292 Life and Letters of Francis Galton 



intense and lasting in the case of the much older man*. He seemed to me 

 from this date less able to take independent action, and to find reliance on 

 others more needful. 



(10) Eugenic Certificates. Among Galton's papers I have found a 

 manuscript entitled Eugenic Certificates which belongs to this year ; I also 

 found typewritten copies of this manuscript, some of which had clearly been 

 circulated for criticism and advice. I expect, although dated June, it had 

 been written in the early part of the year, as it is the natural sequel to the 

 memoir on Eugenic Studies read before the Sociological Society f. I had not 

 seen the manuscript before I found it among Galton's papers after his death. 

 Our correspondence in May J will I think explain why he did not show it to 

 me, although for some time past he had shown me most of his writings. He 

 may very probably have thought that I should hold the time for issuing 

 Eugenic Certificates not yet ripe. But I do think it important for the future 

 progress of Eugenics that the manner in which Galton visualised Eugenic 

 Certificates should be recorded. 



Galton's unpublished MS. on Eugenic Certificates. 



Private for consideration. 



Francis Galton, 42, Rutland Gate. June 1906. 



EUGENIC CERTIFICATES. 



The time seems to have arrived when the question should be seriously discussed, whether 

 it be practicable and advisable to issue Eugenic Certificates that would and ought to be 

 accepted as trustworthy and that would be inexpensive and yet self-supporting. 



The subject is full of difficulties, but I think they can all be met if certain restrictions be 

 permitted, of which the following are the chief : 



1. The purport of the certificate to be that in the opinion of the Judges, the achievements 

 of the holder and those of his near kinsmen prove him to be distinctly superior in Eugenic 

 Gifts to the majority of those in a similar position. 



2. That certificates be granted at first only to men, and these between the ages of 23 to 

 30 inclusive and belonging to the educated classes. At an earlier age they would have hardly 

 had sufficient opportunity of proving their powers, at a later age the memories of the youthful 

 achievements of their kinsfolk in the previous generation are difficult to verify. 



The practicability of giving certificates to women would require a special discussion. It 

 will not be alluded to again in the following remarks. 



3. That the qualifications for a certificate be limited to facts that are permanently recorded 

 in some accessible form, so as to be verifiable. They must be described on a ruled schedule 

 that will be supplied on application. 



4. The achievements are to be drawn from the results of some of the numerous competitive 

 trials, whether in sport or in earnest, in athletics, in literature or otherwise, to which nearly 

 every young man of the educated classes is now subjected ; also to such prizes, awards or 

 appointments, etc. as may have been gained. 



* It is noteworthy that Galton's general correspondence, which for most years was volumi- 

 nous, is much reduced in 1906 ; apart from my letters to him, very few other letters appear to 

 have survived. 



t See p. 272 above. 



\ See pp. 282-284 above. 



