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OCR Rendition - approximate
530 Life and Letters of Francis Galton on the moor. I have often thought of those pleasant ones that you took me. We, must fall into regular days of correspondence. I always used to write to dear Emma on Saturdays, and will to you. The lettering in the design for the bronze tablet has been improved and approved. It isnow being engraved. I have ordered photos of it before being mounted on the stone, and will send you one. Give my love to Amy, also to Hugh* if he is still with you. I shall be glad of tidings when, you next write (I on Friday) about Fred and Frank. Ever affectionately, FRANCIS GALTON. 42, RUTLAND GATE, S. W. October 15, 1904. DEAREST MILLY, You send good news of Frank. I trust the IF may go well. I have had an eventful week in fixing and carrying out the most hopeful of my numerous alternatives. You know that I have long been putting by a reserve of money for scientific purposes, either during lifetime or after death, which now amounts to a good round sum. Armed with the intention of bestowing' £1500 of this in aid of "Eugenic " research, I determined on the University of London as the best of the 7 or 8, so on Monday I went to the Principal, my friend Sir Arthur Rocker, to talk the matter over. Now the University has the reputation of being' a slow-moving body that requires everything to be done (1) through formal notice to their Academic Council, (2) through Committees- appointed by the Council, (3) by adoption of the Report of the Committees by the Council, (4) by ratification by the supreme body, the Senate. The Meetings are fortnightly or monthly, so you may imagine the time any new piece of policy requires to go' through, in the usual course. Now, as to what has happened in this matter. I went on Monday to Riicker, fired my' proposal; then it turned out that the Academic Council met, thatvery afternoon, and that as a "matter of urgency"-my proposal could' come on. So then and there I wrote it. It was proposed and accepted, and a good' Committee of three important men, plus Rocker and the Registrar as officials, and myself, were appointed to meet on Friday (yesterday). On the day before, Riicker, the Registrar and I carefully drafted the, details of the proposal to lay before the Committee; we met yesterday, improved and passed it, to go before' the Senate on the 26th, when I have no doubt it will be confirmed. You shall have full details when it is. The result is that the £1500 is for 3 years (£500 a year) to appoint a "Research Fellow in National Eugenics" at £250 a year (the' term is neatly defined, and so are the duties). Also an assistant at £100 to £120 a year, who may become titled "Research Scholar." ' All precautions are taken for superintending them and superseding them if they don't work well, and rooms are to beassigned to them. Also many academic advantages, too long to explain, are to be given them. Also a prospect of extending the Endowment beyond three years, if it is found to answer. So much helpful good-will exists, that I feel the seed is planted in good soil. Whether it will grow and flourish is another matter; very much depends on the holder of the Fellowship. But with inquiry and with advertisement, I have hopes of attracting a fairly high university man with lots of energy and sympathy and general intelligence, who sees in it an opening to future work of a more paying character. It has undoubtedly many attractions in that way, and the salary is as good as an ordinary college Fellowship. Sibbie and Frank Butler' are with us for three nights. We had a particularly nice dinner party last night for them. John Murray, the publisher, told many anecdotes. Lady Pelly was there, and very helpful; so were the Rockers, and the Coleridges (she the novelist), etc. I have heard no more of the bronze tablet and do not expect news yet, but will write to the man in a week. Good-bye, Eva's love and mine to you all. Ever affectionately, FRANCIS GALTON. 42, RUTLAND GATE,.S.W. October 22, 1904. DEAREST MILLY, Yes, the weekly letter must become an institution. You must have glorious tints on the moors. Eva and I spent a day at Peppard Common where we had such a pleasant time last year, partly to see the woodland colours, and Professor Weldon joined us. One of our then neighbours was Sir Walter Phillimore, the Judge, whose daughter married the son of my old friend Mrs Hill. She, the daughter, had a bicycling accident a few days ago and was killed instantaneously by an omnibus. I have just been to the first part of the funeral service, held in a church in Sloane St. It was very affecting to see how many old retainers, * Frank, Fred and Hugh, Galton's great-nephews, the three youngest sons of Mrs Lethbridge. t Nephew of Francis Galton's wife, Louisa Butler.
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