Boswell’s Life of Johnson, Harper’s Edition (1871), Vol. 2, p. 33.
[1618]. The method of arithmetical teaching is perhaps the best understood of any of the methods concerned with elementary studies.—Bain, Alexander.
Education as a Science (New York, 1898), p. 288.
[1619]. What a benefite that onely thyng is, to haue the witte whetted and sharpened, I neade not trauell to declare, sith all men confesse it to be as greate as maie be. Excepte any witlesse persone thinke he maie bee to wise. But he that most feareth that, is leaste in daunger of it. Wherefore to conclude, I see moare menne to acknowledge the benefite of nomber, than I can espie willying to studie, to attaine the benefites of it. Many praise it, but fewe dooe greatly practise it: onlesse it bee for the vulgare practice, concernying Merchaundes trade. Wherein the desire and hope of gain, maketh many willying to sustaine some trauell. For aide of whom, I did sette forth the first parte of Arithmetike. But if thei knewe how faree this seconde parte, doeeth excell the firste parte, thei would not accoumpte any tyme loste, that were emploied in it. Yea thei would not thinke any tyme well bestowed till thei had gotten soche habilitie by it, that it might be their aide in al other studies.—Recorde, Robert.
Whetstone of Witte (London, 1557).
[1620]. You see then, my friend, I observed, that our real need of this branch of science [arithmetic] is probably because it seems to compel the soul to use our intelligence in the search after pure truth.
Aye, remarked he, it does this to a remarkable extent.
Have you ever noticed that those who have a turn for arithmetic are, with scarcely an exception, naturally quick in all sciences; and that men of slow intellect, if they be trained and exercised in this study ... become invariably quicker than they were before?
Exactly so, he replied.
And, moreover, I think you will not easily find that many things give the learner and student more trouble than this.