[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR. " ] SIR, — Those of your
readers who consider that the attack upon the classics is often one-sided will applaud the courage of the writer in your last issue in openly suggesting what the advocates of the classics are generally too shy to insist upon, —namely, that if compulsory Greek is no longer to be expected from modern-side boys, classical boys might well be relieved of the burden of useless mathematics. One who will rank as one of the wisest of English schoolmasters, Mr. Walker, perceived this, although he was no belittler of mathematics, the study of which, like everything else, flourished under his rule ; but he permitted, not to say encouraged, the total discontinuance, often at the early age of fourteen or fifteen, of mathematics by his classical boys at St. Paul's, provided that they had gained exemption from the University entrance examination. When, too, he saw that it was unnecessary or impossible to exact from all science-side boys alike a weekly modicum of Greek Testament, he substituted for it, in suitable cases, the Latin. Some critics may perhaps regard this step as the last shift of an old-fashioned prejudice for a dead language; but those who agree with Mr. Paget and the writer of your article will know better.—I am, Sir, &a., OLD PAULINE.
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