them to cases in which the same geometrical property is expressed by more complicated equations-e.g., to

y − k = (x − h)2

(3x+4y-1)2 = 36 (4x-3y) 1

(x3)2 + (y 4)2 = (x + y)2.

to a future course.

Correspondence

Modern Side Latin

To the Editor of SCHOOL.

SIR,-In your November number of SCHOOL Mr. Spence raises an important and, to my mind, very controversial question. Is Latin in the senior school of a modern side really so important as Mr. Spence would have us believeimportant enough to make it a Form subject?

In my opinion-an opinion based on experience-it is not necessary in the senior school, and should, therefore, not be a Form subject. If Mr. Spence will kindly consult the regulations of the London University he will find that he is mistaken. Latin is not compulsory for the London Matric., nor in hardly any of the Civil Service Examinations; and the Latin required for the Law Preliminary is not very formidable. Mr. Spence quotes the curriculum of the modern side at Clifton partly in support of his contention. I will give an outline of the working of the modern side of another large Public School to show that Latin is not essential in the senior school.

Junior School.-Here there are on an average six Forms, each doing about five hours' Latin a week. In the Upper Third where the bifurcation takes place a boy will have mastered the rudiments of Latin grammar and will be able to translate easy pieces of "Unseens" and Cæsar-the boy in fact will possess a working knowledge in this subject such as Mr. Spence desires for a modern boy.

Senior School. Thus equipped the boy enters the Lower Fourth-the lowest Form of the Senior School-where he begins a serious study of French, German, English (literature, grammar, history, geography, essay and precis writing), mathematics and science. To each of these subjects he devotes about five hours a week; add to this an hour's divinity and an hour for drawing or for general knowledge and the time-table is complete.

By the time a boy reaches the Remove he has little difficulty in passing the matriculation in French, German, English, mathematics, and science.

Boys on the modern side are mainly intended for business; the " 'Little Go" is therefore seldom required. Should there, however, be any need for it a boy will have plenty of time for his Latin and Greek after he has passed the Matric. at the age of 16 to 17. With the recently made changes in the syllabus of the London Arts examination a modern boy will in future be able to pass his first B.A. before leaving his school.* Educated on above indicated lines he can also hold his own in any of the Civil Service examinations should he be within the age limits. But what should be the Form subjects on the modern side? On the classical side they are Latin and Greek, entirely taught by the form master; on Since Greek is made optional.

The above time-table is working with the best results on the modern side of a large public school.

December 10, 1906.

I am,
Sir,
Yours faithfully,

THE HEAD OF A MODERN Side.

The Teaching of English

To the Editor of SCHOOL.

SIR,-Will you allow me room enough to say how greatly the want of some leader, such as Mr. Stobart desires in SCHOOL for December, is felt? And has not this need found its expression in the foundation of the new English Association ?

Much may be done by this society. For, while we have tried to simplify the grammar of foreign languages and abolish superfluities, we find that school books on English abound in absurdities, and revel in hair-splitting.

To take an example given by Mr. Stobart: There is a book. Many English grammars explain "there" as equal to "in that place." Really "there" is as much as preparat tory subject as "it" in such a sentence as: It is evidenthat they have gone. I will go so far as to say that "there has become a nominative case in such a construction, just as the French "moi" has assumed power to act as a subject -it descends of course from the Latin accusative" me."

In his "Old and Middle English," p. 50, Kington Oliphant gives: "The expletive por, like the indefinite hit, was commonly used by the English to begin a sentence, as por was ân cyning." In the Laud M.S. (1131) of the A.S. Chronicles we find under year 1012: poer was gebroht win, so the expression is by no means modern. Concurrently "it" was used with equal force, as for example in Middle English: It is na tung ma tell." From the first then "it" and "there were equivalent, both as subjects and as objects, cf., "on it " and "thereon."

Review

of the essentials and non-essentials of the language. But the book contains so much good material that, if carefully re-edited with the help of a German professor, it should prove of the utmost use to English and American students of the language. C. T. K.

