STATISTICS is that department of political science which is con cerned in collecting and arranging facts illustrative of the condition and resources of a state. To reason upon such facts and to draw con clusions from them is not within the province of statistics; but is the business of the statesman and of the political economist. In order to exemplify the precise character and limits of statistics, the Statistical Society of London have aptly chosen for their emblem a wheat-sheaf, with the motto " aliis exterendum." That it is necessary for a government, in order to govern well, to acquire information upon matters affecting the condition and interests of the people, is obvious. Indeed the civilisation of a country may almost be measured by the completeness of its statistics ; for where valuable statistical records of ancient date •are found concerning a country not yet advanced in civilisation, which would appear to con tradict this position, we owe them to sovereigns or governments of uncommon vigour and sagacity. However rude the governmeut of a country may be, it cannot attempt to make laws without having acquired the means of forming a judgment, however imperfect, as to the matters brought under its consideration. In this sense statistics may be said to be coeval with legislation ; but as the latter has rarely been conducted upon any fixed principles, or partaken of the character of science, in the earlier ages of the world, we must attribute to statistics, as a department of political science, a much later origin. it is chiefly to the rise of political economy tliat we are indebted for the cultivation of statistics. The principles of that science, which are directly concerned about the prosperity and happiness of mankind, were not reduced to any system until the middle of the last century; since that time, political economy has been cultivated as an inductive science. The correctness of preconceived theories has been tested by the observation and analysis of facts; and new principles have been discovered and established by the same means. A limited knowledge
of facts had previously been an obstacle to the progress of political economy; and on the other hand the neglect of that science caused indifference to statistical inquiries.
This connection between political theories and statistics, while it has led to the collection of many data which would not otherwise have been obtained, has too often introduced a partial and deceptive state ment of facts, in order to support preconceived opinions. This is sometimes unjustly objected to statistics, as if it were a defect peculiar to them. That facilities for deception are afforded by statistics cannot be denied ; but fallacies of this kind, like all others, are open to scrutiny and exposure. Reliance need not be placed upon statements of facts nor on numbers, unless supported by evidence ; and inferences from them should only be admitted according to the rules by which all sound reasoning is governed. Fallacies are difficult to detect in proportion to the ingenuity of the sophist and the ignorance or inex pertness of his opponents ; but in political matters, opposite theories and opinions are maintained with equal ability, and facts and argu ments are investigated with so much jealousy, that, in the end, truth can hardly fail to be established. Neither does any suspicion of par tiality attach to such facts as are collected by a government without reference to particular theories. Until some one has shown the value of noting a certain class of facts with a view to his own inquiries, no pains are taken to obtain information of that nature from the best sources; but as soon as the importance of seeking any data is acknow ledged, the collection of them becomes the business of impartial persons. The statist must bo acquainted with the purposes to which the facts collected and arranged by him are likely to be applied, iu order that the proper distinctions and details may be noted in such a manner as to give the fullest means of analysis and inference; but his services are greatest when he does not labour in support of a theory.