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OCR Rendition - approximate
552 Life and Letters of Francis Galton were brought up on such a Quakerish-Puritanical diet. The names of the Colleges also shocked me. Talking of Cambridge, I have now heard that the Council of Trinity College unanimously and warmly accepted the portrait, and that the Memorials Committee to whom the question was referred as to where it was to be hung unanimously recommended that it should be in the Hall (at a specified place), which was agreed to by the Council*. And there I presume it hangs at the present moment and may hang for an indefinitely long time. It is needless to say how pleased I am. Everything was done by the parties concerned in such a nice and kindly spirit., And Eva is equally pleased. We have had the whole gamut of Pau weather. At first it was wild and stormy, then perfectly beautiful; then more or less broken, and during the last two days a big thunderstorm, followed by swirls of rain with intervals of dry; now the sun is out and the weather promises to mend. What a picturesque place it, Pau, is in many parts, but I have not yet been able to get about much. The climate seems thus far to be something like that of Biarritz, damp soft air; perhaps like Rome too; without the dry, cold winds and piercing sun of the Riviera. It is quite a new experiment for me. This hotel is, as it was in your time, excellently managed and very clean, but rather dear. However I can stand that. We have two communicating bedrooms and Seabrooke's is just on the opposite side of the passage. A lift comes up whenever we ring for it. We have as yet made no friends here. The season is not yet begun. Those in the hotel are Russians, French and Americans, and one couple, half-English and half-foreign (nice), and though the front rooms are full, those to either side of the big hotel are not. You recollect Charlotte Wood, afterwards Charlotte Batt, of old days? She died here. When Louisa and I were for a day at Pau we hunted out her gravestone, but I fear it will be difficult to identify it now after more than half a century has passed by. My book, all except the index, has at last gone to Press, so you will get your copy about the end of this month, probably. I am so glad you like James's book. The criticism I would make on it is that he confines himself to selected cases. It would have been better if he had also given a resume of all cases known to him, and of the experiences of doctors of the insane. George Fox must have been crazy when he went like a Jeremiah, and shoeless, into the heart of Lichfield. Best loves to you all. Ever affectionately, FRANCIS GALTON. Wednesday, Nov. 15. I reopen the letter to add that Mr Acland-Troite made a long call yesterday evening, and was most pleasant. He told us, ever so much, and has already undertaken' to get me an introduction which I wanted to the Director of the great horse-breeding establishment here. Thank you so much for the introduction. He struck me as a cultured gentleman, full of interests, the chief of which was his church, which he called his baby. There are two other English churches here, plus a Scotch Presbyterian: four in all'! His wife just now is a little unwell. So we are not to call just yet. F. G. Fragment of a Letter to Mrs Wheler (Galton's sister 13essie written in 1905 from Pau. To go on with my broken off letter; I shall be glad to hear that Lucy's visit to Southampton did her no harm. It is very unfortunate for Col. Studdy that both his cough and his other malady continue to plague him. Please tell Erasmus when you see him that I feel 'I owe him a full letter, in reply to the nice one that he sent me before I left England, but he must take what I write to you as partly to himself also I was so very glad to read of George Darwin's K.C.B.ship. He thoroughly deserves it. His work in science has been of a kind that cannot be popularly appreciated, but is rated by experts as very high indeed. In every way it is a good and timely distinction. His wife will I am sure like it; though it is said that these titles always increase the charges of tradesmen! Ever affectionately, with many thanks to Fanny Wilmot, whose letter I will keep, FRANCIS GALTON. r P.S. The death of Edward Darwin t from angina pectoris is an interesting link between Dr Erasmus-and Charles, both of whom diedof that comparatively rare malady.' * This is a second.instance of repetition to the same person. j'Son of Sir' Francis Darwin, and grandson of Dr Erasmus, thus whole cousin to Francis Galton.
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