Recognized HTML document

290

MEMORIES OF MY LIFE

find myself still in accord with nearly every one of those recently re-read or referred to.

Hereditary Genius [22] made its mark at the time, though subjected to much criticism, no small part of which was captious or shallow, and therefore unimportant. The verdict which I most eagerly waited for was that of Charles ' Darwin, whom I ranked far above all other authorities on such a matter. His letter, given below, made me most

happy.

~a DowN, BECKENHAM, KENT, S.E.

3rd December

" MY DEAR GALTON,--I have only read about 5o pages of your book (to judges), but I must exhale myself, else something will go wrong in my inside. I do not think I ever, in all my life read anything more interesting and original---and how well and clearly you put' every point ! George,' who has finished the book, and who expressed himself in just the same terms, tells me that the earlier chapters are nothing in interest to the later ones ! I t will take me some time to get to these latter chapters, as it is read aloud to me by my wife, who is also much in

terested. You have made a convert of an opponent in one sense, for I have always maintained that, excepting fools, men did not differ much in intellect, only in zeal and hard work ; and I still think this is an eminently important difference. I congratulate you on producing what I am convinced will prove a memorable work. I look forward with intense interest to each reading, but it sets me thinking so much that I find it very hard work ; but that is wholly the fault of my brain and not of your beautifully clear style.-Yours most sincerely,

(Signed)   " CH. DARWIN '~

Now Professor Sir George H. Darwin, K,C.B., F.R.S., etc.