QUERIES.

N. B.-Questions are numbered consecutively. The answer has the same number as its question, found in the previous issue.

ANSWERS.

7. The answer to this question, in the last issue, by some means got badly mixed. The last paragraph should be as follows: a multiplied by 3=0, plus (plus a, plus, a plus, a)=3a; and, minus a multiplied by minus 3=0, minus (minus a, minus, a, minus a)=3a. The result in either case is the same. Hence we see that "minus by minus" gives plus.

11. The solid part of the potato consists chiefly of starch. By the action of freezing a part of this starch is changed into sugar; hence the "sweetish taste." 12.-1. It assists the agriculturist by giving him a knowledge of the composition of soils. 2. It assists the architect by teaching him the kinds of rock to select for building, and pointing out their location. 3. It assists the engineer in the construction of grades, bridges and tunnels. 4. It is of incalculable value to the miner, etc. "The fool has said in his heart there is no God;" to any one else the science of geology is full of the glory, power and wisdom of God.” 13. The division is arbitrary; of course influenced by location and produetion.

14. Whose honored name the gentleman himself bears. "Himself" pronoun, personal, agrees with its antecedent, gentleman, in the third, singular, masculine, nominative in apposition with gentleman. Of the compound personal pronouns, the nominative and objective cases are alike, as "I, myself, will do so, (nom.);" "He killed himself," (obj.); “To be parsed," verb, regular, transitive, passive, infinitive, present, with the construction of a nou" and independent by inscription.

QUESTIONS.

CHAPEL, KY.-15. (a.) Are the flints known as "Indian points" of natural formation? (b.) Should we say 5 and 6 are eleven, or 5 and 6 is eleven.

2

2

C. T. RATCLIFFE. SARDIS, MISS.-16. a plus y=11. r plus y=7. Find the value of x. SARDIS, MISS.-17. Divide a block of lead weighing forty pounds into four parts, so you may weigh any number of pounds from one to forty.

SUBSCRIBER.

BOYD'S STATION, KY.-18. What gender is men—' "All men are mortal?" Parse teacher--"I am pleased with my situation as teacher." T. O. STANLEY.

BOOK TABLE.

Martin's Civil Government. A text-book on civil government in the United States, by George H Martin, of the State Normal School, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. A. S. Barnes & Co., Publishers.

The title of the book defines the object of the writer. The last decade has been productive of a vast number of speeches, essays and books treating of civil government in its varied operations and phases. The subject has been simplified and illustrated until there appears to be no excuse for a man who grows up in ignorance of the objects, origin and history of the government under which he lives except that of indolence or indifference. The features of the work under consideration, to which the author calls especial attention, are, 1. The full statement of principles. 2. Its comprehensive plan. 3. Its historical method. 4. Its topical arrangement. 5. Its omission of details.

The book is very readable and useful. The summaries at the end of each chapter enhance its value ten fold. The chapter treating of the "establishment of civil, religious and political liberty in England" alone is worth more than the price of the volume.

Our First Hundred Years. By C. Edward Lester. United States Publishing Co., N. Y.

This book appears to be a compilation of the principal and most interesting events connected with the four periods of our history. Colonial incidents, revolutionary reminiscences and constitutional enterprises all find a place, as well as American achievements in science, letters and commerce. The book comprises about 900 large octavo pages. Our limited time forbade careful or critical examination of the book and we defer further notice until such time as we can do it justice.

The New Graded Readers-Five books. Ivision, Blakeman, Taylor & Co., Chicago, Ill.

These books are printed on tinted paper and finely illustrated. The selections are fine, especially in No. Five, and the handsome style of binding renders them very attractive.

Spencerian Theory of Penmanship. Same publishers. This work needs no com mendation.

Swinton's Word Book. Same publishers. Price 25 cents.

This work supplies a necd long felt by teachers, and should meet with a cordial reception by schools and teachers.

Popular Science Monthly. This substantial journal continues to find its way to our editorial sanctum. Few visitors are more welcome. To any person of ordinary intelligence who is at all interested in the natural phenomena of every-day life it is worth ten times its price. Subscription price, with the ECLECTIC TEACHER, $5.

The American Naturalist. This is a first-class scientific monthly. Each number contains several articles from leading scientists as well as general notes" on botany, zoology, anthropology, geology and polaeontology, geography and microcospy.

Scribner's Monthly. The January number of this first-class literary magazine seems to be an earnest of the promise made, viz: to outdo its former self. The list of articles in the contents table runs up to twenty-five. Subscription price, with Eclectic Teacher, $4 25.

The Galaxy is a bright, interesting and instructive monthly, containing about 150 pages of well selected reading matter. Club rates, with the Teacher, $4 25. The Atlantic Monthly. This is properly regarded as one of the best among our four-dollar monthlies. It is published in the "Athens of America,” and, therefore, should have no lack of literary merit. Take it one year and see. Price, with this Journal, $4 25.

