INDEX 85

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The brief biographical notices of sixty-six noteworthy families printed in this book are compiled from replies to a circular issued by me in the spring of 1904 to all living Fellows of the Royal Society.  Those that first arrived were discussed in “Nature,” August 11, 1904.

On Mr. Schuster’s appointment by the University of London, in October, 1904, to the Research Fellowship in National Eugenics, all my materials were placed in his hand.  He was to select from them those families that contained at least three noteworthy kinsmen, to compile lists of their achievements on the model of the above-mentioned memoir, to verify statements as far as possible, and to send what he wrote for final approval by the authors of the several replies.

This was done by Mr. Schuster.  The results were then submitted by him as an appendix to his Report to the Senate last summer.

After preliminary arrangements, it was determined by the Senate that the list of Noteworthy Families should be published according to the title-page of this book, I having agreed to contribute the preface, Mr. Schuster’s time being fully occupied with work in another branch of Eugenics.

So the list of “Noteworthy Families” in this volume is entirely the work of Mr. Schuster, except in respect to some slight alterations and additions for which I am responsible, as well as for all the rest.

        FrancisGalton.

PREFACE

CHAPTER I.—­GENERAL REMARKS.

This volume is the first instalment of a work that admits of wide extension.  Its object is to serve as an index to the achievements of those families which, having been exceptionally productive of noteworthy persons, seem especially suitable for biographical investigation.

The facts that are given here are avowedly bald and imperfect; nevertheless, they lead to certain important conclusions.  They show, for example, that a considerable proportion of the noteworthy members in a population spring from comparatively few families.

The material upon which this book is based is mainly derived from the answers made to a circular sent to all the Fellows of the Royal Society whose names appear in its Year Book for 1904.

The questions were not unreasonably numerous, nor were they inquisitorial; nevertheless, it proved that not one-half of those who were addressed cared to answer them.  It was, of course, desirable to know a great deal more than could have been asked for or published with propriety, such as the proneness of particular families to grave constitutional disease.  Indeed, the secret history of a family is quite as important in its eugenic aspect as its public history; but one cannot expect persons to freely unlock their dark closets and drag forth family skeletons into the light of day.  It was necessary in such a work as this to submit to considerable limitations, while turning to the fullest account whatever could be stated openly without giving the smallest offence to any of the persons concerned.