My dear Cousin Charles—

My sister, Elizabeth Wheler & myself, are very much obliged to you for your kind present of our Grandfather’s life—of course still more acceptable as coming direct from you—which we greatly value.¹ Pray accept our very best thanks—

My sister begs me to say, she would have written herself, but she is watching by the bedside of her dying Husband, who is now lying totally unconscious of all around him, & at the age of 81, Edward Wheler is not likely to rally— It is a case of decay of nature—

We have read your sketch of our Grandfather, & are most thankful for your publickly contracting Miss Seward’s cruel statements, & my Aunt, M^rs. Schimmelpennincks exaggerated disagreeable remarks—² again & again as I read the pages of your book—I could not help wishing my mother³ had lived to see them, she would so truly have appreciated all you have stated.

One or two things have occurred to me—

Page 5. William Alvey Darwin died 1783—the year of my mother’s birth, so she never knew him— His daughter, M^rs. Fox certainly had a great love for machinery, seemed to understand it at a glance. She must have inherited this from her Father— Her mother (née Brown)—had nothing of it— You must have seen her, I think at Osmaston.⁴ She did not die till 1835—aged 91— She lived upstairs, being unable to walk—& when staying at Osmaston, we used to go & see her in an Even^g—

Old M^rs. Darwin of Elston, (the mother of D^r. Erasmus Darwin)—who lived to a great age, had the habit latterly of thinking aloud—⁵ When my Grandmother & Uncles & Aunts⁶ went to pay their yearly visit at Elston, M^rs. W^m. Darwin made it a point to call on them—& old M^rs. Darwin (our Great Grandmother) much to the amusement & discomforture of the Bystanders, used to say—“I suppose I must ask M^rs. William to stay dinner— I hope she will not say yes—” then after repeating this 2 or 3 times—she would say aloud—“Will you stay dinner”—& M^rs. W^m. wisely declined—

D^r. Erasmus Darwin’s Brothers & sisters were very deaf, & when old M^r. Robert Darwin of Elston, wanted to lecture his sister Ann, he took her a drive, as the noise of the carriage wheels, enabled them to hear each other better—⁷

My mother used to say—her Grandmother (the Mother of D^r. Erasmus Darwin) was a charming old Lady—used to get up at 6. o’c. summer & winter—always in the nursery at 6. o’c—fed her pigeons till the day of her death. When her Grandchildren visited her—she used to come into their bedrooms at 6. o’c followed by her maid with a pillow, which was placed on the window seat—& she used to say, “My dears, are not you up yet?”—⁸

Page 5. John Darwin the rector of Elston, I have heard my Mother say, was a most excellent man—Doctor, Lawyer & Clergyman to the Parish—⁹ All went to him, when they wanted advice.

Page 6. My Mother used to say—her Father used to tell them, that when a Boy, he could not run up-hill—so when with his Brothers, & they came to a Hill, one or other, always took him on their backs—till they had surmounted the Hill—& then he could run on with them—

M^rs. Darwin of Elston (Mother of D^r. E Darwin) when her children were young, she always had them to come into her room every morn^g—to say their prayers—& then she pushed back their nails—

Page 36. Stepsons—would be Stepson in law—as D^r. E Darwin had but one Stepson & that was my Uncle M^r. Chandos Pole, who died in 1813— He had two Stepsons in law. Col^l. Bromley of Abberley—& M^r. John Gisborne, who married Eliz^th. & Millicent Pole, daughters of my Grandmother—& M^rs. Nixon is one of M^r. John Gisborne’s daughters—but this does not signify¹⁰

Page 79. M^rs. Schimmelpenninck was the eldest sister of my Father.¹¹ M^rs. Schim^k: having been born in 1778—& my Father Sam^l. Tertius Galton, not till 1783—

My Mother used to say, our Grandfather D^r. E Darwin had a very great idea of his eldest Brother’s good sense & abilities, & never published any of his works, without asking for his Brothers criticism—¹² Also my grandfather was afraid of publishing the Botanic Garden¹³ for some years, fearing it might injure his medical practice. Many might think a Poet, w^d. not be a good Doctor—

M^r. Day, was at one time engaged to our Cousin Miss Hall—but it was off—owing to M^r. Day, insisting on Miss Hall parting with her diamond earrings— she faithfully promised never to wear them, but she had a great affection for them, as they were a gift of her Grandmother’s— M^r. Day—said—No wife must even have earrings in their possession—so she said—Then our intended marriage must never take place. Miss Hall was very indignant—& made not a brilliant marriage!! & accepted M^r. Vaughton in a hurry—¹⁴

I shall again read over your book with great interest—but I wanted at once to write, & tell you how much pleasure it has given my Sister & myself—

Pray give my kind love to your wife & daughter¹⁵ & believe me My dear Cousin | Yours very sincerely | E. S. Galton

How pleased my Brother Francis will be—at the kind way you mention him in y^r. Book—¹⁶