Harper's Monthly. The good that men do lives after them. This is not Shakspeare, but it is truth, and being true what a monument the Harper Brothers are rearing for themselves in their periodical publications. The value of their monthly magazine cannot be estimated. Every family that reads should take it. Club rates, with Eclectic Teacher, $4 25.

Appleton's Journal. D. Appleton & Co., New York.

February table of contents contains the following: "Our Winter Birds," with eleven illustrations, "The Prince Consort and Queen," "Silence and Solitude," ," "The Men who Fascinate Women," "How to Furnish a House," and many other articles.

The Sanitarian and Organ of the Medico-Legal Society. New York. P. O. Box 1956.

Hall's Journal of Health, 137 Eighth st., New York.

The respective donors will accept our thanks for the following, viz:

Public Libraries in the United States of America; Their History, Condition and Management. Special report from the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Education. Paper bound; 1,190 pages.

Report of the Commissioner of Education, 1875, a neat and valuable volume of one thousand pages.

Report of the State Superintendent of Education in Kentucky for the year ending September 30, 1876.

Advertiser's Guide, N. W. Ayer & Son, Philadelphia.

Catalogue of Musical Publications, George Wills & Co., Baltimore.

THE scientific treatment of any art consists partly in applying the principles furnished by the several sciences involved as chemical laws to agricultureand enforcing, throughout the discussion, the utmost precision and rigor in the statement, deduction and proof of the various maxims or rules that make up the art.

Both fecundity in the thoughts and clearness in the directions should attest the worth of the scientific method.

DEFINITIONS OF THE SCOPE OF EDUCATION.-First, let me quote the definition embodied in the ideal of the founders of the Prussian national system. It is given shortly as the harmonious and equable evolution of the human powers, at more length, in the words of Stein, "by a method based on the nature of the mind, every power of the soul to be unfolded, every crude principal of life stirred up and nourished, all one-sided culture avoided, and the impulses on which the strength and worth of men rest carefully attended to." (Donaldson's "Lectures on Education," p. 38.) This definition, which is pointed against narrowness generally, may have had special reference to the many omissions in the schooling of the foregone times: the leaving out of such things as bodily or muscular training-in the senses or observation ; training in art or refinement. It further insinuates that hitherto the professional teacher may not have done much even for the intellect for the higher moral training, with a view to happiness or enjoyment.

Acting on this ideal, not only would the educator put more pressure altogether on the susceptibilities of his pupils; he would also avoid overdoing any one branch; he would consider proportion in the things to be taught. To be all language, all observations, all abstract science, all fine art, all bodily expertness, all loftly sentiment, all theology-would not be accepted as a proper outcome of any trainer's work.

The Prussian definition, good so far, does not readily accommodate itself to such circumstances as these-namely, the superior aptitude of individuals for some things rather than for others; the advantage to society of pre-eminent fitness for special functions, although gained by a one-sided development; the difficulty of reconciling the whole man with himself; the limited means of the educator, which imposes the necessity of selection according to relative importance.

Although by no means easy, it is yet possible to make allowance for these various considerations, under the theory of harmonious development, but after the operation is accomplished, the doubt will arise whether much is gained by using that theory as the defining fact of education.

In the very remarkable article on education contributed by James Mill to the "Encyclopedia Britannica," the end of education is stated to be "to render the individual, as much as possible, an instrument of happiness, first to himself, and next to other beings." This, however, should be given as an amended answer to the first question of the Westminster Catechism-"What is the chief end of man?" The utmost that we could expect of the educator, who is not everybody, is to contribute his part to the promotion of human happiness in the order stated. No doubt the definition goes more completely to the root of the matter than the German formula. It does not trouble itself with the harmony, the many-sidedness, the wholeness of the individual development. It would admit these just as might be requisite for securing the final end.

James Mill is not singular in his over-grasping view of the subject. The most usual subdivision of education is into physical, intellectual, moral, religious, technical. Now, when we inquire into the meaning of physical education, we find it to mean the rearing of a healthy human being, by all the arts and devices of nursing, feeding, clothing and general regimen. Mill includes the subject in his article, and Mr. Herbert Spencer devotes a very interesting chapter to it in his work on education. It seems to me, however, that this department may be kept quite separate, important though it be. It does not at all depend upon the principles and considerations that the educator, properly so called, has in view in the carrying out of his work. The discussion of the subject does not in any way help us in educational matters, as most commonly understood; nor does it derive any illumination from being placed side by side with the arts of the recognized teacher. The fact of bodily health or vigor is a leading postulate in bodily or mental training, but the trainer does not take upon himself to lay down the rules of hygiene.

The inadvertance, for so I regard it, of coupling the art of health with education is easily disposed of, and does not land us in any arduous controversies. Very different is another aspect of these definitions-that wherein the end of education is propounded as the promotion of human happiness, human virtue, human perfection. Probably the qualification will at once be conceded that education is but one of the means, a single contributing agency, to the all