434 Life and Letters of Francis Galton 



closer and closer year by year, even to his death. Beyond near friends, 

 then few in number, and his younger relatives, in two generations of 

 descent, to whom his sweet disposition rather than his scientific talents had 

 endeared him, there was an outside world which hardly realised that, with 

 Francis Galton, the last of the great Victorian scientists had passed away. 

 The friend of Darwin, of Wallace, of Hooker, of Tyndall*, of Huxley and 

 of Herbert Spencer f had survived them all, and closed their era with the 

 creation of a new science. It is too early yet to say whether the truths that 

 it may give to the world are destined to form the religion of progressive 

 states, the creed of a new type of mankind ; or whether those who understand 

 are still too few to impress upon the inert masses that by studying and then 

 applying biological laws to his own species man may step over the corpses 

 of his failures into a hard- won kingdom. There was little in the obituary 

 notices that showed a real understanding of what Galton had achieved, still 

 less any recognition of the possibilities of his work for the future of mankind. 

 Even the memorial tablet in the church at Claverdon Leys, prepared as 



In Memory of 



Sir Francis Galton. F.R.S. 



Born 16th February 1822 

 Died 17th January 1911 



Youngest son of Samuel Tertius Galton 

 and Frances Ann Violetta his wife 

 daughter of erasmus darwin. f.r.s. 



many branches of science owe much to his labours, 



but the dominant idea of his life's work 



was to measure the influence of heredity 



on the mental and physical attributes of mankind. 



it was under the care of loving friends, lacks any reference to the crowning 

 achievement of Galton's life. I would add to its last line the words : " in 

 order that a true knowledge of natural inheritance might enable man to lift 

 himself to a loftier level." 



There was a unity underlying all Galton's varied work — even to that last 

 creation Kantsaywhere — which only reveals itself when, after much inquiry and 

 retrospection, we view it as a whole and with a spirit trained to his modes of 



* My deae Galton, Herbert Spencer and myself are both low in health, would you come 

 with us to-morrow (Saturday) to the Isle of Wight and help the sea air to restore us ? 



Yours ever, John Tyndall. 

 Royal Institution (dated " Friday " only, but in the 70's). 



t Dear Galton, This day week, the 16 th at 7, a few friends will dine with me here — 

 Frederic Harrison ancMVtorley of the Fortnightly among others. Will you give me the pleasure 

 of your company as one of the number 1 Sincerely yours, Herbert Spencer. 

 Athenaeum Club, 9 March, 1878. 



