does he stand stupid before the first demand to answer any practical question in arithmetic that requires a new combination of the "rules"!
As touching the general interest of the people, and the salvation of the nation—so far as its education tends to its salvation—nothing is more important than the proper and efficient conduct of the primary education; and, as well, in the particular interest of the preparatory schools, few things are more important.
It is, however, to a systematic arrangement of all the courses of instruction taught in the years of the secondary education that I look with most confidence for lessening the difficulties and enlarging the success of the fitting-school. At present there appears to be no little danger of bringing the same trials and defects upon all the work of our academies and high-schools as those under which fell the orthodox college curriculum of some years since. But are there no principles which may enable us to classify the bewildering number of possible studies, and thus to select a few which shall alone serve to form the staple of a sound secondary education? I believe that such principles exist.
There are four classes of subjects about which the human mind strives to obtain, and a wise system of education aims to impart, a truly scientific knowledge. These are: first, the world of
