This appears to be the work of an older teenage student, approximate age 16 to 18, but, as I have recently discovered, possibly just 10 years old! the entire focus of this book is math applied to business. He writes the sections out as a word problem in his beautiful script and answers the questions proposed with the appropriate equations. The problems are legible and cover different business situations and he shows his understanding by using the various functions to arrive at the required answers. There doesn't seem to be any input or corrections by a teacher so it may be that Francis is educating himself without a formal school setting. Perhaps an apprentice situation. It's the complexity of the subject along with his beautiful flowing handwriting that really makes this interesting. Here's more-I found Francis Dungey Verran in on line records listed as being born in 1850, from Kingsbridge, Devon, just like our Francis here, but that would make him 10 years old when this book was begun. Is that possible?
This is more than just a schoolbook. It's a relic of an age very different than the one we live in, one in which so much was expected, and accomplished, by a student who may have had to cover what today would be a four year college program by the age of 14 or 15, and to take their place in an adult world in what today would still be their High School years.
The back cover and preceding page are like a compact almanac with different types of weights and measures, English monetary system, etc.. Interesting in itself.
The book appears to be about 200 pages long.