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OCR Rendition - approximate
128 Life and Letters of Francis Galton lust year. As you understand the circumstances in which I was placed as regards juniority, I shall not attempt any further to justify my failure. If it is not infra dig. after a Cambridge degree, I shall of course go in again.... I have secured my berth in the Ostend steamer and start to-morrow at 12. I will send you my medical books in a parcel. Don't let them be opened. My other books I will pack up separately. My chemicals too I had rather were not touched. I have been unavoidably prevented from calling on Leonard Horner. Will you write to him and tell him of my proceedings 'l I saw the Gurneys to-day. She talks about coaxing Bessy or Emma to Chiswick. As I have much to do, I will wish you good-bye. Loves to all. Your affectionate Son, FRAS'. GALTON. Of this " stay in Giessen " Francis's letters must themselves speak. There are two dated Giessen, the others are from Vienna, Buda Pest and Constantinople ! , A sketch-book diary shows that Francis, then 18 years of age, went down the Danube to Vienna, thence to Constantinople, thence to Smyrna, Syra, Athens. Beyond this records are obscure. Sketches show that he was at the Bay of Navarino on Sept. 13, and at Missolonghi on Sept. 14. A projected itinerary in the early part of the book gave a return by Rome, Pisa, Genoa, Marseilles and Paris. But. he was still in Ithaca, when he should have been near Pisa, and from Constantinople he requested money to be sent to Trieste. The brief notes ceased after Sept. 14, and I do not know how Francis got home ! Those who had seen the Wanderlust rising to full intensity in the planned Norwegian expedition might have been fairly sure that Liebig would not hold him. His diary tells only the external side of the attack "Giessen, July 30th, 41 p.m. Being thoroughly ennuied and kicking about on the sofa, I suddenly thought of a voyage to Constantinople and made up my mind in a quarter of an hour and sent off my passport to be viseed to Frankfurt ; then went to Herr Prof. Adrian for my grammar lesson, who it seems went the same route last year, and who gave me several good hints. Wrote a penitent letter home begging for absolution, and without waiting for an answer packed up." MONDAY, 27 July, 1840, Gixssm+r, 1 o'clock. MY DEAR FATHER, I arrived yesterday at Giessen in the afternoon. I find that Liebig's laboratory is under quite different arrangements to those which Mr Daniell, Mr Miller and myself had expected. The plan with which it is conducted is as follows A number of men (30 at present), who have long studied practical Chemistry, wish
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