Tuesday 3 July 2007

On the Just Deserts for Stealing Trifles from Natives

“Be very severe if any of your own party steal trifles from natives: order double or treble retribution, if the man does not know better; and, if he does, a flogging besides, and not in place of it.”

Francis Galton, The Art of Travel, or Shifts and Contrivances Available in Wild Countries, 5th ed., 1872 (London: Phoenix Press, 2000), p.309.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Deserts...trifles; he must have become weary of the jokes.

Deogolwulf said...

Terrible, eh.

Anonymous said...

Is he that Galton from 'Simpson and Galton'?

Anonymous said...

Francis Galton was an exceptionally smart man. His wisdom is little appreciated in this present culture of empty celebrity, liberality, and illiteracy. His recommendations regarding theft were based on reason.

Deogolwulf said...

Amazing man.