GREAT MEN OF ANCIENT TIMES. 119 



of seven, seventy-five per cent of the youngest were in classes A 

 and B; in families of nine there were no youngest born lower than 

 class B ; and in families of eleven or more there were no youngest 

 born in anything but class A. In families of larger sizes, up to 

 eighteen, I found substantially the same thing, i. e., that seventy- 

 five per cent of the seventh children, whether the youngest or an 

 intermediate, were born in classes A and B, and in no case was an 

 eleventh child born as low as class B. Consequently when I find 

 that Loyola was the youngest of eleven children I do not hesitate 

 to mark him as having been born in class A, while as a matter 

 of fact he may belong in sub-class A 2 or sub-class A 3 . 



These illustrations will give an idea of how estimates have 

 sometimes been made when actual facts are not known. I have, 

 how r ever, been careful not to make estimates except where the facts 

 warranted them, and when estimates have been made I have endeav- 

 ored to err on the side of reducing the age of the father rather 

 than increasing it. In certain special cases I have used special 

 modes of estimating. In a number of such cases I will call atten- 

 tion to the fact of the estimate and explain how the result is reached. 



GREATEST MEN IN BIBLE HISTORY. 



Turning first to Biblical history, we find four men standing out 

 more prominently for wisdom and intelligence than any others. 

 These are Joseph, Moses, David and Solomon. Joseph was the 

 eleventh son (not child) of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac when 

 he was advanced in years, and Isaac was born so late in the life 

 of his parents that his mother, Sarai, laughed to scorn the idea that 

 she was still young enough to have a child. According to the 

 Bible chronology, Abraham was 99 when Isaac was born; Isaac 

 was 59 when Jacob was born ; and Jacob was 92 when Joseph was 



