Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-01-28
Communicated
Education Continued.
NO. XI.

=
MATES we see its usefulness as q cul>
tivator Of the mind"-please read,
usefessness. for the more easy a study,
the less strength it inparts to the
mind
And. by way Of preliminary re-
mark, would call attention to one
important fact in the following
testimony Of these great minds, viz
Their concurrent opinion that the
study of mathematics does very lit>
tie toward preparing one for what
they call the probabilities OF life,
contingencies Of every day life, call
ing for judgement, tact and common
sense which mathematics has not furn-
the mind
Says that miracle of universal
genius Pascal. "There is great
difference between the spirit of math-
ematics and the spirit of observation,
In the former the principles are pal
pablo bit remote from common use
/ But in the field of observation the
principles are in common use, ana DC
/ fore the minds of ALL The reason
why there are mathematiclans VOID
Of observation is, that they Go not
see what lies before them ; and that
accustomed to the clear and palpa-
bic principles Of mathematics, ana
only to reason after the principles
have been well seen and handled,
they lose themselves in matters OF
observation, where the principles 90
not allow Of being thus treated.
EAus it is rare that mathemauclahs
are observant, or that oeserVant
minds are mathematical. Mathema-
ticians, who are merely mathemati,
clans, have thus their understanding
correct, provided always that every
ding be well explained to them by
difiuiliou aud principles otherwise,
they arc false and insupportable for
hey are correct only upon notorious
principles. And minds of observa-
zion Il only obscrvant, are incapable
Of patience to descend to the first
principles of matters speculative ard
Of Imagination, Of which they have
had 10 experience in the usage OF
The world.
Berkeley is our second mathemati>
cian lie asks, and his queries are
intended TO be answered in the neg
alive:
whether tedious calculations in
algebra be the likelicst method to
improve the mind /? And whether
mems being accustomed to reason al.
together about mathematical signs
and figures, doth not make them at
loss how to reason without them p
Whether whatever readiness anal
ysts acquire stating problem, or
finding apt expressions tor mathe>
malical quantities, the same dotb
necessarily infer proportionabie
ability in conceiving aud expressing
Other matters"
D. Alembert, our next matbematic-
al athority, says: 1T seems If
great mathematicians ought to r. ex-
cellent neutrality-suspicious., at least upon
the objects about which their science
is conversant nevertheless, this is
very far from being always the case.
The logic Of some Of them IS compre.
hended in their formulae.
These bad metaphysicians in a sci
ence in which it is so easy not to rea~
son wrong, would infallibly be much
worse, as experience proves, on mat
tiers in which they had not the caIcu-
LIS for a guide.
Lichtev barg, ''says Sir VIM. Ham
ilton), the celebrated Professor Of
Mathematics ard Physics i'll Gnt>
finger, one Of the witticst writer's and
most philosophical thinkers of his
country, after stating that, "Mathc-
MATES are not only the most certain
of all human sciences, but also the
easiest" he makes the following obs
servation Mathematics are
noble science, but as for the mathe~
maticians, they are often not worth
the hangman. = < X He who is
styled a mathematician, very fire.
4uently succeeds in passing for a
Ieep thinker; although under that
name are included the veriest dun~
derheads in existence, incapable Of
any business which requires refec.
tioa, since this cannot be immediate.
" performed by tho easy process of
connecting symbols, which is more
The product Of roti8e than of thought."
Says lie Clcrc: "5uch are the va~
rious affections Of the minds of men
and Of the affairs of life, concerning
which tie most expert gcometers do
not Judge better than their neighbors.
nay, frequently worse. 1t is ones
ion, for instance, whether Certain
plan or undertaking is to have a pros>
Porous result. In that undertaking
there are a multitude of ideas which
cannot be brought to an issue unless
in great variety Of ways, which
again depend on innumerable cr>
eqmstances. Those accustomed to
mathematical ideas, which are very
easily observed, and very easily dis
climina.od from each other, when
by The rules Of their science they at
tempt to judge of the administration
Of public or private affairs, arrive at
conclusions the most absurd"
Says Walpole: "The profound
study Of mathematics seems to on
quire The NOR general and useful
mode Of reasoning-that by Undue,
ton"
Says Gibbon: "As soon as I un-
derstood the principles, reinqush-
ed forever the pursuit of mathemat-
les nor can lament that | desisted
before my mind was hardened by the
habit Of rigid demonstration, 50 de-
etructive to the finer feelings Of moral
euidence"
Says Vico, the profoundest thinker
whom Italy produced during tho last
century practice Of giving to
Young men the elements Of the sci>
ence Of magnitude or the algebraic
method, chilIs ali that is lively and
vigorous in the youthful mind, clouds
the imagination, debilitates the mem.