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OCR Rendition - approximate
Characterisation, especially by Letters 477 from neglecting important data. No doubt, however, you have remarked that the soldiersthe accepted men-of German birth are usually ranked high for their physique in Baxter's Statistics (see Vol. I, p. 169 and again pp. 182, 215, on the one side, and pp. 199, 206, 227, on the other). I cannot find in my English statistics any sign of the dark race supplanting the fair. The persistence of the proportions during four generations between them (see Diagram on p. 405, Royal Soc. Proceed., 1887*-I send the memoir "Hereditary Eye-Colour" for your acceptance) is very remarkable. Neither do my data show that either is more prolific or less healthy than the other. The data are but scanty; still I imagine that the English climate and surroundings may be equally suited to the two types. Moreover the Scandinavian contingent to our population, contributing largely to the blond type in Eastern England and Scotland, seems the most vigorous though least aesthetic of all our stocks. I have failed in obtaining trustworthy results from my data concerning sexual predilection for, or aversion from, concolour marriages; there are too many interfering causes of importance on which I am insufficiently informed. It is, as you most justly say, among the irregular liaisons that data are most preferably to be sought. Together with the "Hereditary Eye-Colour" I send "Hereditary Stature " which will I fear hardly interest you being very mathematical in its reasoning, but as the Eye-colour inquiry depends on formulae derived from it I may as well send it also. It also describes my data. Thirdly I send a recent Presidential address, the last part of which beginning at p. 394 may be worth while glancing at. When I had the great pleasure of making your personal acquaintance a little more than a year ago, you were in domestic anxiety. If you should ever again favour me with a letter, I should be very glad to learn that that anxiety was lessened. Believe me, my dear Sir, Very faithfully yours, FRANCIS GALTON. GENhVE. 20 avril, 1888. MON CHER MONSIEUR, Il y a longtemps que j'aurais du vous donner signe de vie en reponse ti votre lettre obligeante du 26 mai dernier, main Page m'a rendu tres lent et m'emp6che de faire des recherches d'aucun genre. J'aimerais pourtant bien savoir si vous avancez dans vos utiles publications, suxquelles je porterai toujours de l'interet. Un de mes derniers efforts a etu de rediger pour la Societe de Psychologie physiologique fondee a Paris, une serie de questions a poser sur 1'heredite. J'ai su, par M. Taine, que la Societe a requ des reponses et qu'on s'occupe de les utiliser. Reste a savoir comment les personnes questionnees ont ete a la hauteur d'impartialite et de jugemeut necessaire. La lecture de la correspondance de votre celebre cousin Charles Darwin m'a cause beaucoup de plaisir. J'aurais bier aime connaitre les questions qu'il agitait avec Sir Joseph Hooker, en 1852-54, lorsque je m'occupais moi-meme de l'origine des especes au point de vue geographique, ce qui me conduisait en 1855 a constater l'anciennete geologique des causes de la distribution actuelle. D'un autre tote vela m'aurait retarde dans les recherches et je n'aurais publie ma Geographie botanique raisonnee que plus tard, apres peut-etre 1'ouvrage classique de Darwin (1859). Il y a dans ses lettres des phrases caracteristiques et admirables sur les principes et les methodes dans les sciences d'observation. Je veux relire les trois volumes pour les extraire. Quelle remarquable exposition des idees successives de l'autear! On ne trouve rien de pareil dans Montaigne, Gibbon, Rousseau et autres qui out ecrit sur eux-memes trop Lard et avec Line impartialite souvent douteuse. L'hiver a cause des desastres en Suisse comme ailleurs. lei ce sont surtout des avalanches. Malgre cela nos lacs et nos Alpes auront toujours de l'attrait. Ne viendrez vous pas les visiter de nouveau cet ete? Cc strait fort agreable pour votre tres devoue ALPH. DE CANDOLLE. Letter to Alphonse de Candolle. 42, RUTLAND GATE, LONDON. May 6, 1888. MY DEAR SIR, It gave me very great pleasure to hear from you about a fortnight ago, and I should have replied at once only I thought the enclosed scrap (which might have been printed a week earlier) would interest you and I delayed till I got it. Dr Venn's memoir will not appear * Reproduced in Vol. III`r, p. 35 of this work.
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