THEORY OF STATISTICS. 
statistical writers have added a view of the principal epochas of the 
history of each country.” 
3. Within the next few years the words were adopted by several 
writers, notably by Sir John Sinclair, the editor and organiser of the 
first Statistical Account of Scotland, to whom, indeed, their intro- 
duction has been frequently ascribed. In the circular letter to the 
Clergy of the Church of Scotland issued in May 1790,2 he states 
that in Germany * ‘Statistical Inquiries,” as they are called, have 
been carried to a very great extent,” and adds an explanatory 
footnote to the phrase ‘Statistical Inquiries”—“or inquiries 
respecting the population, the political circumstances, the pro- 
ductions of a country, and other matters of state.” In the 
“ History of the Origin and Progress”? of the work, he tells us, 
“Many people were at first surprised at my using the new words, 
Statistics and Statistical, as it was supposed that some term in our 
own language might have expressed the same meaning. But in 
the course of a very extensive tour, through the northern parts of 
Europe, which I happened to take in 1786, I found that in 
Germany they were engaged in a species of political enquiry, 
to which they had given the name of Staéisties;* . ... as I 
thought that a new word might attract more public attention, 
I resolved on adopting it, and I hope that it is now completely 
naturalised and incorporated with our language.” This hope 
was certainly justified, but the meaning of the word underwent 
rapid development during the half century or so following its 
introduction. 
4. “Statistics” (statistik), as the term is used by German 
writers of the eighteenth century, by Zimmermann and by Sir 
John Sinclair, meant simply the exposition of the noteworthy 
characteristics of a state, the mode of exposition being—almost 
inevitably at that time—preponderantly verbal. The conciseness 
and definite character of numerical data were recognised at a 
comparatively early period—more particularly by English writers 
—Dbut trustworthy figures were scarce. After the commencement 
of the nineteenth century, however, the growth of official data 
was continuous, and numerical statements, accordingly, began 
more and more to displace the verbal descriptions of earlier days. 
“ Statistics ” thus insensibly acquired a narrower signification, viz., 
1 Twenty-one vols., 1791-99. 
2 Statistical Account, vol. xx., Appendix to ‘‘ The History of the Origin and 
Progress . . . .” given at the end of the volume. 
8 Loc. cit.,'p. xiii, 
4 The Abriss der Statswissenschajft der Europdischen Reiche (1749) of Gottfried 
Achenwall, Professor of Politics at Gottingen, is the volume in which the word 
¢ statistik ”” appears to be first employed, but the adjective ‘‘statisticus” 
occurs at a somewhat earlier date in works written in Latin. 
2