"The present system, however, A pleasant sum even for an had not yet been changed into accomplished mathematician. decimal system. That change What does divided by the might appear very easy to decimal of a pound mean? accomplished mathematicians Perhaps it means _reduced_ to and men of science, but it was the decimal of a pound! Mr. one which it would be very Lowe supposes, as many others difficult to carry out. (Hear, do, that, after the change, hear). What would have to be all calculations will be done? Every sum would have to _proposed in old money_, and be reduced into a vulgar then _converted into new_. He fraction of a pound, and then cannot hit the {174} idea that divided by the decimal of a the new coins will take the pound--a pleasant sum for an place of the old. This lack of old applewoman to work out!" apprehension will presently (Hear, hear, and laughter.) appear further. "It would not be an agreeable Let the members be assured task, even for some members of that nine half-pence will be, that House, to reduce 4-1/2d., for every practical purpose, or nine half-pence, to mils." 18 mils. But now to the fact (Hear, hear.) asserted. Davies Gilbert[301] used to maintain that during the long period he sat in the House, he never knew more than three men in it, at one time, who had a tolerable notion of fractions. [I heard him give the names of three at the time when he spoke: they were Warburton,[302] Pollock,[303] and Hume.[304] He himself was then out of Parliament.] Joseph Hume affirmed that he had never met with more than ten members who were arithmeticians. But both these gentlemen had a high standard. Mr. Lowe has given a much more damaging opinion. He evidently means that the general run of members could not do his question. It is done as follows: Since farthings gain on mils, at the rate of a whole mil in 24 farthings (24 farthings being 25 mils), it is clear that 18 farthings being three-quarters of 24 farthings, will gain