Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

A

PRACTICAL INTRODUCTION

то

LATIN COMPOSITION.

FOR

SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

BY

ALBERT HARKNESS, PH.D.,

PROFESSOR IN BROWN UNIVERSITY.

AUTHOR OF

"A LATIN GRAMMAR," "AN INTRODUCTORY LATIN BOOK,” “A LATIN READER,"
"A FIRST GREEK BOOK," ETC.

NEW YORK:

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY,

90, 92, & 94 GRAND STREET.

LONDON: 16 LITTLE BRITAIN.

1871.

HARVARD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by

ALBERT HARKNESS,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Rhode Island.

PREFACE.

THIS volume is intended to aid the classical student in acquiring a practical acquaintance with the difficult but important subject of Latin composition. It aims to be at once simple, progressive, and complete. Starting with the beginner as soon as he has learned a few grammatical forms, it conducts him step by step through a progressive series of lessons and exercises, until he is so far master both of the theory and of the practice of the subject, that he no longer needs the aid of a special textbook.

The work consists of three parts, of which the first is purely elementary, and is intended as a companion to the Reader. It aims to give the pupil familiarity with the power and use of grammatical inflections, and facility in the application of the great and controlling principles of the language.

Part Second will furnish the learner instruction and practice in Latin composition throughout the subsequent stages of his preparatory course for college. The exercises have special reference to the syntax of the language, and are, to a great extent, imitations of the ordinary constructions contained in the Commentaries of Caesar, and in the Orations of Cicero. In subject matter they also relate to topics contained in those works.

Part Third, intended for the earlier portion of a collegiate course of study, aims to introduce the student to a practical

(iii)

acquaintance with the elements of Latin style. The Exercises are, with slight changes, translations of sentences carefully selected from the works of Cicero.

In making this selection, it has been the constant aim of the author, not only to give the student clear and well-defined illustrations of Latin constructions and usages, but also thoughts and sentiments of intrinsic interest and worth.

To explain more fully the plan of the work, the author begs leave to call attention to the following points :

I. For all grammatical rules and principles, the student is referred directly to the grammar. The advantages of this. arrangement are obvious. It not only saves room, and thus makes it possible to bring an extended course in Latin composi tion within the compass of a convenient manual, but also saves the time of the pupil, by relieving him from the worse than useless task of learning new rules, instead of applying those with which he is already familiar.

II. A series of Models, selected from the writings of Cicero, the great master of Latin style, extends through the entire work. English sentences are given to be translated into Ciceronian Latin. Opposite each of these stands Cicero's own expression for the same thought. Then follow Remarks, explaining the process by which we pass from the English expression to the Latin, and commenting upon such peculiarities as seem to require attention. Such a series of Models, properly explained, will, it is thought, be the best possible guide for the learner in the actual work of writing Latin.

III. Special attention has been given to the important subject of Synonymes and Idioms. But care has been taken not to make peculiarities of construction too prominent. The learner needs to become acquainted with the regular and ordinary

« ZurückWeiter »