New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-08
THE NEW BOURBON OF PROF. DAVIES.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: When it was announced several months
since that Prof Davies had in course OF publication
new edition OF his Bourbon there great rel 0oIng In
the mathematical world. more especially among peda-
gogues for although 1t was then impossible from the
necessity of the to Just what Improvement
upon the last edition would be made, yet notor
GUS that there great latitude for emen
dalton, and We of that ik," fondly hoped
that the venerable Professor would this time
give us veritabe cheEdenrre. But blessed
is he who expects nothing for he shall not be dsappont
ed After careful reading OF the new Bourbon and daily
teaching OF the since the commencement Of the
scholastic year. think there question
that the new edition Is whole far Inferior to the
old To be there is somewhat OF improvement In
tae general scheme. particularly in the arrangement OF
subjects And to specialize little, the methods OF de-
drcng the Dpomial formula and the rule for finding
the greatest dvisor Though this latter rule itself
ia very defective) marked betterments. But
the chapter on the General Theory OF Equations which
the author seems to view with especial satisfaction Is
little II at ALL improved. Many portions absolute
botche truth the book is carelessly written and
printed In careless TO be not far from
disgrace " those who brought II forth. But
that empty assertion no argument so let me rehearse
Perhaps the use Of good English is too muoh
To expect OF professed mahematican and yet 1t would
seem reasonable not TO expect such in
really occur 9S C only GG often g. the
the text the Of the plural for the singular The
meaning of the terms employed are accurately Defined
&c and the definition Of compound interest too long to
auoe) which speaks-Or, rather despite Its horrible
tatioh, tries to speakfor itself But to strictly
list who defines o term to be "a quantity that can
written without the aid OF either OF the signs plus
minus and goes classify into positive and
negative terms-enrely forgetting that by his absurd
definition, q negative term cannot be a term at all,
assuredy cannot be written without the aid OF
minus sign lie tells US tp ~ and In talic) that
multiply the denomination OF decimal fraction by
equivalent TO apnexpR two ciphers ~ the given
decimal Again In ransating the formula for any
In q decreasing ar1thmetcal progression the mis-
take Is made OF using the word minus when plus
only can be night. The rules for multiplication and
division OF algebraic fractions for reducing liked
quantity to equivalent fraction and for the
are all incorrect and the fifth principle OF quadratic
entire page OF your valuable Journal TO recapuate all
the errors this textbook-their name IL legion. To
sun up nearly all the demonstrations incon
about half the rules absolutely the
remainder greatly lacking In brevty and precision
two features without which no rule should appear-and
the examples are, IN very many cases badly selected
e., they Involve few OF those points with which the
student OF algebra 10 constantly meeting and upon
which lac needs the light OF practice The bantng
sovenly miseraby down at heel. that its parents
should call In and dress IL up. forcsee abatement
impaired by public schools so long the student
fed upon chat The author to have wholly disre
eared reforms that have been suggested from all
parts Of the country and II 10 matter OF regret 70
think that he has thus shown himself 10 be one OF those
persons who 10 Prof Benjamin HallOwes phrase)
sit the tail OF progress and halloo whoa /"
York, Oct Is, 1873. DONNIE.