Eugenics as a Creed and the Last Decade of Galton' s Life 391 



Payables, Woodcote, near Reading. September 10, 1909. 



Mv dear Francis Galton, What you want about the average number of relatives is of 

 importance and shall be done, but it will need one or two points considering first. In the first 

 place, the younger generations are not always complete and it may not always be easy to 

 ascertain whether this is so or not. I think it would very much diminish the available pedigrees 

 if one had to be certain on this point. In the next place, there has been such a great change 

 in the past thirty years, the modern complete families are 1, 2, 3 or 4, but 30 or 40 years ago 

 they were anything up to 6 or 11. There is also another point, do you mean to include all 

 born, or only those living to a definite age ? A generation ago, perhaps, ^ died in infancy and 

 childhood, even in the professional classes; now perhaps only i. You will see that this may, 

 without some agreement as to treatment, introduce difficulties. I am not at all sure that the 

 best way would not be to work at the Quaker family histories or the older Herald's Visitations. 

 But we shall always have to remember that the problem reduces to the size of the family in a 

 certain definite class, and this is modified by custom, by period and by the infantile and child 

 death-rates. Could we not reach your point by discovering the average size of family and the 

 sex ratio in each grade? I enclose a rough copy of Miss Elderton's Lecture. It ought to be 

 out to-morrow. 



Here is a rough postcard my boy has made of the albino Pekinese Spaniels. They are 

 very jolly little beasts — and quite of the harmless lap-dog order. Would Miss Biggs like 

 Wee Ling? He will want to have a little training, but I don't think he would give much trouble. 

 If at any time he became a nuisance I daresay I could find another home, but I should like 

 to know where he was, if he had to be united in holy matrimony at any time with one of his 

 cousins or half-sisters ! 



The pigs of our neighbour, who has some 300 acres, are very lordly and go with attendants, 

 one pig, one man, for their daily exercise. Yours always affectionately, Karl Pearson. 



I have heard no more of the Americans ! Why cannot Cook and Peary behave like Darwin 

 and Wallace? 



Fox Holm, Cobham, Surrey. September 11, 1909. 



Dear Professor Pearson, The photo of Wee Ling is most attractive and I should of all 

 things enjoy to bring him up — but this alas is prevented by the "cruel uncle"! Possibly your 

 powers of persuasion might move him. Since you induced him to sit for a bust, you might 

 prevail over this matter too, won't you try ? and I will bring up the pup in the way he should 

 go, having had much experience with dogs in my life. 



My dear Karl Pearson, The foregoing appeal from Eva Biggs has melted away my 

 antagonism to dogs. Yes! send Wee Ling and much care shall be lavished on him*. 



Ever affectionately, Francis Galton. 

 Hurray! E. B. 



Fox Holm, Cobham, Surrey. September 12, 1909. 



My dear Karl Pearson, I answered about Wee Ling yesterday, in a hurry, to save the 

 Sunday post. This refers to the other part of your kind letter. It had been my intention to 

 write about some of the points you raise, all of which are important. 



Respice finem. My object is to procure the desired data from one or more well defined and 

 homogeneous groups, defined by convenient limits as to date and minimum age of children; this 

 latter has to be regarded : say 20, or other early marriageable age. The dates are a more serious 

 matter. You know better than anybody, the times over which childbirth has continued normal 

 in any particular group. The Quakers, as you suggest, would serve well. So eminently would 

 the Jews, if returns exist. 



Have you ever, by the way, inquired about what I understand to be an immense store- 

 house of family facts, viz. the printed pedigrees, taken under affidavit, of the families of 

 intestates, whose property comes into Chancery? I have no lawyer at hand to consult afresh. 



* I cycled over from Woodcote to Cobham taking Wee Ling in the basket on my handle- 

 bar. Plate XXXVI was a result of this visit, and Plate XXXVIII shows Wee Ling in good 

 company shortly afterwards. 