A Grammar of the German Language

*

This is not a book for class use, but, if used with caution, may be helpful to the advanced private student. It is probably the most replete German grammar in existence for English readers. The book has one marked defect it does not sufficiently discriminate between the essentials and non-essentials of the language, between what really is a necessary part of German as the cultivated speech of cultivated men, and what are mere colloquialisms, vulgarisms or dialectic peculiarities. The latter are gravely set down side by side with the former, in most instances without any attempt at discrimination. This is, of course, one of the dangers which are apt to arise when a foreigner sets himself the task of writing an exhaustive work on a language other than his own. He attaches undue importance to accidental vagaries of speech, which he has encountered, either in authors tainted with local dialectic peculiarities or in individuals with whom he has come into contact, or in districts in which he has travelled; he generalises therefrom, and fails to discriminate sufficiently between. peculiar forms of diction which are a necessary part of the language and others which are not. In this book numerous dialectic peculiarities, flaws of style of certain authors, and quaint sayings, which figure indeed in literature, but which are used by the author "with his tongue in his cheek," receive undue prominence, and are constantly placed side by side with universally recognised forms of expression. The writer of this book fails to remember that it is not in German as in English, an almost universal custom to "" earmark," by inverted commas, solecisms, archaisms, "slang," and provincialisms, which may be used by an author for the sake of local colour or on account of their ludicrous effect (just as educated people in every language use certain terms, against their better knowledge, in jocular conversation). The writer cites such a term as eine wohlzuschlafende Nacht as a regular expression, whereas it is a mere barbarism, and is avowedly only used, when it occurs colloquially, for its grotesqueness. Similarly, in the notes on pronunciation, he records local dialectic pronunciations as if they were in common use instead of being the exception. He says that one of the ways. of writing the sound "ü," is "ui," but there is only one instance of this in the whole language-the name Duisburg, and that is probably due to Dutch influences. Again, such pronunciations as Kunscht and Durscht are mere vulgarisms, and are never used by the cultivated, except in fun. In fact, many instances could be cited from the book where the writer shows a conspicuous want of proportion and an intermingling on equal terms

* A Grammar of the German Language. By G. O. Curme. (Macmillan Company. 1905. 15s.)

Minor Notices

The Foreign Trader's Dictionary. (Macmillan and Co. 3s. 6d.) This is a very full collection of commercial terms and phrases in English, German, French, and Spanish, dealing with such subjects as Trade and Commerce, Office, Post, Weights and Measures, Goods, &c. &c. A list of commercial abbreviations used in each language (without translations, however), an appendix containing information about the chief commercial usages of each country, and an alphabetical index in English are added. It would have been better for purposes of cross references if indexes in the other three languages had also been given.

German Grammar for Science Students. By W. A. Osborne, M.B., D.Sc., and Ethel E. Osborne. (London: Whittaker and Co. 2s. 6d. net.)

This little volume has very little in its conception to commend it to science students. It contains sixteen lessons, each headed by ordinary grammar rules and examples, and followed by so-called exercises; but as these exercises are merely German sentences on some scientific subject with an English translation added, it cannot be said that they will be of great assistance to the student. A limited vocabulary of scientific terms is added.

Edited by

Deutsche Liebe. By Professor F. Max Müller.
J. C. Johnston. (London and Boston: Ginn and
Company.)

It was a graceful and gracious act to introduce Max Müller's charming idyl, the only work of fiction he ever wrote, to English-speaking students of German. The subject-matter is so full of charm and grace, and the lan guage of such high literary merit, as to make it a schoolreader par excellence. The notes are concise and to the point, and a full vocabulary is added. It is sincerely to be hoped that this little book may help to keep green the memory of the distinguished German scholar.

Irrfahrten. By Friedrich Gerstäcker.
Der Arme Spielmann.
Edited by W. G. Howard.

Sturm. parzer.

and Co. IS. 6d. each.)

Edited by F. B. By Franz Grill(London: Heath

These two new volumes of Heath's Modern Language Series are quite up to the level of the former books of the same series, carefully annotated and supplied with full vocabularies. Gerstäcker's amusing story of young Wessel's hunt for a bride makes capital reading, and Grillparzer's pathetic tale of the old fiddler is full of pathos and charm.

From Messrs. J. M. Dent and Co. come two Picture Vocabularies by Mr. Rippmann, one in French and one in German. They contain one hundred and fifty-two pictures each, with corresponding vocabularies, and may serve as useful auxiliaries for young children learning the languages.

The Clarendon Press has issued a Memory Text-Book to Spearing's German Reader, Writer, and Grammar, to be used for memorising the words occurring in that grammar.

Our School Out of Doors: A Nature Book for Young People. By the Hon. M. Cordelia Leigh. (Fisher Unwin. 25.)

This is an extremely interesting little book. The teacher is "supposed to take the scholars for a country walk twice a month throughout the year." This gives twenty-four "Nature Study" lessons, and the authoress has interpreted her task so broadly as to allow herself to chat about stones and clouds as well as spiders and sticklebacks. The result is a very readable and charming book. Many of the illustrations are beautifully done.

