THE FIRST PART OF JACOBS' LATIN READER, ADAPTED TO BULLIONS' LATIN GRAMMAR; WITH AN INTRODUCTION, ON THE IDIOMS OF THE LATIN ON A NEW PLAN. BY REV. PETER BULLIONS, D. D., PROFESSOR OF LANGUAGES IN THE ALBANY ACADEMY; AND AUTHOR OF THE THE SAME PLAN, ETC. ETC. 1WENTY-FOURTHI I DITION. NEW-YORK: PRATT, WOODFORD & COMPANY, No. 159 PEARL STREET Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846, by PETER BULLIONS. in the Clerks Office of the Northern District of New-York. PREFACE. THIS work has been prepared at the request of many teachers who use the author's Latin Grammar, and is intended to follow it as a "First Reading Book." The body of the work consists of the first part of Jacobs' Latin Reader; a work already well known in this country, and which appears to be well adapted to the end for which it was intended. The introductory exercises, however, are arranged a little differently, and a few sentences have been introduced from other sources, for the purpose of illustrating some con structions more fully. The object of such a work as this is to furnish to the beginner, who is supposed to have become acquainted with the leading prin. ciples of the Grammar, a praxis on those principles, both in Ety. mology and Syntax, by which they may be rendered perfectly famil. iar to his mind, so as to be applied with more success and ease. when he comes to read and analyze the writings of the Roman authors. It is in fact a Supplement to the Grammar, and the founda. tion of thorough scholarship must be laid here. In order more fully to meet the wants of the beginner, and to render the study of the Latin language more pleasant and easy to pupils of every capacity, an INTRODUCTION is prefixed, containing explanations of the leading idioms of the language, arranged under proper heads, and illustrated by numerous examples, all of which are numbered, so as to be easily referred to for the purpose of illus. trating similar modes of expression which occur in the course of reading, as is more fully explained p. 54. Though this part is intended chiefly for reference, much advantage will be derived from studying it in course in short lessons, simultaneously with lessons in reading and parsing, and rendering the whole familiar by fre quent reviews. The Introductory Exercises consist of short and simple sentences classed in such a way as to illustrate the leading grammatical principles in the construction of sentences, both simple and compound, and by a sufficient number of examples to render these principles familiar and easy of application. In these, as well as throughout the body of the work, constant reference is made to the Grammar itself, as well as to the preceding Introduction, to illustrate and explain the principles of the language as they occur, and by repeated reference to render them familiar to the pupil and impress them indelibly on his mind. These references are more numerous at first; but when any construction or idiom may be supposed to have become familiar, the references to it are less frequent, and the pupil is left to exercise the knowledge acquired in applying the principies without the aid of references. The construction and use of the subjunctive mood being one of the greatest difficulties and niceties of the language, and all important to be well understood, references for explanation, to the Grammar and Introduction, are more numerous and longer continued on this point than on any other. These references also form a sort of index, by which the pupil may be able to find at cnce other constructions of a similar kind in the portion of the work previously studied, and so compare the one with the other. For example, the letter t, p. 103, refers to the Grammar, § 140, 5; by running the eye back along the references at the foot of the page, the same construction will be found at the letter i, p. 95; at c, p. 90; at ", p. 89. at 4, p. 87, &c.; all of which may thus be compared with great facility. The method of reference and explanation here adopted entirely supersedes the use of notes, by rendering them unnecessary, and it is believed will prove vastly more profitable to the student than any number of notes could be, which generally do nothing more than give the meaning of an idiom or phrase in a free translation, without any explanation of its construction. Though this sort of aid enables the pupil to get along with the translation of a sentence, it leaves him as much in the dark as ever respecting its construction. The consequence is, that when he meets with a similar construction again in different words, he is as much at a loss as ever, and finds his progress arrested unless he is again lifted over blindfold by the aid of another friendly note. It is obvious that persons, in this way, may go over much surface; and if they have a memory capable of bringing to their aid the translation in the note when it is wanted, they may be able to give a good translation of what they have gone over, and yet know nothing, or next to nothing, of the construction of what they have read; and hence it happens that knowing but little of principles, or of the method of analyzing the idioms and more difficult constructions of the language, whenever they come to an author or passage where the wonted supply of notes is wanting, they find themselves unable to proceed; or if they do iv is so much in the dark that it is with them a mere peradventure whether they are right or wrong. It is therefore not without reason that many of our best teachers think that such notes, like translations, do more evil than good. This evil, it is hoped, is in a great measure avoided by the method here pursued; for while all needfur assistance is furnished, it can be attained only by referring to the grammatical principle which contains the explanation needed; and which soon becomes so familiar, that it can be readily applica to the analyzing of every sentence in which it is involved. Besides the application of the principles of Grammar in the analy. sis of sentences, no less important is the study of the words them. selves of which these sentences are composed. This belongs to the department of Etymology, and to the enquiring and philosophical mind presents a most interesting and pleasing field of investigation A proper selection of words is no less necessary to the expression of our thoughts than their proper arrangement in sentences. Much. accordingly, of the interest and advantage of studying the models of antiquity lies in the study of the words selected by these writers for conveying their sentiments to others. The derivation and composition of words, and the variety of meanings which they assume in the expression of thought, should therefore form an important part of study to the classical student from the very beginning, and if properly conducted will prove as pleasing as it is profitable. It may be laid down as a principle capable of abundant illustration. that every word has one primitive and radical signification, to which all its other significations and uses are related, and from which they are drawn. This may be regarded as its strict and proper meaning, and should constantly be associated in the mind or the learner with the word itself. Once in possession of this, and accustomed to trace the varied shades of meaning which the words assume as they diverge from their radical and primary signification, he will feel an interest and see a beauty in the study of language, which he would otherwise never be likely to attain. This primary meaning of a word is not always indeed its most common meaning: this may even have passed into disuse; but still it is necessary to be known, in order to have a clue to its various derived significations, both in its simple and compound forms. If instead of the primary, a secondary and distant meaning, though a more common one, should be associated in the mind with the word, it will be found impossible in many instances to account for, or to perceive any sort of propriety or analogy in its use in certain cases. Take, as an example, the verb emo, the more common but not the |
