I have long wanted to give vent to the thoughts in this talk and therefore I should start by saying ‘Thank you’ for providing me with an audience. Although the broad ideas have been in my mind for a long time, when it came to the point I had considerable difficulty in deciding just what to say and particularly in choosing a suitable title. I am far from satisfied with the somewhat pretentious name with which I have christened the infant, but it does I hope convey the thought that although I shall be talking about statistics—a fact which may or may not be an attraction and was therefore better not concealed—it will not be in a detailed technical sense. Indeed one of my first duties must be to disavow, not only any desire but any considerable ability to expound on statistics in detail.

I have reached the age in life when I begin to gain much comfort from the thought that what matters is not the facts you know but the way you think. It is a comforting thought when you have forgotten most of the facts.