5I ] ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA ^ 



In the first of these tables (Table VIII), the authors are 

 classified by state or province of birth, by sex and by rank. 

 The most significant figures of this table appear under the 

 column headed Index. This column contains for each state 

 a figure indicating the average number of white literati, 

 per million of white population, born in that state or colony 

 prior to 1851. The figure was derived by summing the 

 figures indicating the white population for each decade 

 from the founding of that state or colony up to 185 1. By 

 this total, called population base, was divided the number 

 of white literati born in the state or colony during the same 

 period. 1 For instance, the sum of the estimated and enum- 

 erated decennial white population figures for Massachusetts, 



colony up to 1851. In the table the figures of population base are 

 given in thousands (2. e,, three naughts [000] are omitted in each 

 case). In estimating the white population for the colonial period it 

 was assumed that, during the entire period prior to the first census, 

 the colored population bore the same relation to the white population 

 that it did in 1790. While the assumption did not exactly accord 

 with the facts, it seemed inadvisable to attempt to obtain greater ac- 

 curacy. Better results would have been attained only at a labor cost 

 out of all proportion to their value. As a result of the method used 

 the states with a large colored population seem to have produced 

 relatively more literati than should really be credited to them. The 

 error, however, cannot be significant, . for the total population of the 

 colonial period was relatively small. 



4 This total differs slightly from that of Table II because it excludes 

 the population of several southern states which produced no literati 

 before 1851. 



5 This index (13) is based on a population total of 74.274 which in- 

 cludes the populations of several southern and western states the popu- 

 lations of which were enumerated in 1850 or earlier, but which had 

 produced no literati and which, therefore, were not included in the 

 separate categories of this table. The number of literati included in 

 the calculations for this figure (13) was 980. Eighteen Canadian literati 

 were omitted because of the lack of Canadian population estimates. 

 The two men of African descent were also omitted. The three men of 

 unknown region of birth were, however, included. 



1 The population figures are taken from census returns and estimates 

 in or derived from A Century of Population Growth in the United 

 States. 



