in.] ORIGIN OF TASTE FOR SCIENCE. 147 



list, and those who were, admitted of being 

 sorted under other titles. With this exception 

 the divisions I have adopted are much the same 

 as those of the various Sections and Sub- sections 

 of the British Association. 



Some doubt may be felt as to how far the 

 replies may be trusted. For my own part, I 

 believe they are substantially correct, judging 

 principally from internal evidence, and partly 

 from having questioned different members of 

 several families, and finding their opinions cor- 

 roborative. The greatest difficulty I have had 

 in my inquiries generally is due to reticence on 

 the part of the writers, who say nothing when 

 much was to be said ; but even this does not 

 affect relative results. Again, many men are 

 conceited ; still the forms in which conceit shows 

 itself do not much affect those results. Thus, a 

 too emphatic narration of early achievements 

 does not distort their mutual proportions. If 

 men are too proud to acknowledge their in- 

 debtedness to natural gifts, the relative value 

 they ascribe to motives remains unchanged. I 

 am astonished at the unconscious vanity which 



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