Our Empire, Past and Present. Vol. II. Great Britain in Asia. By the Earl of Meath, M. H. Cornwall Legh, and Edith Jackson. (Harrison and Sons. 7s. 6d.) Of the making of Empire books there is no end as yet, and this book, of nearly eight hundred pages, must supply as much material as most readers are likely to master in the course of many school terms; in fact, it is more likely to be used as a book of reference than in any other way. The information is full and interesting, and the maps and illustrations are good; but it is a pity that it is of such unwieldy size, and we must confess that we do not like the cover. It would be suitable for a prize volume.

Historical and Modern Atlas of the British Empire. By C. Grant Robertson and J. G. Bartholomew. (Methuen. 4s. 6d. nett.)

We can hardly imagine a more exhaustive atlas than this; if every teacher were furnished with it there is little chance of the instruction going wrong. There are sixty-four plates, illustrating every phase and period of our history, to say nothing of geographical details. every way a book to be recommended.

Stanford's Handy Atlas of Modern Geography. (Edward Stanford. IOS. 6d.)

This is a most complete and carefully compiled atlas : the only objection that we have to make to it is that it contains so much detail that it becomes somewhat trying to the eye if studied for any length of time. A long index of one hundred and four closely-printed pages completes the book: this will give some clue to the amount of work entailed in the preparation of the maps. The production of the atlas is in Mr. Stanford's best style, which is sufficient testimony to its excellence.

Herodotus. Book IV. Melpomene. By E. S. Shuckburgh, Litt.D. pp. xxxiii + 119 Text + 195 Notes and Appendices. (Cambridge University Press. 4s.) This is the fifth of the nine books of Herodotus that Dr. Shuckburgh has edited, having already published Books v., vi., viii., and ix. We think with regret that it is the last. It goes without saying that this edition of Book iv. maintains the same high standard of sound and accurate scholarship as that of the earlier ones, and is uniformly excellent. It is not in general as interesting

to read as the others, for it contains very little historical narrative, less than a quarter of it telling the story of the invasion of Scythia by Darius, while the rest is all digression about Scythians and Africans, and the geography is vague. But Dr. Shuckburgh has done his best for his author, sifting the grain from the chaff, and making as clear as possible the difficulties of the history, geography, and anthropology. These are treated generally in the Introduction, which includes also critical notes on the text, and individually in the notes, which also deal adequately with points of grammar. There is a complete geographical index, as well as a Greek index to the notes. We have seen very little to question. In the note on chap. xcv., l. 14, the use of oia and are with the participle should have been distinguished from that of los. δοκεόντων (chap. cxxxiv., 1. 11) cannot mean "knowing," but only thinking ' or observing." In chap. clxii., 1. 16 mi is better taken as "after"; Dr. Shuckburgh's translation would require an infin. depending on eye. In chap. xxxi., 1. 6, the use of the dat. áoσou might have been explained. There are occasional misprints: ἔστι should be ἐστι (p. 16, 1. 16), Baoiλnin (p. 19, 1. 28) and TOσOUTŲ (P. 29, 1. 27) have lost their subscripts. The heading chap. lxxiii., is omitted on p. 168, and "loryes" on p. 245 should be "boryes."

The Medea of Euripides. By Harold Williamson, M.A. Introduction xxviii+ Text 51+ Notes 70 + Vocabulary 37. (Blackie and Son. 25.)

This edition of the Medea by Mr. Williamson in Blackie's Illustrated Greek Series, deserves to rank with the best editions of any Greek play. It is in every way an excellent book, and full of originality and illumination. He acknowledges his debt to Wecklein and Verrall, but he uses these authorities with sound discrimination, and adds much fresh matter of his own. For example, on p. III there are four suggestions of Verrall's discussed: ἀνακλῶν κώλον (1. 1181) which he accepts, ἀναύγου (1. 1183), ávoμμáтov (1. 1184) and λáπTETO (1. 1194) all of which he rejects, offering other suggestions for the first two which are more convincing, as well as emending σee to σείσεις in 1194. Turning again to another page we find most suggestive notes on 1. 343, where Joffe's emendation Taîs épaîs réxvais is accepted, and on 1. 345. Most interesting is Mr. Williamson's theory of the development of Medea's plan of vengeance, and the selection of 1. 550 at Jason's words aλ' ëx' îσvxos as the moment when she first determines to slay her children. His whole note on this point (see 1. 446) is well worth study. In 1. 426 ávτáxno' is surely 1st pers., not 3rd; the distinction drawn in 1. 516 between ős av and os with the subjunctive in tragedy will hardly hold good, as with the subj. being on archaic survival; in 1. 846 enough account is not taken of the position of . There are some misprints; in the text, 1. 182, the comma after giλa should be omitted, and in 1. 424 vμg should have subscript.

