254 ENGLISH MEN OF SCIENCE. [cxnr.
mathematics to a "useful end." Evidence such as this, fully establishes the advantage of a variety of study. One group of men speak gratefully because they had it, and another speak regretfully because they had it not. I find none who had a reasonable variety who disapproved of it, none who had a purely old-fashioned education who were satisfied with it. The scientific men who came from the large public schools usually did nothing when there ; they could not assimilate the subjects taught, and have abused the old system heartily. There are several serious complaints about superficial and bad teaching which I need not quote afresh. Overteaching is thoroughly objected to ; thus, in speaking of merits of education, I find:" Freedom to follow my own inclinations, and to choose my own subjects of study, or the reverse." "The great proportion of time left free to do as I liked, unwatched and uncontrolled."" Unusual degree of freedom." There is much scattered evidence throughout the replies to my questions generally, in addition to what I have extracted, which implies that this feel-
