Source of quote attributed to Florence Nightingale: To understand God's thoughts we must study statistics

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Accepted answer

The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations has the following citation for that quote:

Scan of Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, reading: "Florence Nightingale 1820-1910 4 To understand God's thoughts we must study statistics, for these are the measure of his purpose. Attr. See K. Pearson, Life...of Francis Galton, vol.II, ch.xiii, sect.i"

(apologies for the limited quality of the scan. I'm using my hand-held scanner.)

As their source, they cite The Life, Letters and Labours of Francis Galton by By Karl Pearson (p415):

Image of Life...of Francis Galton, Pearson, p415, reading: "Statistical Investigations 415 statistical knowledge. The legislator--to say nothing of the politician--too often failed for want of this knowledge. Nay, she went further: she held that the universe--including human communities--was evolving in accordance with a divine plan; that it was man's business to endeavour to understand this plan and guide his actions in sympathy with it. But to understand God's thoughts, she held we must study statistics, for these are the measure of his purpose. Thus the study of statistics was for her a religious duty."

Interestingly, unless he is quoting from a source that he does not cite (such as a letter from Florence Nightingale to Francis Galton), it appears that Karl Pearson is putting those words into Florence Nightingale's mouth.

If that is, in fact, the case then it appears the source of the quote is Karl Pearson rather than Florence Nightingale!

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