,52 Arrangement and Formation of the Series. [CHAP. II. 



latter case we are also, it should be remarked, employing the 

 Law of Error in a second way ; for we are assuming that 

 where the extremes are great so will also the means be, in 

 other words we are assuming that every amount of departure 

 from the mean occurs with a (roughly) calculable degree 

 of relative frequency. However generally this truth may 

 be accepted in a vague way, its evidence can only be ap 

 preciated by those who know the reasons which can be given 

 in its favour. 



But the same principles will also supply a caution in 

 the case of the last example. They remind us that, foi 

 the mere purpose of comparison, the average man of any 

 group or class is a much better object for selection thai 

 the eminent one. There may be greater difficulties in th 

 way of detecting him, but when we have done so we hav 

 got possession of a securer and more stable basis of coin 

 parison. He is selected, by the nature of the case, fron 

 the most numerous stratum of his society; the eminen 

 man from a thinly occupied stratum. In accordance there 

 fore with the now familiar laws of averages and of larg 

 numbers the fluctuations amongst the former will generall 

 be very few and small in comparison with those amongst th 

 latter. 



