On Correlation and the Methods of Modern Statistics

Abstract

I REGRET that the pressure of work associated with the opening of a new session did not permit of my replying to Mr. Hinks last week. His letter (October 3) is so far satisfactory that it gives evidence that one professional astronomer realises the existence of stellar correlation; but Mr. Hinks will have to advance much beyond “scatter diagrams” before he can hope to get much profit out of modern methods. Further, may I suggest that he would be more just to both Miss Gibson and myself if (1) he read her paper carefully, and (2) he did not suppose that, because we approach the subject from a different stand-point from himself, we are of necessity both very ignorant and very foolish?