Characterisation, especially by Letters 559 



January 6, 1906. 

 I had written the enclosed when your grave telegram arrived of "Mother much weaker." 

 We are very sad. I realise only too vividly what is probably going on to-day, which is even 

 worse to the onlooker than to the sufferer. My father constantly repeated this in respect to 

 his violent asthma. He seemed to suffer terribly, but did not suffer so much as we used 

 to fear. F. G. 



Address next letter please to Hotel Terminus, St Jean de Luz, Basses Pyrenees, France. 



January 7, 190G. 



My dear Edward, I am so glad that the end was peaceful and not preceded by long 

 Buffering. You and M. L. will be conscious of having been an infinite support and help to your 

 Mother, and will look back to her even more than motherly affection to you with continued 

 remembrance. 1 lose in her the only remaining person who knew our family and family friends 

 in the days of my boyhood. All her store of memories is now irrevocably gone. You, together 

 with all your sorrow, will doubtless feel a dearly bought sense of liberty, for all your move- 

 ments have been guided by the thoughts of her convenience and happiness. Still it is something 

 gained ; also the pecuniary gain to yourself and to Lucy. It is all in the order of nature. 

 I wish you all well through the sad ceremonies previous to and at the churchyard. I would 

 have asked to share in them had I been within easy reach. 



Ever very affectionately, Francis Galton. 



HOtel d'Angleterre, Biarritz. January 7, 1906. 

 Dearest Milly, "The end came this morning, so peacefully. Wheler." Such is the 

 telegram just received about dear Bessy. It is the last link with my own boyhood, for 

 Erasmus was at sea, etc., and knew little about me then. So much of interest to myself is now 

 gone irrecoverably. But it was time, according to the order of nature, and I feel sure it will 

 rive longed for liberty to Edward and M. L. to see distant parts. They were so devoted to 

 Bessy and made their arrangements so subservient to hers, that the liberty must be welcome. 

 But how they will feel the loss. Bessy's was a stoical life for a long time, not only after her 

 widowhood but long before when her and her husband's income was very small. Shu battled 

 bravely then. We go on Wednesday to St Jean de Luz, to the Hotel Terminus, for a week or 

 perhaps more, for a change. Please address your next note there, but only the next one. We 

 shall probably return here afterwards. Count Russell was staying at this hotel, and we had 

 pleasant talks with him, and kind invitations to his caves which Eva burns to accept, but 

 I could not walk up to them. He has 500 acres of snow, 8000 and more feet above the sea, with 

 rocks around it, as his property. Here are some of his caves*. He has been sleeping through 

 the summer in sleeping-bags, not in beds, for the last 40 years ! Something in the food, or what 

 not, has somewhat upset us and we shall be glad of a change for a little while. It is still very 

 warm on the whole, but variable. I doubt whether it will be fit weather for San Sebastian yet, 

 but we could so easily spend a day there from St Jean de Luz. Mr Webster, the Basque 

 scholar, lives like a Basque in the hills nine miles from there, where I hope to see him. Excuse 

 more, I have had to physic myself and to keep upstairs to-day, and am in addition a little 

 upset by the sad news. Ever affectionately, with best loves, Francis Oalton. 



[ am very sorry that your eyesight still gives some trouble. 



Hotel Tkrminus, St Jean de Luz, Bassks Pyrenees, France. January 17, 1906. 

 DKAKBS? Milly, I have delayed replying until everything had been received bearing on 

 B death and funeral. She has indeed had much to be thankful for, especially in her closely 

 reciprocated affection for Edward and Lucy, and the painlessness of the end. It must leave 

 a terrible void in their affections and interests, judging even from what my own loss is to me, 

 and of course far, far greater to them. But there is little use in talking of these things, even 

 sympathy does not much help when wounds are deep and yawning. You must have been much 

 distressed, and I look much for your next report on Guy and yourself and Amy. Sorrows come 

 in battalions. They certainly are doing so to Eucy Studdy. Erasmus cannot attend long functions, 

 be is medically unfit to do so. Edward and M. L. sat with Erasmus every evening in his loom 



* Presumably at Biarritz. 



