viii PREFACE. 



I may add that four of the scientific men 

 who replied to my questions have passed away 

 since I began to write. Of these, two had sent 

 me complete returns, namely, Professor Phillips, 

 the geologist, and Sir William Fairbairn, the 

 engineer. As regards the other two Sir Henry 

 Holland, the physician, had published his auto- 

 biography, but he gave me much help collo- 

 quially, and promised more ; and Sir Edmund, 

 better known as Count Strzelecki, the Australian 

 traveller and meteorologist, furnished me with 

 very suggestive information, but too incomplete 

 for statistical use. 



FRANCIS GALTON. 



42 KUTLAND GATE, November, 1874. 



P.S. I have to apologise for some faults of 

 style in the earlier pages, due to my not having 

 had as full an opportunity as I had counted upon 

 of correcting that portion of the press. 



After I had sent the above to the printer, 

 a friend happened to point out to me the fol- 



