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OCR Rendition - approximate
Eugenics as a Creed and. the Last Decade of Galton's Life 335 It is good news that you have taken "Moorcroft" for Easter. It will tempt me to stay on longer here than I had in my mind. I am glad the Eugenics Education Society's meeting was hopeful. Crichton-Browne may make a useful president, but he has many irons in the fire. However it is all in his way, and if he is hopeful about it, he will throw energy in. I wish I could see your show at the University College soiree. My book is nearly finished in draft, and is typed, but much has yet to be done to it, in verificating [sic] and the like, which will be troublesome. May you have a healthy relief from your excessive work here in Hindhead ! Affectionately yours,- FRANCIS GALTON. QUEDLEY, HASLEMERE. March 16, 1908. MY DEAR KARL PEARSON, In reply to your card asking me for something to exhibit at the U.C. soiree, I have thought of an effective, yet somewhat absurd thing. But I have failed to get it.- It is a Punch cartoon, published I fancy in the early '70's, of a weedy nobleman addressing his prize bull Nobleman-By Jove, you are a fine fellow!. Bull-go you would have been, my Lord, if they had taken as much_ pains about your ancestors, as you did about mine. I wrote to Punch to make inquiries, but they have not succeeded in identifying the picture. It would have been a capital thing to frame and to let lie among other exhibits. I should have been much disposed towards utilising it in some way farther on my own account. I cannot think of anything else suitable. Ybur Tables of the Coefficients of Hereditary Resemblance ought to be shown somewhere. A model of the old kind but differently arranged, like this perhaps, would be effective. [Here is inserted a rough drawing of a geniometer without figures (see our p. 30 and Plate I) working by aid of a lever to indicate the average regression of an individual on various ancestors.] Heron might devise one, say 2 ft. high, to stand on the table, and to be worked there and explained. If so, it ought to be rough. People would understand it quicker. I am reading J. Arthur Thomson's new book on Heredity. The first part seems forcible and good. I had no idea that there was so much to be said about Acquired Faculties. I am curious to get on with it, but am obliged to be slow, and am now just at Mendel. By the way I find that I had the honour of being born in the same year, 1822, as he was. All goes on well here. I trust that "Moorcroft " will be a great success and no "April 1st " venture. Ever affectionately, FRANCIS GALTON. 7, WELL ROAD, HAMPSTEAD, N.W. March 26, 1905. MY DEAR FRANCIS GALTON, I am hoping to see you so soon that I should not write, were it not to tell you that I may be rather later in coming to Haslemere than I intended, and somewhat more inclined to be discontented. My youngest child has got whooping cough, so our party must be broken up. My Wife stays to look after her, and my Sisters-in-law come down with two of my children on Saturday to Moorcroft. I hope to get down early next week. I shall stay here as long as my Wife will allow, as I am not very easy about my bairn. She does not take these sort of things lightly, and I dislike whooping cough more than most diseases for its sequelae. We have had a busy day, or rather three days. Lord Rosebery-the Chancellor-came to open the new wing to-day and walked round our new rooms. I showed him our skulls and the Eugenics Laboratory. He said : " Now how do you pronounce that word? I shall call it Eughennics," i.e with a hard g and a short e. And so he did in his speech afterwards ! Then to lead him back to his past I showed him hair from mane, tail and flanks of nearly 100 chestnut horses. But he looked solemn and said : " Ah, Mr Gladstone had a great interest in chestnut horses, owing to the coloration of the Homeric steeds." In his speech later he paid you and your Laboratory quite a pretty compliment. - We had many guests, but whether there were any worth showing things to is another question. You would see that has been convicted of an indecent assault. The whole thing is so improbable, and sounds so impossible that we must wait for the appeal. But it must at present be a bad blow for the Eugenics Education Society. He was giving six lectures on Eugenics ! Luckily that word has not been mentioned and I hope may not. be, and I can't think this
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