35] ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA 35 



pared in the hope that it would throw some light on the 

 particular phase of the subject under investigation. The 

 first table prq>ared, showing the absolute number of literati 

 born in each decade, is an instance of the first type. This 

 summary was naturally followed by a study of the relative 

 number of men of letters born in each decade. As it was 

 found that the number fluctuated, a search was made for 

 an explanation of the variation. Again, it appeared that 

 certain families and environments had produced unusual 

 numbers of authors. This discovery led to the preparation 

 of many additional tables, which, it was thought, might 

 possibly make clear the reason for the facts observed. Some 

 of these tables were later discarded because they appeared 

 to have no particular significance. The others are presented 

 and discussed in the following pages. Those presented were 

 not originally prepared in the order in which they now 

 stand. They are given in this sequence simply because this 

 seems to be the manner of presentation best adapted to 

 bring out the conclusions which resulted from studying the 

 data in as unbiased a manner as possible. 



The conclusion to which a consideration of the tables 

 seemed to lead is introduced here in the form of a thesis. 

 It is not an arbitrary dogma to be defended at any cost, nor 

 is it the theory which the investigator expected to find the 

 data sustaining when he began his work. Rather is it a 

 gradually developed conclusion which he felt obliged to 

 accept as the result of his study. The arbitrary form of 

 presentation is therefore used simply for the sake of defi- 

 niteness and brevity. This thesis is as follows. 



In all ranks of American society there have been found 

 men and women of literary ability. Much of this ability 

 has been found in members of the same families, but it has 

 been the monopoly of neither a select group of families nor 

 of a particular nationality strain. This latent ability has 



