Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Letter from Karl Pearson, on his paper with Louis Nepoleon George Filon 'Mathematical contributions to the theory of evolution.— IV. On the probable errors of frequency constants and on the influence of random selection on variation and correlation' to the Secretary of the Royal Society

Reference number: RR/13/248

Date: 23 October 1897

Description

He has read Sheppard's paper on normal curves and believes that it does not clash with their paper enough to withdraw it. Their method is very different and only a few results are identical to Sheppard's. He wishes this letter to be attached to their paper when it is sent to members of the sectional committee.

Subject: Mathematics

[Published in Philosophical Transactions A, 1898].

Reference number
RR/13/248
Earliest possible date
23 October 1897
Physical description
Letter on paper
Page extent
4 pages
Format
Manuscript

Use this record

IIIF manifest

View​ IIIF ​ manifest Opens in new tab

Open in Mirador viewer Opens in new tab

Export this record

Download PDF Opens in new tab

Citation

Letter from Karl Pearson, on his paper with Louis Nepoleon George Filon 'Mathematical contributions to the theory of evolution.— IV. On the probable errors of frequency constants and on the influence of random selection on variation and correlation' to the Secretary of the Royal Society, 23 October 1897, RR/13/248, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_13_248/letter-from-karl-pearson-on-his-paper-with-louis-nepoleon-george-filon-mathematical-contributions-to-the-theory-of-evolution-iv-on-the-probable-errors-of-frequency-constants-and-on-the-influence-of-random-selection-on-variation-and-correlation-to-the-secretary-of-the-royal-society, accessed on 09 February 2026

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_13_248/letter-from-karl-pearson-on-his-paper-with-louis-nepoleon-george-filon-mathematical-contributions-to-the-theory-of-evolution-iv-on-the-probable-errors-of-frequency-constants-and-on-the-influence-of-random-selection-on-variation-and-correlation-to-the-secretary-of-the-royal-society

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/rr_13_248/letter-from-karl-pearson-on-his-paper-with-louis-nepoleon-george-filon-mathematical-contributions-to-the-theory-of-evolution-iv-on-the-probable-errors-of-frequency-constants-and-on-the-influence-of-random-selection-on-variation-and-correlation-to-the-secretary-of-the-royal-society" title="Letter from Karl Pearson, on his paper with Louis Nepoleon George Filon 'Mathematical contributions to the theory of evolution.— IV. On the probable errors of frequency constants and on the influence of random selection on variation and correlation' to the Secretary of the Royal Society" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Related Publications

Related Records

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Explore the collection

  • Referee Reports

    This collection contains reports on scientific papers submitted for publication to the Royal Society. Started in 1832 when the system was formalised, it is a record of the origins of peer review publishing in practice.

    Dates: 1832 - 1954

    View collection