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OCR Rendition - approximate
Eugenics as a Creed and the Last Decade of Galton's Life 307 7, WINDSOR TERRACE, THE HOE, PLYMOUTH. Dec. 22, 1906. MY DEAR KARL PEARSON, I can hardly tell you what comfort and relief your letter has given me, feeling that your views and mine are in close accord, and that you have such a masterly grip of the situation. I send back your letter for convenience to you of future reference, also Sir A. Rocker's to me, which had better be kept with it. I have made a few notes by the side of your letter to me, which will save additional writing. There is little to add to these. I am very glad that you retain Schuste?•on the Advisory Committee, not only on account of his own merits but as evidence of the continuity of the work, and am particularly glad that you feel that the appointment of Miss Elderton as "scholar" is feasible from the University point of view, and that you propose to raise her salary. She has always seemed to me an invaluable member of the staff. The computer will prove a real help and a relief to the future work of the Office. The funds cover the estimated expenditure very narrowly. I wish I could undertake to give more. Possibly I may in a few months be able to give help towards the library and other non-recurring expenses, but I can't promise. The "Eugenics Laboratory Publications" may greatly help by drawing attention to calculations stored in the Office but not printed as yet on account of cost; being in that respect a sort of glorified statement of similar matter to that which you insert on the red slip in each Biometrika. It could also contain lists of books received, and perhaps of memoirs wanted. The Form etc. of it would have of course to be carefully considered. When I sat down I thought that a longer letter than this would be required, but on again looking over the notes I have made in the margins of your letter it seems that I have exhausted my say. I will write another letter about other things. Affectionately- yours, FRANCIS GALTON. We may conclude this topic by reproducing a personal letter from Sir Arthur Ri cker of thanks to Francis Galton. UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, SOUTH KENSINGTON, S. W. Jan. 28, 1907. DEAR MR GALTON, I must write a private line to you thanking you most sincerely for your generous gift of £1000 and the still more generous schemes you are developing. Your endowment is certainly the most original as I hope it will be one of the most useful of those that have been made since the University was reorganised, and it is a great pleasure to me to find that so old and kind a friend has selected the University of London for his gift. It is these external signs of approval which lighten a task, which like all work worth doing, involves detail which sometimes amounts to drudgery. In proof of the fact that you have chosen a progressive body may I tell you one fact. The income of the University 5 years ago was £29,000. This year it is £95,000 and including University College (now incorporated) it will next year be about £120,000. But we want not only public bodies like the L.C.C., the Goldsmiths' and Drapers' Companies to help us; we want distinguished individuals to recognise the existence of the University amidst the welter of London life. You are one of the few who have done this, and none have done it with more originality and generosity. Please accept my warmest personal thanks and Believe me, Ever yours sincerely, ARTHUR W. ROCKER. One out of several further letters of Galton to his biographer dealing with other matters may be reproduced here in order to show how the octogenarian still retained interest in photographic problems. Cf. our Vol. ii, p. 313. 7, WINDSOR TERRACE, THE HOE, PLYMOUTH. Dec. 25, 1906. My DEAR KARL PEARSON, More than one justifiable cause has prevented my returning the beautiful mouse-skin pictures till now. Do you heed to use a coloured glass in making comparison between the coloured mouse skin and the black and white picture? I return the plates. I should like to have sent you a fully worked out picture of a method I have often thought of by which the mean tint of a variegated black and white rectangular portrait ought to be got. But I have 39--2
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