Excerpt from The Critical Review, or Annals of Literature, 1808, Vol. 12 Whether public lectures are the best modes of conveying the instruction, the diffusion of which IS so much wanted, we have our doubts. We think that the elements, at least, of physical knowledge and the preliminary studies requisite for attaining them on ht to form a regular part of common school learning oys of common capacities may have laid a solid foundation of classical knowledge at the age of 14. After that there are three or. Four of the most valuable years of life which are too often miserably thrown away. In these years the rudiments ofigeometry, algebra (as far as quadratic equations), the doctrine of ratios, and the easier parts of d y namics might be readily acquired, without any hindranceto a further proficiency in polite letters. It is the most childish ignorance to think that the capacities of boys are not equal to these studies. The deficiency is not in the pupil, but in the teachers. And till we see a thorough reformation in all our public schools, and an extension of school learning to the knowledge of things as-well as of words, we must expect the study of sound and legitimate philosophy not to be greatly extended beyond the narrow Circuit to which it is at present confined. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.