134 Life and Letters of Francis Galton 



available. That is, they might communicate of the Secretary need not at first be large, since 



with persons, many of high social position, the duties of the office would not then be so 



who are breeders on a large scale in their own onerous as to prevent his holding other ap- 



grounds, thereby initiating a widely spread pointments. 



system of co-operation in carrying out experi- The meeting will be asked to consider this 

 ments desired by the Committee. It is not to scheme, amending and altering it as desirable, 

 be expected that the several results would be to discuss its cost, and the ways of meeting 

 equally trustworthy with those made under that cost. If, after this, the prevalent feeling 

 specially trained management as in the pro- should be in favour of further proceedings, 

 posed farm. On the other hand, whenever it the meeting might appoint an Executive Corn- 

 was found that similar experiments made simul- mittee, not consisting exclusively of Fellows 

 taneously at many different places led to the of the Royal Society, to examine the subject 

 same results, those results would eminently de- closely in its various details, to consider the 

 serve confidence. The incidental advantage of precise experiments that might be first under- 

 interesting influential persons in the work of taken, and to report to an adjourned meeting. 

 the Committee would be great. 



The cost of the complete scheme does not FRANCIS GALTON 



seem likely to be very formidable. It would be (Chairman of the Committee of the Royal Society 



chiefly made up of the rental of the farm, the far the Measurement of Plants and Animals). 

 erection of enclosures, hutches, etc., the small 



initial cost of the animals, their feed, and the 42 > Rutland Gate, S.W. 



wagesof the caretaker and assistants. The salary . November 30th, 1896. 



The response was most heartrending. Even such warm friends of Galton 

 as Sir J. D. Hooker and Herbert Spencer were not helpful. The former 

 thought that experiments on plants could be undertaken at Kew, and no 

 new station was needful; the latter thought the course suggested impolitic, 

 the proposed purchase of the Darwin house was no doubt appropriate as 

 a matter of sentiment, but most inappropriate as a matter of business. He 

 would be disinclined to cooperate if any such imprudent step were taken*. 

 Great matters must spring from small germs, which would only justify them- 

 selves by their success. Real encouragement came only from Adam Sedgwick, 

 from Meldola, and from Weldon ("Surely £4000 can be raised somehow!"). 

 The Darwin brothers it is needless to say wrote most generously and helpfully, 

 but the scheme fell dead even among the biologists who thought it worth while 

 to come to the meeting with the view of discussing it. There was among 

 them no broad conception of what a station for experimental evolution might 

 achieve for their science, and there was not the slightest chance of enthusiasm 

 and energy being put into the project so that it might be carried to a successful 

 issue. The money for the acquisition of Down was still to be found, but there 

 was the sum of £2000 assured by the anonymous donor f, and one distinguished 

 biologist, thinking a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush, asked, if 

 they had not come to allot that sum for their experimental work, what had 

 they come for? I never left a meeting with a greater feeling of despair, and 

 this was shared by Weldon, and to a lesser extent by Galton, who was 

 consoled to some extent by Francis Darwin's writing that, however much 

 he regretted the Down project could not be worked, he was not going to 



* Asa matter of fact Spencer had not been consulted, but had heard of the matter indirectly 

 through Adam Sedgwick, and had then written to Galton to know what it was all about! 



t "There is assurance that a sum of £2000 would be available to start the undertaking, if 

 a thoroughly satisfactory programme could be agreed to." 



