Eugenics as a Creed and the Last Decade of Galton's Life 225 



would enlarge your means of work and from that point of view would be agreeable, I think 

 and hope. 



It is, perhaps, well that I should copy out the paragraph in my Will, which refers to the 

 residue after paying various legacies, the amount of which residue will be fully what I told 

 you and somewhat more. 



" I devise and bequeath all the residue of my estate and effects both real and personal unto 

 the University of London to be held, assigned and disposed of by the Senate of that University 

 in the furtherance of the study of National Eugenics, that is of the agencies under social 

 control that may improve the racial qualities of future generations either physically or mentally. 

 Provided always that it shall be lawful for the Senate by a majority of not less than two-thirds 

 of all its members at any time after ten years shall have elapsed from the date [1906] of this 

 my "Will to divert part or the whole of the then remaining sum to the study of such other 

 branch or branches of Biometry, Statistics or of Sociology as they may then think more worthy 

 of support." 



If you think this could be amended by a Codicil, pray tell me. 



Mr Heron comes to see me tomorrow till, I believe, Monday morning ; I will write the 

 results of what I may learn from him, etc. 



I hope that your reply to this may justify my telling Hartog that all the arrangements for 

 filling up the Eugenics vacancy and its future control will be in your hands, and no longer in 

 mine, that I wish to retire wholly and that in all matters concerning its management, except 

 financial, he must henceforth communicate with you — May it be so ! 



Affectionately yours, Francis Galton. 

 I shall think of you on the 24th*. 



Plymouth is a success in all essentials as warmth, cooking and comfort, but the sky and 

 air are somewhat depressing. 



This letter shows that in 1906 Galton preferred " qualities " to "faculties ' 

 in his definition of Eugenics. In the wording of both the Will of 1908 and 

 the Codicil of May 25, 1909, the latter term replaces the former. I find from 

 letters that passed between Galton and myself between May 4 and May 18, 

 1909, that he consulted me as to the drafting of this later Codicil, actually 

 putting a copy (returned to him) before me for my suggestions, which turned 

 solely on the desirability of granting power to the University to delay the 

 appointment of a Galton professor, if no suitable man was at once available. 

 If the word " faculties " replaced " qualities " in this draft, probably Galton, 

 and certainly I, overlooked its introduction. 



Historically the origin of the definition of Eugenics is of interest ; its 

 three forms, that in the Minutes of the University as to the duties of the 

 first Galton Research Fellow, which has been invariably used by the Galton 

 Laboratory ; the unsanctioned change in Sir Arthur Rucker's advertisement ; 

 and finally that of the Codicil defining the bequest to the University, have 

 already been the subject of inquiry from America. If the University were 

 ever to insist in practice on a rigid interpretation of the phrasing of the 

 bequest, the word "faculties" might hamper a future f occupant of the 

 Galton Chair. It would be most undesirable that he should be precluded 

 from studying any characteristic quality — iris pigmentation, constitution 



* I was probably giving a public lecture on that date, but do not remember topic or place. 



f Hardly in the case of the present Galton professor, as the Will permits him to associate 

 the Biometric Laboratory with the Galton Laboratory, and biometry at least covers the 

 "qualities" as well as the "faculties" of man ! 



pom 29 



