CURRENT LITERATURE.
On Some Defects in General Education. By Richard Quain, (Macmillan.)—Mr. Quain does not seem to be thoroughly acquainted with the conditions of the question which he discusses. The groat " defect " of which he complains is the failure to teach English and natural science. It is a defect, though great efforts are being made to remedy it. But if Mr. Quain thinks that all the ignorance and lack of culture which numbers of our school-boys display Is caused by their being taught classical languages instead of being taught their own language and science, he is, we believe, utterly wrong. He does not know, no man but a schoolmaster can know, the average capa- city of boys,—how a large a proportion is unsusceptible of culture. One of the educational uses of science is indeed to discover a mental power which other tests fail to discover. But if Mr. Quain and his friends could have their way and put science in the chief place, it would not be long before we should find the heads of colleges repeating about the rank and file of their students the same complaints which their insufficient attainments in classical knowledge now call forth. The truth is that the mass of men are stupid, and teach them what you will, can learn but very little. And, to say one word on the practical side of the question, does Mr. Quain know what ho is asking for when he says, "We want teaching-places, with apparatus and laboratories, and skilful teachers, scattered thickly around ?" Has ho considered what an enormous undertaking it would be to start and keep up a laboratory for a school of 500 boys ; for if the teaching is to be worth any- thing at all, every boy must work, must analyze for himself ? We should recommend him to study what really experienced men on his own side of the question have said. Lot him read, for instance, the essay by Mr. Wilson, of Rugby.
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