The subject of discussion this morning is “The bearing of higher geometry on the school course”. The difficulties of geometry are well-known, though not all of you will entirely endorse the opinion expressed about 350 years ago by a certain Hubert Languet, who wrote to Sir Philip Sidney as follows: “I know not whether it is wise to apply your mind to geometry, though it is a noble study and well worthy of a fine understanding, but . . . you are not overcheerful by nature, and it is a study which will make you still more grave; and as it requires the strongest application of the mind, it is likely to wear out the powers of the intellect, and very much to impair the health.”