Character isation, especial/;/ by Letters 561 



Erasmus still closer together. He, Erasmus, suggests that I and he should interchange periodical 

 letters, say once fortnightly, to which I cordially agree. There are great merits in this place 

 and I like it. We spent a long day a little since at Fuentarabia in Spain close by, but it is 

 rather too cold and the days are still rather short for excursions. Your letter reached me 

 yesterday as wet as if it had come out of Guy's trousers' pocket after his "humane" feat by 

 St Malo. The story was that Seabrooke* bicycled to Biarritz, being invited to dine there by 

 her friends. On returning, the weather there was at first rather blowy but dry. Here it was 

 a gale with squalls of rain and we were anxious about her return. She ran into the gale about 

 half way, and had to walk with her machine four or five miles, arriving here late with your letter 

 in her pocket and every stitch of clothing on her wet through. A dose of hot tea and brandy, 

 followed by dinner and early bed, has put her quite right. It is remarkable how popular she 

 becomes wherever she goes. There was, and is, a Russian Archduke at the Hotel d'Angleterre at 

 Biarritz with his suite, and there are other Russians also. On their Xmas Day (while we were 

 still there) a big servants' dinner was given and according to Russian custom they chose a queen 

 for the evening, and that queen was Seabrooke. She was crowned with and wore a handsome 

 dish-cover. 



I feel just like you about Leamington. All special interest in the place is gone for me, which 

 was for a long time so close and grateful. I greatly miss Bessy's weekly letters, too. In fact it 

 is a big loss to me, that time cannot now go far towards supplying. I am glad to know that 

 your affectionate heart feels it deeply too. What anxiety you must have had about Guy's very 

 sharp attack and fever. Is not the present form of bad chickenpox a special type recently 

 imported from Germany % I fancy that I have heard so. Free Trade in microbes and diseases ! 

 Hurrah for Free Trade ! We get good things however as well as bad through Free Trade. This 

 cataclysm in the political world is ludicrous as well as terrible. Most likely it will be a refresher 

 and turn to good in the end, but there are many wrong ways to one right one, according to 

 Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Eva went to the Basque Cathedral last Sunday — most imposing — 

 then a long, long procession through streets sparsely strewn with sweet-smelling rushes, which 

 with Basque orderliness were all swept away that same evening. 



Loves to Amy and all, ever affectionately, Francis Galton. 



Address for next two or three days: Hotel de la Rhune, Ascain, Basses Pyrenees, France. 



February 1, 1906. 



My DKAB Weldox, I owe you thanks for your kind sympathy and was indeed about to 

 write when your letter to Miss Biggs arrived yesterday. As yet we have not noticed any 

 arbutus but shall be to-day in less cultivated districts for we go to the above picturesque Basque 

 village for a week certain and will take care to look out and to ask. Probably we shall go on 

 four miles to Sarre where Mr Webster, the Basque authority, lives with his well-informed wife 

 and daughter, and I will put them on the arbutus inquiry. We should have gone there instead of 

 to Ascain, but some unexpected bother arose about the contemplated rooms. I should be grateful 

 for a few lines about the horse-colour question and the Royal Society discussion, where I have 

 1 from Pearson that Bateson drew a red herring across the track of the discussion. He also 

 sent me a slasher in the Chronicle about X. and tuberculosis, well-deserved. X., with his fluent 

 pen and Oriental character, strikes me as a precarious combination, not to be depended on over- 

 much. I heard from Schuster a few days ago but having been much preoccupied his letter is still 

 unanswered. How docs the hook, the magnum opus, get onl You can hardly believe how much 

 I thirst for its appearance, for your zoological facts are just those I am most deficient in. 



We have had a quiet pleasant three weeks here, at St Jean de Luz, and feel the Spring in 

 the air and the good time coming. The Royal Lover whirled through the town in his motor, to 

 and from Biarritz, but I did not see him. One ought to "cast" a future (like a horoscope) for 

 the prospective children. A queer medley of good and bad breed will run in their veins. 



i in, and the inn there, where we go to-day, is where Pierre Loti wrote Ramuntcho. 

 His ship was somewhere near and he got leave to stay on shore. The Bay is now wonderfully 

 calm, such a contrast to when we arrived, when the waxes ran wonderfully high and a newly 

 wrecked ship lay on the shore. The sea reminds ine of a gorged cannibal, sleeping with his 

 stomach full. Ever very sincerely, Francis Galton. 



* Evelyne Biggs' maid. 

 pgiii 71 



