LATIN PROSE COMPOSITION ADAPTED FOR THE LEAVING CERTIFICATE AND BY GEORGE G. RAMSAY, M.A., Oxon. PROFESSOR OF HUMANITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW R357 PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION. THE present Volume consists of a collection of passages of various difficulty, and in various styles, for translation into Latin Prose, together with a general Introduction upon the art of writing Continuous Prose. Every passage has been subjected to a careful scrutiny, to make sure that no passage should be admitted which was not specially suitable for translation into Latin, both in style and matter, and such as to bring out, fairly and squarely, the essential points of difference between the two languages and to secure this end, every piece of English in this volume has been either actually translated into Latin, or specially studied with that view. In addition, pains have been taken to select passages that should be both interesting in themselves, and excellent as specimens of English style. If a student is to acquire a good style in Latin, he must have placed before him a sample of good style in English; both thought and language should be such as to be worth the labour to be expended on them in translation. The passages chosen may serve to show how rich our literature is in forcible and beautiful prose: how different is the English written by our best writers from what often passes for English nowadays. The titles prefixed to each passage will, it is hoped, prove both helpful and interesting to the student. The aim of the Introduction is to put before the student a general idea of the essential differences between English and Latin modes of expression, between English and Latin composition; and to indicate the main principles on which he must proceed in translating from the one language into the other, if he would arrive at a satisfactory result. No attempt is made to supply a series of 'tips'; or to suggest how a set of stock phrases may be skilfully introduced so to give a veneer of Latin to what is essentially a passage of English expressed in Latin words. There are two main things which a student has to be taught if he is to write good Latin the first is to appreciate the fundamental differences between the two languages; the second is to gain an understanding of the sort of process : which he must apply to the English if it is to be moulded in a Latin form. I have now for thirty years been engaged in teaching Latin Prose, not only for the purposes of higher scholarship, and with a view to classical examinations, but also to provide for the wants of those students whose main requirement is to gain a command over their own language for the practical work of life; to acquire clearness of thought, power of logical comprehension, correctness and purity in the use of language, and, if possible, simplicity and force of style. For this purpose, the study of Latin Prose forms an unrivalled discipline: and the Introduction contains a short summary of the method which I have found most useful in so teaching it, encumbered with as little detail and technicality as possible. In the preparation of this Volume I have received help from many friends, and from various books, amongst which I must specially mention Dr. Potts' Hints, Dr. Postgate's Sermo Latinus, and M. Berger's Stylistique Latine, to which I am indebted for some excellent illustrations. In connection with the present Volume there has been published a Volume of Latin Prose Versions contributed by many of the best Latin scholars of the day. That Volume contains translations into Latin of 158 English passages, of which 112 form part of the present collection. As this collection |