PREFACE BY LORD RAYLEIGH vii

science, because with respect to them I shall probably
 be supposed to be prejudiced. But of modern
languages I am ignorant enough to give value to
my advocacy. I believe that French and German,
if properly taught, which I admit they rarely are at
present, would go far to replace Latin and Greek
from a disciplinary point of view, while the actual
value of the acquisition would, in the majority of
cases, be incomparably greater. In half the time
usually devoted, without success, to the classical
languages, most boys could acquire a really serviceable
 knowledge of French and German. History
and the serious study of English literature, now
shamefully neglected. would also find a place in
such a scheme.”
| must own to some disappointment that in a
third of a century progress has not been more
marked. It is to be hoped that the revival of interest
 in these matters may draw attention to Mr.
Bryant's proposals, with most of which I am in
sympathy. I feel sure that he is right in insisting
on the teaching of elementary science to all boys,
and on the importance of its being very elementary
at the beginning. In mathematics’ the earliest
teaching should be quite informal, as I believe is
now pretty generally recognized.
Let us hope that the next generation of English
public school boys will have more to show for their
time spent in school than could be claimed for ours.

RAYLEIGH.