On P.

61 (bottom) 211 should be 213; p. 71 (1. 284) áλλá should be aλλa; p. 74 (1 341) read ; p. 75 357-362 should be 357-363, and p. 104, l. 956, 232 should be 233. In 1. 584 why is is accented? An edition of such high scholarship ends rather tamely with a very elementary vocabulary, with which boys who can appreciate the notes might well dispense.

The Teaching of Modern Foreign Languages and the Training of Teachers. By K. Breul, Litt.D. Third Edition, revised and enlarged. xii + 156 pages. Cambridge University Press. 25. nett.

The Magic Whistle and other Fairy Tale Plays. By F. Nesbitt. viii+156 pages. 7 Illustrations. Longmans. 2s. 6d. nett. Each play separately, 6d. nett. Music for Songs. 6d. nett each.

School Hygiene and the Laws of Health. By C. Porter, M.D. X +314 pages. 119 Illustrations. Longmans. 35. 6а.

Remi en Angleterre. By H. Malot. A Selection from Sans Famille. Edited by M. de G. Verrall. With an Appendix by C. Brereton. xii +258 pages. Cambridge Press. Corneille's Le Cid. Edited by H. W. Eve, M.A. xvi + 144 pages. Cambridge University Press. 25. Andrew Goodfellow. A Tale of 1805. By Helen H. Watson. viii+ 358 pages. Macmillan. 6s.

A Practical German Grammar, Reader, and Writer. By L. Lubovius, Ph.D. Part II. xvi + 368 pages. Blackwood. 3s.

Higher Education in America. By C. F. Thwing, LL.D. xiv + 502 pages. S. Appleton. 12s. 6d. nett.

Cyclopædia of Education. Edited by A. E. Fletcher. Revised by M. E. John. viii + 562 pages. Sonnenschein. 2s. 6d. nett.

A Scientific Geography. Book III. Europe. By E. W. Heaton, B.Sc. 149 pages. Maps and Diagrams. Ralph, Holland and Co. Is. 6d. nett.

The A B C of Needlework. By Betsy L. Blackmore. 124 pages. 174 Diagrams. Ralph, Holland and Co. Is. 6d. nett.

Some Studies in the Formation of Character. By Charlotte M. Mason. xxiv + 452 pages. (Home Education Series.) Kegan Paul. 3s. 6d. nett.

The Book of Isaiah. According to the Septuagint. Translated and Edited by R. R. Ottley, M.A. xxxiv + 420 pages. Cambridge University Press. 6s. nett. Who's Who, 1907. A. and C. Black.

Who's Who Year-Book, 1907. A. and C. Black. English Grammar. By G. R. Carpenter. xvi + 214 pages. Macmillan. 3s. 6d. nett.

Abridged Edition, Edited by G. H. C. Hawtrey, M.A. xxviii+ 288 pages.

Ginn. 35.

The Human Mechanism. By T. Hough and W. T. Sedgwick. x + 564 pages. Illustrations. Ginn. Ss. 6d. Principles of Botany. By J. Y. Bergen, A.M. x + 556 pages. Illustrations. Ginn. 6s. 6d.

An Elementary Study of Chemistry. By W. McPherson, Ph.D., and W. E. Henderson, Ph.D. viii+ 434 pages. Diagrams. Ginn. 6s.

Text-Book on the Strength of Materials. By S. E. Slocum, B.E., and E. L. Hancock, M.S. xiv +314 pages. Diagrams. Ginn. 12s. 6d.

From 1200-1900

vi 186 pages. Map.

Outlines of the History of Painting. A D. By E. Von Mach, Ph.D. Ginn. 12s. 6d. Scott's The Talisman. Edited by A. S. Gaye, B.A. xxxii + 376 pages. (Pitt Press Series.) Cambridge University Press. 25.

The Menexenus of Plato. Edited by J. A. Shawyer. M.A. xxxi + 49 pages. Clarendon Press. 25.

X

A First Statics. By C. S. Jackson, M.A., and R. M. Milne, M.A. +380 pages. Diagrams and Answers. Dent. 4s. nett. The New Classical Library. Edited by Dr. E. Reich. Herodotus: Histories. Books I. to III. Translated by G. W. Harris, B.A. 3s. 6d. nett. Alphabetical Encyclopædia of

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Medallions from Early Florentine History. By Emily Underdown. viii+254 pages. Sonnenschein. Arnold's English Literature Series :

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