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180   Life and Letters of Francis Galton

Hallam and his sister had also gone to Dresden. Francis himself writes in something of his old light style on people and customs

"We are in full preparation for leaving Dresden early the day after tomorrow. We go by steamer to Tetschen to the house of Mr Noel, Mr Woodness's friend; lie called upon me the other day whilst I was snoozing in bed at 9, and was very good-natured to Pem and asked us to stay in his house on our way to Prague. Accordingly we go to him on Thursday and stay until Saturday, which time he wrote to say would suit him. Coombe, the phrenologist, is I believe staying at Tetschen; at least Mr Noel came to Dresden to meet him and afterwards returned with him in the steamer home. Mrs Noel is a Bohemian lady of very good birth and sister to Count Thun, who is a great man in these parts. His face is plain, but the bumps on her head are undeniably good, Mr Noel himself being an authority on that subject'. Emma suggested that Lecky who was second in the late duel might be my old schoolfellow at Boulogne; have you any means of ascertaining whether such be the case? I do not remember him personally, though I remember passing a Sunday at Colonel Lecky's. The Hallams go on Monday but we have made arrangements for meeting them two or three times on our way southwards and then they will stay 10 days at Munich."

There exists only Emma Galton's diary, which tells us that the party - went to' Prague (August 22), Carlsbad, Regensburg, Munich (September 2), Augsburg, Constance, Hollenthal, Cologne, Ostend and so to London (September 31). Miss Galton notes that there was a fearful storm ; Francis Galton records that he was nearly drowned off the Goodwin Sands, but I can find no details. Galton was back in Cambridge on October 20 begging his father and Emma to come down there for the visit of Queen Victoria. "Mrs Hoppet is all anxiety to see you." Miss Galton's diary does not refer to the visit so that probably it did not come off. The following letter indicates that Tertius at least was not present.

TRIN. COLL. [31 Oct. 1843].

MY DEAR FATHER,

I have been talking with Dr Haviland about the lectures I have to attend. He tells me that if I put a "spurt" on and go to 4 lectures a day, that I shall be able to finish with Cambridge by the end of next term; he absolves me from hospital practice in Cambridge and accordingly I shall be able to practice (if I like) next June 2 years. I have without hesitation adopted his plan. I must pass an examination by each of the Professors separately and the examination takes place at the close of their lectures. Whether I shall feel myself strong enough to go in for all four or any of them at the end of the course I attend I do not know; if not I shall do so next year. I am working

' Mr Noel formed a fine collection of casts from living heads-taking those of men noteworthy for either ability or crime. This collection has recently been presented to the Galton Eugenics Laboratory by Lady Lovelace.


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