PREFACE
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occasional doubts which may arise from their communications. I t was easier and statistically safer to limit the inquiry to those Fellows who were living when the circulars were issued-that is, to those whose names and addresses appear in the " Royal Society's Year Book" of 1904. Some of them have since died, full of honours, having done their duty to their generation ; others have since been elected ; so the restriction given here to the term "Modern Science" must be kept in mind.
Another and a strong motive for selecting the F. R. S. as subjects of inquiry was that so long ago as 1863-1864 I had investigated the antecedents of 18o of those who were then living, who were further distinguished by one or other of certain specified and recognised honours. My conclusions were briefly described in a Friday evening lecture, February 27, 1864, before the Royal Institution. These, together with the data on which they were founded, were published in the same year in my book " English Men of Science." Readers who desire fuller information as to the antecedents conducive to success that are too briefly described further on should refer to the above book.
The epithet " noteworthy " is applied to achievements in all branches of effort that rank among the members of any profession or calling as equal, at least, to that which an F.R.S. holds among scientific men. This affords a convenient and sufficiently definite standard of merit. I could think of none more appropriate when addressing scientific men,
