My dear Darwin

Best thanks for sending me Révue Scientifique with Vogt’s curious paper, which I return with many thanks— The passage you marked for me makes me sure that he would give help of the kind I now want & I will write to him.¹ (De Candolle & another Genevese, Achard by name, have already kindly done much.)²

I send an advance copy of those “Visualised Numerals” of mine, not to trouble you to re read what you know the pith of already, but because of the illustrations at the end and also for the chance of your caring to see there the confirmations from other sources of what Vogt says about the left hand executing with facility in reverse what is done by the right hand.³ I find that the Editor has cut out all Bidders remarks on this point—which I much regret.⁴ I made Bidder scribble flourishes with pencils held in both hands simultaneously & the reflexion of the one scrawl in a mirror was just like the other picture seen directly.

I have just published in “Mind” something more about mental imagery, & when I get my reprints I will send one, in case you care to glance at it.⁵

Enclosed is a reference that might be put among your D^r. Erasmus Darwin papers, in the event of having again to revise the ‘Life’. I had not a notion until I began to hunt up for the reference, how much he had considered the subject of mental imagery, or the very striking experiment in part 1. Sect xviii b (which in my edition of 1801 is in vol 1. p. 291.) which shews that he himself possessed the faculty in a very marked manner.⁶

We came back after a very successful Vichy visit; my wife improved at once on getting there, but for my part I have since been unlucky, & alas only just out of bed after a week’s illness of the same kind as Litchfield’s long affair—this partly accounts for bad handwriting.⁷

With kindest remembrances to you all from us both & from my sister Emma⁸ who is now with us for a few days | Ever sincerely y^rs. | Francis Galton