Editing Francis Galton (section)

==Early life==
Galton was born at "The Larches", a large house in the [[Sparkbrook]] area of [[Birmingham]], England, built on the site of "Fair Hill", the former home of [[Joseph Priestley]], which the [[botanist]] [[William Withering]] had renamed. He was [[Charles Darwin]]'s half-cousin, sharing the common grandparent [[Erasmus Darwin]]. His father was [[Samuel Tertius Galton]], son of [[Samuel Galton Jr.]] He was also a cousin of [[Douglas Strutt Galton]]. The Galtons were [[Quaker]] gun-manufacturers and bankers, while the Darwins were involved in medicine and science.

Both the Galton and Darwin families included [[Fellow of the Royal Society|Fellow]]s of the [[Royal Society]] and members who loved to invent in their spare time. Both Erasmus Darwin and Samuel Galton were founding members of the [[Lunar Society]] of Birmingham, which included [[Matthew Boulton]], [[James Watt]], [[Josiah Wedgwood]], [[Joseph Priestley]] and [[Richard Lovell Edgeworth]]. Both families were known for their literary talent. Erasmus Darwin composed lengthy technical treatises in verse. Galton's aunt [[Mary Anne Galton]] wrote on aesthetics and religion, and her autobiography detailed the environment of her childhood populated by Lunar Society members.

[[File:Sir Francis Galton by Octavius Oakley.jpg|thumb|upright|Portrait of Galton by [[Octavius Oakley]], 1840]]

Galton was a [[child prodigy]]&nbsp;– he was reading by the age of two; at age five he knew some [[Ancient Greek|Greek]], [[Latin]] and long division, and by the age of six he had moved on to adult books, including [[Shakespeare]] for pleasure, and poetry, which he quoted at length.{{sfn|Bulmer|2003|p=4}} Galton attended [[King Edward's School, Birmingham]], but chafed at the narrow classical curriculum and left at 16.{{sfn|Cowan|2005}} His parents pressed him to enter the medical profession, and he studied for two years at [[Birmingham General Hospital]] and [[King's College London]] [[Medical School]]. He followed this up with mathematical studies at [[Trinity College, Cambridge]], from 1840 to early 1844.<ref name="ACAD" />

According to the records of the [[United Grand Lodge of England]], it was in February 1844 that Galton became a [[freemason]] at the ''Scientific'' lodge, held at the Red Lion Inn in Cambridge, progressing through the three masonic degrees: Apprentice, 5 February 1844; Fellow Craft, 11 March 1844; Master Mason, 13 May 1844. A note in the record states: "Francis Galton Trinity College student, gained his certificate 13 March 1845".<ref name="Freemasonry" /> One of Galton's masonic certificates from ''Scientific'' lodge can be found among his papers at [[University College, London|University College]], London.<ref name="MerringtonGolden1976" />

A [[nervous breakdown]] prevented Galton's intent to try for honours. He elected instead to take a "poll" (pass) B.A. degree, like his half-cousin Charles Darwin.{{sfn|Bulmer|2003|p=5}} (Following the Cambridge custom, he was awarded an M.A. without further study, in 1847.) He briefly resumed his medical studies but the death of his father in 1844 left him emotionally destitute, though financially independent,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sandall |first=Roger |date=1 April 2008 |title=Sir Francis Galton and the Roots of Eugenics |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-008-9058-8 |journal=Society |language=en |volume=45 |issue=2 |pages=170–176 |doi=10.1007/s12115-008-9058-8 |issn=1936-4725}}</ref> and he terminated his medical studies entirely, turning to foreign travel, sport and technical invention.

In his early years Galton was an enthusiastic traveller, and made a solo trip through Eastern Europe to [[Istanbul]], before going up to Cambridge. In 1845 and 1846, he went to [[Egypt]] and travelled up the [[Nile]] to [[Khartoum]] in the [[Sudan]], and from there to [[Beirut]], [[Damascus]] and down to [[Jordan]].

In 1850 he joined the [[Royal Geographical Society]], and over the next two years mounted a long and difficult [[exploration|expedition]] into then little-known [[South West Africa]] (now [[Namibia]]). He wrote a book on his experience, ''Narrative of an Explorer in Tropical South Africa''.{{sfn|Galton|1853}} He was awarded the Royal Geographical Society's [[Founder's Medal]] in 1853 and the Silver Medal of the French Geographical Society for his pioneering cartographic survey of the region.{{sfn|Bulmer|2003|p=16}} This established his reputation as a geographer and explorer. He proceeded to write the best-selling ''The Art of Travel'', a handbook of practical advice for the [[Victorian era|Victorian]] on the move, which went through many editions and is still in print.