Noteworthy Families (Modern Science) / An Index to Kinships in Near Degrees between Persons Whose Achievements Are Honourable, and Have Been Publicly Recorded

BY FRANCIS GALTON, D.C.L., F.R.S. HON. D.Sc (CAMB.) AND EDGAR SCHUSTER GALTON RESEARCH FELLOW IN NATIONAL EUGENICS
VOL I OF THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE EUGENICS RECORD OFFICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 1906


The brief biographical notices of sixty-six noteworthy families printed in this book are compiled from replies to a circular issued by me in the spring of 1904 to all living Fellows of the Royal Society. Those that first arrived were discussed in “Nature,” August 11, 1904.
On Mr. Schuster's appointment by the University of London, in October, 1904, to the Research Fellowship in National Eugenics, all my materials were placed in his hand. He was to select from them those families that contained at least three noteworthy kinsmen, to compile lists of their achievements on the model of the above-mentioned memoir, to verify statements as far as possible, and to send what he wrote for final approval by the authors of the several replies.
This was done by Mr. Schuster. The results were then submitted by him as an appendix to his Report to the Senate last summer.
After preliminary arrangements, it was determined by the Senate that the list of Noteworthy Families should be published according to the title-page of this book, I having agreed to contribute the preface, Mr. Schuster's time being fully occupied with work in another branch of Eugenics.
So the list of “Noteworthy Families” in this volume is entirely the work of Mr. Schuster, except in respect to some slight alterations and additions for which I am responsible, as well as for all the rest.
FRANCIS GALTON.
This volume is the first instalment of a work that admits of wide extension. Its object is to serve as an index to the achievements of those families which, having been exceptionally productive of noteworthy persons, seem especially suitable for biographical investigation.