Аннотация:original goal.I have in mind to write a monograph on the great triumvirate, James Bernoulli-Montmort-de Moivre, and another on Laplace.An appreciation of the works of Laplace from the modern statistical aspect is long overdue and would lead to the realisation of how many theorems are still being published which are special cases of his general results.At the rate at which I work these two projects will take me beyond my allotted span of years.There is much still to be done.Not only should the history after Laplace be written, but the time is ripe for a monograph on inverse probability.I t is to be hoped that someone may be stimulated to compile this.So many persons have given me references and have borne with what must have seemed my interminable discussions that space would not permit me to thank them individually.I count myself fortunate in having so many friends.I feel I should add, however, that if it had not been for the continuing interest (and lately the constant prodding) of M. G. Kendall I doubt whether I should ever have stopped collecting information and taken the irretrievable step of putting it on paper; once something is written it dies a little and one is always reluctant to call a halt.I owe him much both in ideas and stimulus, and it is to him therefore that I would dedicate this book.
