The Quarterly .Timrnal qf Education is more like the report
of a society or institution, than a journal of discussion or a guide in matters of instruction. It reports a great deal that is going on, and which is very little worth while knowing ; but it scarcely hints that there is any thing to be done in this great mid all-important matter. The present system of education wants a reform even more than the House of Commons ; but in this first number of a journal of education, there is scarcely to be detected a hint that all is not right ; and, what is more, not a principle of tuition is expounded, or a new idea started in any one branch of the subject. There arc some neat reviews, which might duly have n.ppeared in the Classical Journal; and there iare two papers on Egyptian Antiquities, which have about as much to do with education as the pyramids with infant schools. The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge has entered a kind of caveat, by way of preface, as to the amount of their responsibility in thus sanctioning a periodical : but they may be perfectly easy, if this is a fair Specimen of what is intended—for it is clear that the writers are men of caution, who, if they may not go right, will take very good care not to go wrong.
BECKER'S Grammar is the work of a philologist and a philosopher, and we greatly prefer it to any of the theoretical grammars we have ever seen. But a very poor practical grammar is frequently far superior in its results to a very good theoretical production. It is impossible to tell what may be the advantage of this Grammar, without trial on a pupil: he may or may not learn rapidly : we are sure that he would learn thoroughly. It is gratifying at length to see the forms of the stupid old Latin grammars utterly neglected and avoided. It is our opinion that languages are learned by tongueing them; but to understand their foundation and principles, something more is requisite : and were we now to begin to learn German, this aid we should seek in preference from BECKER before any other we are acquainted with—though we have on our shelves a German and French Grammar that has passed through upwards of twenty editions, and another in German and English which has reached its sixth.
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