300 Life and Letters of Francis Gallon 



are apt to criticise younger men, — it seems to me that none can need stronger 

 proof of how his sagacity and power of self-sacrificing friendship lasted to 

 the end. 



(Confidential.) 7, Windsor Terrace, The Hoe, Plymouth. Oct. 25, 1906. 



My dear Karl Pearson, We are substantially in such close agreement re Eugenics that 

 I can write very briefly. I quite agree to the "secular" work, but with occasional "Chips 

 from the Workshop," to use Max Miiller's and Bunsen's phrase. The Eugenics Fellowship was 

 avowedly an experimental venture, so this seems a proper opportunity to reconsider its 

 constitution. 



As regards ways and means (this is confidential) I am prepared to ensure £500 a year to its 

 maintenance during my lifetime, and fully £30,000 clear on my death for a professorship. 

 What is best to be done during my lifetime, considering my age and precarious health and 

 powers 1 The " Fellow " should work under continuous direction and in London as you say, 

 and not in too solitary a fashion. Could he be made to lecture or to demonstrate, in connection 

 with the Biometric (or even the Economic) School 1 A Professor would have a class, which 

 would keep him to the collar. — Anyhow, it would be convenient if Schuster continued as a 

 stop-gap, working as you suggest at tuberculosis, for that would retain Miss Elderton and the 

 rooms. I would ask him if you thought well. 



Of the few younger persons whom I know, none seems to have a larger portion of what is 

 desirable than C.'s son, the statistician, who has now a Government post. He is full of ideas. 

 I do' not know whether what could be offered to him, including a post-obit Professorship, would 

 tempt him to give up his not well-paid Government appointment. If you thought well, and 

 could suggest a scheme that the Senate would be likely to approve, I could ask him or any 

 other good man that might be suggested. This is of course quite confidential. So it is on these 

 points I want advice. 



I ought to explain about B.'s letter. It was so brief and dry that I was unable to appreciate 



the merits of the case, which I subsequently did when you wrote His second letter in 



reply to mine wholly removed that impression. I personally like him much. He wants 

 juiceyness (jucyness? I can't spell it !). 



So Lister is silent this week in Nature. Excuse bad writing in an armchair. 



Ever affectionately yours, Francis Galton. 



7, Windsor Terrace, The Hoe, Plymouth. Nov. 19, 1906. 



My dear Karl Pearson, I am most sensible of your helpfulness and kindness, and find 

 myself so much at one with you that I can now write briefly. Understanding that whatever is 

 done now should be with reference to the " post-obit," I will begin with a revised codicil, see 

 enclosed. — After you have corrected it, and it is otherwise put into order, I propose to send it 

 to Hartog for his suggestions ; and finally to my lawyer. 



The work of the Office should now I think be directed towards this end by thoroughly 

 working the new Fellow or Student in statistics of a kind that you approve, but having a 

 eugenic tendency like so many of your own biometric papers. 



Next for the choice of Schuster's successors. Your very kind proposal of undertaking the 

 supervision of the Office for a year or 18 months removes from my mind a great weight of 

 responsibilities that I have not health to fulfil. If you undertake it, clearly the choice of the 

 men ought to lie wholly with you. If fairly good luck attends the venture we may find a man 

 by that time (18 months) sufficiently trained and prepared to grow into a good Professor. A. 

 seems to have excellent stuff in him and to be in every way of a suitable disposition, but as I 

 said in my last letter, he should be encouraged to interest himself in the sociological problems 

 and the collected data of the day, and leisurely to prepare a provisional or rather a suggestive 

 programme of future office work. Too much of pure mathematics will be harmful to him from 

 the present point of view. 



It is most desirable that the future Professor should be on easy social terms with the 

 executives of various societies and departments, and A. seems quite capable of that position 

 before long. As I said, we both liked him much. He inspires confidence, too. 



Affectionately yours, Francis Galton. 



