82 



AMERICAN MEN OF LETTERS 



[82 



ing differences afford at least partial explanation of their 

 differences in literary productivity. On the other hand 

 it must not be forgotten that Protestants enjoyed greater 

 freedom of thought than Roman Catholics. This factor 

 may be only less important than poverty and lack of ed- 

 ucation. Data are not now available, however, on which 

 to base studies which would indicate the relative impor- 

 tance of these various factors. At present one can 



TABLE XXV 



American Literati Classified According to Size of Family and 

 Birth-Rank 



simply conclude that without question religious training 

 has played some part in the production of American 

 men of letters. 



The last of the nine environmental conditions to be con- 

 sidered is that of the birth-rank of American literati in 

 the family of brothers and sisters. The study for the 



1 The percentages of reported cases when added on horizontal lines 

 do not always total one hundred, because of cumulative error. 



