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OCR Rendition - approximate
192 Life and Letters of Francis Galton my affectionate love to my dear Francis'." There can be little doubt that Francis was his Benjamin, and when on September 9 Tertius goes to St Leonards in the hope that a change of air may effect some good, Francis was chosen as his companion and nurse. The picture of father -and son together in the last few weeks of the former's life has been preserved for us in the letters of Tertius to his home circle. They went by way of Tunbridge Wells, whence Tertius writes to his daughter Emma of a drive round the rocks with Francis. From St Leonards we hear Francis has sketched a little. He is an excellent travelling Physician and does not buckle on the muzzle too tightly as he used to do. You know my detestation of being valetted, so when John comes in the morning for orders, I tell him to make himself scarce ; lie employs much of his time in fossil-hunting and for ought I know the rest of it in taking private lessons in the Polka to qualify him for dancing with Buswell and the rest of the maids on his return. I have not heard from Claverdon or of Mrs Cameron. I hope tomorrow's post will bring me a letter. I am getting wonderfully stronger and can climb hills a la chamois. If it were not for the dread of Hodgson blowing me up, I should plunge into the seabut Prudence and gout dictate that I should remain altogether a terrestrial animal. Francis sends his love. Your affectionate Father, S. TERTius GALTON. Give my kind regards to Mr and Mrs Gurney [Emma was at St James Square] We are just returned from the aforesaid Meliboeus [Fairlight Glen trip], but could not quite distinguish Louis Philippe on the other side of the Channel. A few days later Tertius writes cheerfully again "The sea air has done wonders with me and tells every day-so do not be surprised if you see my name in the papers as having gained a prize at a cricket match. Francis and myself have an occasional game at chess, but have not yet put the pack of cards into requisition." These last weeks of affectionate intercourse remained a life-long memory to the son. When 65 years later he received the Copley Medal of the Royal Society, his first thought was how the news would have delighted his father. It seemed a justification for deserting a profession his father had chosen for him. From the date of these letters onwards Tertius' health failed rapidly. On September 30 Emma Galton joined her father and ' Emma Galton writes again : "It would please him very much, if in a day or two . ...you would write him an affectionate letter ... a letter from you is as good as a dozen draughts."
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