Eugenics as a Creed and the Last Decade of Gallon's Life 281 



opportunity of doing so pray express my sincerest sympathy with her I do pity you both 



in losing so dear and intimate a colleague and in so tragical a manner. ... I am staying with my 

 niece, Mrs Studdy, here at her house, until Saturday morning, then I go to my nephew Edward 

 Wheler, Claverdon Leys, Warwick. These two, another dear niece Mrs Lethbridge and 

 my ageing brother, now exhaust the list of my near relatives. Kindest remembrances to 

 Mrs Pearson. I heard of her movements from Professor Clifton and knew she was not in 

 Oxford yesterday. 



Ever affectionately, Francis Galton. 



The blow struck us both severely ; there was much to think over, and 

 some things had to be done immediately, Biometrika reconstituted, an eloge 

 written, a memorial to Weldon instituted and many papers sorted. Without 

 Francis Galton's continuous sympathy, aid and counsel, it would have been 

 impossible in that year to continue my work. 



First, as to the Weldon memorial ; largely by the aid of two or three 

 generous donors, of whom it is needless to say Galton was one, enough 

 money was eventually obtained for a marble bust by Hope Pinker, to be 

 placed in the Museums at Oxford, and a biennial Weldon medal with pre- 

 mium for the best biometric memoir published in the immediately previous 

 years — the medal to be awarded by Oxford electors, but not confined to that 

 University nor to British subjects. The scheme, as finally drafted and accepted 

 by the Hebdomadal Council, was largely Galton's creation. I had felt very 

 strongly that biometry was destined eventually to take an important place 

 in biology, especially in researches into evolution and that, for an international 

 prize of this kind, at least in the more distant future, the Council of the 

 Royal Society would be the fittest judges. 



Secondly, sheet after sheet the eloge on Weldon went to Francis Galton 

 and was returned with criticisms and suggestions. He was especially dis- 

 satisfied with my brief 1'eferences to Weldon's part in the attempt to remodel 

 the University of London, and to his work in relation to the Evolution 

 Committee of the Royal Society. As some history, little recognised, is 

 conveyed in this interchange of letters, I have ventured to insert several of 

 them here. They will illustrate the help Galton gave to his younger friends 

 and the sympathy he felt for all their difficulties. 



The wrapper and title-page of Biometrika had to be hastily rearranged, 

 and I wrote to Galton for advice. His suggestions, very closely followed, ran 

 thus : 



Claverdon Leys, Warwick. April 25, 1 906. 



My dear Karl Pearson, Friday, May 4, after your College meeting, will quite suit me to 

 all appearances... but I can foresee only a short way, and have to mould my plans upon others. 

 I go to London to-morrow, and am away in Essex, Saturday to Monday, but have no further 

 engagements. About the future of Biometrika, would not the simplest plan be for you to edit 

 it solely in your name? Weldon often said that he wished you would do so, for all the work had 

 been and will be yours. You suggested that "founded in 1901 by Weldon, yourself and myself" 

 should be inserted. You must not give so much prominence to me. Why not keep to the exist- 

 ing formula and say: "Founded in 1901 by Professors K. Pearson and W. F. R. Weldon in 

 consultation with Francis Galton." Then simply "Edited by Karl Pearson"? A list of coadjutors 

 would scarcely add weight to your name Affectionately yours, Francis Galton. 



pgiii 36 



