336 Life and Letters of Francis Galton 



charge can be true*. I don't like several of these Committee-men, but this appears wildly 

 unlikely. If it were proved, I should think the Society would go to pieces, but it would also 

 be bad for us, if the word Eugenics were to get smirched in the beginning in this way. 



Affectionately, Karl Pearson. 



Quedley, Haslemere. March 27, 1908. 



My dear Karl Pearson, I long to see you again, and hope that your mind will soon be 

 easy about the whooping cough. Poor child! I have taken this house up to April 14th, so 

 shall well overlap your stay here. 



! what a name that man has. It is enough in itself to make ridicule out of Eugenics. 



I know nothing more about the accusation yet than you have told me. 



The Times gives a cheering account of University College and Lord Rosebery's speech. 

 Of course the g in Eugenics is properly hard, but we say it soft in Genesis, Genus, Generation, 

 etc., even in Prince Eug6ne. Ever affectionately, Francis Galton. 



We tried to tempt both Heron and Miss Elderton to come here for this week end, but both 

 happen to be engaged. Au revoir ! 



Biometric Laboratory, University College, Gower Street, W.C. 



April 28, 1908. 



My dear Francis Galton, I am back and at wori ! I hope the paper will be a success 

 and that there will be some interesting discussion. I am wholly with you as to the great need 

 of condensation, of improvement of English and of style. I am not wholly with you as to use of 

 scientific terms, or as to the possibility of making all scientific paper's intelligible to the 

 educated, but not specialised reader. I hope that the former can be pressed without un- 

 necessarily attacking the extensive use of terminology.... 



Has the map scheme progressed at all ? Let me know if I can do anything further by aid 

 of photography or otherwise. Yours, always affectionately, Karl Pearson. 



Think of a good name " Thesaurus rerum ad hereditatem pertinentium," " Thesaurus 

 facultatum humanarum," or whatf 1 



Galton's paper was read by Mr Pember — he was not able himself to deliver 

 it — on April 29, 1908, before the Royal Society of Literature { ; it is entitled: 

 " Suggestions for improving the Literary Style of Scientific Memoirs." In my 

 opinion it is of more value from the standpoint of the biographer, than from 

 any influence it had, or alas ! is likely to have, on " the simplicity of language, 

 clearness of expression or the logical arrangement" of scientific memoirs. 

 Galton's remedies were : (i) That the Councils of Scientific Societies should not 

 be left in the dark as to the goodness or badness from the literary standpoint 

 of the memoirs they are asked to publish, and accordingly should directly ask 

 the referees of papers whether they consider the memoir referred to them 

 (1) clearly expressed, (2) free from superfluous technical terms, (3) orderly in 

 arrangement, (4) of appropriate length, (5) if it introduces any new terms 

 (to be cited) has used necessary and appropriate words, and (6) generally 

 has an adequate literary style. This is to suppose that the referees will be 

 men of sound literary taste, whereas in nine cases out of ten they would be 

 selected for their specialist knowledge, and the barbarous would sit in judg- 

 ment on the barbarian, (ii) That in order that scientific societies might be 



* The conviction at the Police Court was quashed on appeal to Sessions, 

 t This has reference to T)w Treasury of Human Inheritance, the prospectus and materials 

 of which were then being prepared. 



\ Transactions, Vol. xxvm, Part n, pp. 1-8. 





