76 THE FAMILY AND THE NATION 



which, measured against those of some other men with 

 similar training and opportunities, must be reckoned to 

 be at least as thirty is to one. 



In attempting to trace the inheritance of ability, we 

 are met at once by the difficulty of detecting it, and of 

 measuring it accurately, save in the extremely limited 

 and specialized sphere of competitive examinations. 

 How can we decide whether a man whose time is passed 

 in the usual occupations of life is to be classed as of 

 average intelligence, as able, as eminent, or as illustrious .? 



While the difficulty in distinguishing between the 

 average and the able men by an inspection of ordinary 

 records is probably insuperable, it seems likely that 

 men fairly described as eminent or illustrious may be 

 marked out from their fellows with some approach to 

 completeness. 



As Galton points out, such men possess abilities which 

 can hardly be concealed by any disadvantage of birth or 

 position. The small number of men in each generation 

 who reach eminence are drawn from all ranks of the 

 community, and overcome with comparative ease all 

 obstacles in their path. The few in each century who 

 are acknowledged to be illustrious, the Shakespeares, the 

 Napoleons, the Newtons, take, even in early manhood, 

 their predestined place. But to be fairly certain that 

 the men whom we have called eminent have come to 

 the front, it is wise to restrict our investigations to 

 men of mature age. Galton decides that, by the age 

 of fifty, such men nearly always will have made their 

 mark. 



The next question that arises is what test of 

 eminence in ability to apply. High official position is 



