on the results would follow by using a 

 machine, how far the chance could be reduced to a certainty. So we made a machine, and though 

 it is a little shaky and uncertain, on one occasion it gave two sequences amounting between them 

 to 48 "tails "out of 50 throws. A minute change in adjustment greatly alters its action, so a good 



"toss- penny" ought to be as well made as agunlock. The new owner of E , Mr Z , is here 



today. Ho is quite a stranger, young and perky. Emma Phillips |j never saw him, which is 

 rather unfortunate. But he will not enter into possession yet. Indeed he could not for two years, 

 as the house is let. He comes from the Colliery district near Bristol. Love to Amy. I trust 

 she is now settled in her new bearings. Ever affectionately, Francis Galton. 



Archie fiir liassen- und Gesellsc/iafts- Biologie, Berlin-Schlachten-See, Victokiastr. 41. 



zur Zeit, Swixemunde, den 17 August, 1905. 

 Dear Sir! We thank you very much for your kind answer and permission to translate 

 your paper on Eugenics! Excuse, please, the delay of this letter, since 1 was travelling in the 

 last time and lacking the necessary leisure. Regarding the permission by the Sociological 



* Edward Wheler, Galton's nephew, who had succeeded Darwin Galton as squire at 

 Claverdon. 



t Darwin Galton's widow, Galton's sister-in-law. 



% The lady of the house was a daughter of Francis Galton's old friend, Mr Justice Grove. 



I I suspect this stands for " calorifere," a heating apparatus, such as old ladies from the 

 Midi sometimes placed when sitting down under their ample skirts to keep themselves warm. 



[j Sister of .Mary Phillips, Darwin Galton's first wife. 



pom 69 



