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318
Hereditary Genius
while to consider them apart. Annexed to these is a column B
calculated from the whole of the families put together, with the
intention of giving a general average; and I have further attached to it
its appropriate columns C and D, not so much for particular use in
this chapter as for the convenience of the reader who may wish to
make comparisons with the other tables, from the different point of
view which D affords.
The general uniformity in the distribution of ability among the
kinsmen in the different groups, is strikingly manifest. The eminent
sons are almost invariably more numerous than the eminent brothers,
and these are a trifle more numerous than the eminent fathers. On
proceeding further down the table, we come to a sudden dropping off
of the numbers at the second grade of kinship, namely, at the
grandfathers, uncles, nephews, and grandsons: this diminution is
conspicuous in the entries in column D, the meaning of which has
already been fully described in pp. 81-83. On reaching the third grade
of kinship, another abrupt dropping off in numbers is again met with,
but the first cousins are found to occupy a decidedly better position
than other relations within the third grade.
We further observe, that while the proportionate abundance of
eminent kinsmen in the various grades is closely similar in all the
groups, the proportions deduced from the entire body of illustrious
men, 415 in number, coincide with peculiar general accuracy with
those we obtained from the large subdivision of 109 Judges. There
cannot, therefore, remain a doubt as to the existence of a law of
distribution of ability in families, or that it is pretty accurately
expressed by the figures in column B, under the heading of “eminent
men of all classes.” I do not, however, think it worth while to submit
a diagram like that in p. 83, derived from the column D in the last
table, because little dependence can be placed on the entries in
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