A Theoretical and Practical Treatise on Algebra: Designed for Schools, Colleges, and Private Students (Classic Reprint)

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Excerpt from A Theoretical and Practical Treatise on Algebra: Designed for Schools, Colleges, and Private Students Some apology may appear requisite for offering a new book to public on the science of Algebra - especially as there are several works of acknowledged merit on that subject already before the public, claiming attention. But the intrinsic merits of a book are not alone sufficient to secure its adoption, and render it generally useful. In addition to merit, it must be adapted to the general standard of scientific instruction given in our higher schools, it must conform in a measure to the taste of the nation, and correspond with the general spirit of the age in which it is brought forth. The elaborate and diffusive style of the French, as applied to this science, can never be more than theoretically popular among the English, and the severe, brief, and practical methods of the English are almost intolerable to the French. Yet both nations can boast of men highly pre-eminent in this science, and the high minded of both nations are ready and willing to acknowledge the merits of the other, but the style and spirit of their respective productions are necessarily very different. In this country, our authors and teachers have generally adopted one or the other of these schools, and thus have brought among us difference of opinion, drawn from these different standards of measure for true excellence. Very many of the French methods of treating algebraic science are not to be disregarded or set aside. First principles, theories and demonstrations, are the essence of all true science, and the French are very elaborate in these. Yet no effort of individuals, and no influence of a few institutions of learning, can change the taste of the American people, and make them assimilate to the French, any more than they can make the entire people assume French vivacity, and adopt French manners. Several works, modified from the French, have had, and now have considerable popularity, but they do not naturally suit American pupils. They are not sufficiently practical to be unquestionably popular, and excellent as they are, they fail to inspire that enthusiastic spirit, which works of a more practical and English character are known to do. At the other extreme are several English books, almost wholly practical, with little more than arbitrary rules laid down. Such books may in time make good resolvers of problems, but they certainly fail in most instances to make scientific algebraists. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.