ADAPTED TO ALLEN AND GREENOUGH'S LATIN GRAMMAR. WITH PARALLEL REFERENCES TO THE LATIN GRAMMARS OF HARKNESS, GILDERSLEEVE, AND ANDREWS AND STODDARD; ALSO, A COURSE OF ELEMENTARY LATIN READING. BY R. F. LEIGHTON, PH.D. (LIPS.), AUTHOR OF CRITICAL HISTORY OF CICERO'S EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, 29 HISTORY OF BOSTON: 1883. HARVARD 44:133 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1876, by R. F. LEIGHTON, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. J. S. CUSHING, 101 PEARL ST., BOSTON, PREFACE. THIS book has been prepared to accompany Allen and Greenough's Latin Grammar. In addition to exercises for elementary drill, going systematically over the entire ground of the Etymology and Syntax, it aims to furnish a sufficient quantity of interesting reading matter, on subjects suited to the capacity of the pupil, to prepare him to read the usual Latin authors with ease and profit; while the Notes are designed to supply all necessary information on the subjects of synonymes, ancient geography, Roman history, and antiquities. Questions for examination and review, with vocabularies, complete the volume. Much care and study have been spent on the order and arrangement of the Lessons, especially in the earlier part, aiming mainly at these two things, first, to introduce, very early in the course, a comparison of the simpler verbforms, which are easier than nouns, and open the way to a much larger range of expression; and secondly, to give not bare words and their inflections, but sentences from the start, both questions and answers, in natural and easy succession. The first associations with any language, especially when learned by the young, ought to be such as make it as nearly as possible like a living tongue; the scientific study of it should follow, not go before, some familiar elementary knowledge of what it is in actual speech. Teachers who use this book may find it desirable further, to save the learner from those mistakes which often cling in the memory long after the correction of them has been forgotten, by reading the lessons with their classes in advance: the value and importance of frequent reviews are too plain to need recommendation here. The Lessons, including considerably more than a hundred exercises, Latin and English, are so arranged that each gives practice on what has gone before; those to be written in Latin being based on the exercises in translation immediately preceding. Taken in course, they will be found an ample preparation for any of the more advanced manuals of Latin Composition.* The Reading Lessons which follow are largely made up from modern Latin,- a few Fables of Æsop, and extracts from "Viri Romæ," - owing to the almost absolute lack in classic authors of matter at once simple in style and suitable for elementary practice. These are followed by Woodford's Epitome of the First Book of the Gallic War, which gives the main thread of the narrative in Cæsar's own words, omitting the more difficult constructions and parenthetical clauses. The Notes to this portion of the book have been prepared on the theory that it is better to give too much than too little at this stage of the course. Hence, besides very numerous references to the grammar, the full explanation of constructions, and frequent exhibition of synonymes, many details have * They have been expressly arranged as an introduction to the brief but very complete “Latin Composition" by Professor W. F. Allen. been given of history, antiquities, etc., which will prove, if not essential at first, yet useful in the pupil's later studies. Some may prefer that he should get this information by his own research; but my own experience as a teacher convinces me how little likely this is to be done, and how little danger there is of putting these matters within too easy reach. Without entering into the discussion as to the best method of pronouncing Latin, I may be permitted to urge the great advantage and importance of knowing thoroughly the phonetic value of the letters of the Roman alphabet, and their simpler changes and combinations (as given in the first two sections of the Grammar), as a key to many of the difficulties of inflection and derivation. This is quite aside from the question of pronunciation, which must after all be governed by the prevailing usage. For the convenience of those who adopt the so-called English method, a few simple rules are given. It will be understood, of course, that they have no claim of authority or scientific value, and are a mere enumeration of accidental errors and corruptions which the Roman tongue has encountered in its blending with modern speech. The Latin-English Vocabulary has been prepared by Prof. R. F. Pennell, and will be found, it is believed, admirably suited to its purpose. To the authors of the Latin Grammar, and to Professor Allen of the University of Wisconsin, I desire to express my obligations for the very serviceable aid which they have afforded me in the preparation of this book. LEIPSIC, GER., April, 1876. |