Psychological Investigations 281
Mrs Galton, all unconscious of the near future, after noting the events of 1896, including this paper on star signals, continues in her Record:
y"So surely do the good things come to us and pass from us, and I try to be thankful for the innumerable blessings we have had even with the pain of feeling them gone. So ends our ear, not an eventful one, but a calmly happy one, ending with a merry Xmas at Spencer's
Spencer Butler's], the young folk full of life and ambitions."
Calmly happy sentences-not the depressed or fretful words of some few of the earlier entries of the Record-and fitly concluding that brief account of the 43 years of Louisa Butler's married life with Francis Galton.
There is only one more year of entry, 1897, in the Record, and something of it may be fitly quoted here, for it will indicate, better than the remarks of some superficial onlookers, the real relationship of the pair. It is hardly necessary to remark that the union could not fail to have been richer had it been blessed with children. Galton's affection for his nieces shows what this would have meant for him.
" 1897. It is with painful reluctance that I set down the incidents of this fatal year, and do so on Jan. 6 the anniversary of the day, when I first became acquainted with dear Louisa at the Dean's house, next door to our own at Dover in 1853.
In the early part of the year I was more of an invalid than she was, but we had some pleasant outings together-as to Nansen's great meeting on Feb. 28. Chiefly on account of my persistent asthmatic cough we went to Bournemouth, March 22, partly to be near Dr Chepmell, whose remaining eye was threatened. He told me to go to Cauterets or Royat. Montagu and Agnata [the Master of Trinity and his wife] came to us for a day from Lyndburst, while we were there. We had had alarming news from time to time of Emma [`Sister Emmy'] from the middle of Feb. onwards. At length she was better, and we went to her April 20-23. Louisa was well enough for some small festivities-a tea party, her last, on May 7th, and the military tournament. We went to Oxford, to Arthur's [Mrs Galton's brother'June 5-8. June 21, Jubilee day, we went with Mrs Lyell to the Athenaeum and they had excellent places and Louisa was not overtired. Next day Bessie [Galton's sister Mrs W beler] came to tea and Mrs Lyell. 26th I went to the Naval Review, L. not well enough to go with me. July 14 left for Royat, slept at Boulogne; next day, a weary waiting till 10 p.m. at the Lyons Station, but the night journey comfortable, Louisa not suffering at all. July 24th Puy de Dome with Mr Livett and a young lady. L. remained in the garden at the auberge while we went up, and she had luncheon set out. I never saw her more pleased or nicer as a hostess than when we came down. Aug. 1, Mme de Falbe arrived in far from good health. Aug. 3, L. awoke with diarrhoea,-we all had it, but recovered. Very sultry. Arranged for Pont St Laurent in Dauphine, and wrote to have letters sent to Grenoble. On Sunday 8th she was apparently quite well and half packed for a start next morning. Monday 9th she was ill and sick in the night, not worse than frequently before. Tuesday, Aug. 10 she was worse; I had Dr Petit in, who made light of it, but said he would come the next morning. Wed. 11th she was very ill, but saw Mme de Falbb, who was able to leave her bed for the purpose. L. wrote a post-card to Chumley [her maid] in case she was wanted. In afternoon she was very weak indeed Thursday 12th worse and in a very serious state. That night, or rather Friday morning early at 2 bra J, she quietly passed away. On Saturday she was buried in the cemetery of Clermont-Ferraud in plot 419, which I purchased as a concession in perpdtuite. So our long married life came to an end. Writing as I do now after nearly 5 months have passed, and I am able to take a fair retrospect, I think that the inevitable blow occurred at a more seasonable period than at any other time. Dear Louisa's vigour was distinctly declining; she was still able to enjoy much, but was I fear rapidly on the way towards permanent invalidism, and she was conscious of a weakening of her mental power, small things fatiguing her much more than formerly. Had I died first, I fear her strength would have been inadequate to carrying on life unaided. She has been in many respects a most valued as well as a loved example to me. May her good influence abide, though she personally is gone. All her friends
PG 11 36
