REVIEW.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2220, 18 June 1870, Page 2

REVIEW.

Elementary Geomeirij , Bait 1, Compiled for the use of the lower classes of the High Behoof of Otago, by D. Brent, M. A., Cantab., Mathematical Master. Mills, Dick, and Co., Dunedin. We have, received a little work on Geometry, by Mr Brent, the Mathematical master in the High Behoof. It appears to be well adapted to the purposes for which it is intended, viz., “to develope geometrical ideas in the urnst lucid and natural manner,” and to be used in the lower classes of the High xY-hool of Otago ; but we think that its usefulness is likely to he far more widely extended thin its author seems to anticipate. Persons who are anxious to give themselves the benefit or a course of mathematic 1 1 training, will li-ul this unpretending little book invaluable : for unlike “Euclid)” Which contains a vast number of obsolete and. as far as modern mathematical science is Concerned, useless matters, this “ Elementary Geometry ” contains nothing which the . indent will not be always glad to remember. Euclid as affording an excellent set of examples of the ordinary processes of the deductive method stated at length, and, consequently, as an instrument for strengthening the reasoning powers, will always have a certain value. Indeed some centum hj ago, when the writings of Euclid formed the principal part of the existing mathematical science, it was reasonable enough that that author should be Studied with the utmost attention • but at the present day we should hardly make boys spend vears iu learning Euclid, because we kn ow that even when they have (what in* deed really rarely happens) thoroughly mastered him, they will know next to nothing about mathema ios, according to the mqclern signification of that term. It appears to ns that a boy might get a thoroughknowI&ge of the subjects treated of by MF Brent iu auVut a EiiAji.avt of the time that would be mjWe« Sr Itffu to learu the first book of Euclid, and that the knowledge acquirei] by I this modern method would be of much more benefit to him iu his future progress. The time thus gained would be available for the study of some of those branches of mathematics which are the fruits of modern ingenuity and discovery. We would willingly give extracts from the book, but extracts would altogether fail to do justice to it. The - book requires to be read through slowly and attentively ; the fact is, that the absence of the full, formal method of statement to which he has been accustomed in Euclid, gives the reader at first a strange and uneomfortab’e sensation ; he cannot believe that such terse straightforward language can be the medium for imparting geometiieal knowledge; it is only after a careful and impartial perusal that lie perceives that- the kernel is all there, whde the greater part of the unnecessary husk has been thrown away. This work is called Bart I; we may therefore expect to te ede a I'a-t LI, This we suppose will treat of circles, or the subjects contained in tljo third and fourth books of Euclid,’ Ip the meantime we have much pleasure Iji recommending this Irook to the public.