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154   Life and Letters 'of Francis Galton


exceedingly high and who know their early subjects very well. I hope to do better in each succeeding examination, but ill health, for I severely overstrained myself my first term,-and I feel convinced that to have read during the X-a, Vacation would have been madness,-has necessarily kept me back. But with no more excuses, as there is much in what Dr Jeune used to say. Good bye, Your affectionate son,

FRAS. GALTON.

Galton appears to have taken only a third class in the Trinity May examinations, but apparently the class was determined not only by mathematics but also by classics

Friday, OLD HUMMUMS [11 June 1841].

COVENT GARDEN. Left Cambridge on Tuesday,-the classes are just out.

MY DEAR FATHER,

I am not yet aware what my place is in all the math. subjects. I was fourth in Trigonometry (Mathison told me) and as I did comparatively better in Geometry and Algebra, I probably am higher in those two. Having done but little classics and that badly I am in the third class    I care scarcely at all about being where I am as I am as high in maths. as I expected. You must not forget that, as regards Classics more especially, I have to compete with men who have spent that time on them which I have employed in medicine, and it is therefore improbable that I should take a good place amongst them.

The Math. papers were exceedingly easy this year so that everybody, who knows anything about them, must of necessity do three fourths, hence there was little room for a man to distinguish himself in them.

In the Algebraical paper there were absolutely only 3 questions not bookwork, that is problems. This is too bad, it is also unusual.

I am moving about town, doing one thing or another, dined with the Huberts and Homers. I stay here till Tuesday morning to hear Madame Rachel on Monday. I expect to be in Leamington Tuesday afternoon   

I have had to invest in a frock coat and two pair of trousers   

[P.S.] Hence as you observe I have not paid my Classical Tutor £7, who had left Cambridge without an address. I have not paid for my Frock Coat which will be about £5. I should be obliged for £5-£10 as my bill at the Old Hummums will be for a week and I take one meal daily. My stock in hand is £6. 19., there being a mistake somewhere of 3 shillings in my account.

Somewhere about the October of this year Tertius Galton sent his son Francis an "Essay on Book Keeping." It is a very simple description of how to keep accounts in an orderly manner, but it is of interest as showing us that from July 1st Francis was given a regular allowance, payable in advance quarterly, and thus the minute details of expenditure hitherto transmitted to his father cease. The allowance


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