New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-10-24

4 FIRST BOOK IN LATIN; containing Grammar. Ex-
ercises and Vocabulsries the method OF constant
imitation and repetition. By JOIN McCLISTocE.
4 NJ. Professor OF Languages, and GEORGE e
CRooEs, v. Adjunct Professor Of Languages in
Dickinson College. Harper ( Brothers, Publish
era NewYork 1916.
An examination Of thi. book satisfies us that
great improvements have been made in the art of
teaching Latin. y more rational theory and
more natural practice OF teaching languages is be
ginning to prevail in our seminaries of learning,
and the present book. the latest Of the literary off
spring OF Dickinson College. we think comes fully
up to the improvements OF the age. The authors
inform us that they have followed the principle Of
Ollendorif but il may be said rather that they nave
followed the method Of Nature Tor they propose to
make boys learn Latin as they learned their mother
tongue-by imitation, repetition and practice The va
rous declensions and conjugations applied
the forms OF each given in the exercise of ming
Latin English and English into Latin that Of
fort Of memory is required OF the learner without giving
him sufficient number OF examples make the effort
easy. These exercises are arranged il regular
rcs and the transition from simple complex forms
and constructions is gradual and natural that the
learner believes he ia moving all the way level
ground and all surprised to ind himself half
ascent winch 10 many mas proved aTcuOus
and difficult We observe, also, thai the words
often repeated in different relations and combina
tons so that the learner fail acquire ade
qua,e familiarity, both with the words of his voeabuls
~ and with their infections.
The author. have treated Of Etymology more fully
than is common in books OF an elementary character
and have made valuable improvements in it We
refer especially their oil the third declen.
If and heir M In-feah nj
the confused tumble IN which OF the third declen
have been involved and obscured by many writers,
authors have fairly and conquered their Difficult
ties and have classified them according to certain simple
rues which the learner easily recollect and sppy.
set of rules for the genders these has been
formed on plan that tins perplexing part
OF Latin Grammar which usually hlls from twelve
fifteen pages disposed Of in the admirable
ncr in pages Precise rules also laid down for
forming the person endng from the ofverbs
and instead of long alphabetical list of preterites and
supines given in many grsnmars exceptions to the
regular forms OF conjusaiion aud which boys usually
approach with trepidaon and abandon in despair, we
have here thorough analysis and accurate classification
in which anomalies give place TO order and law.
liz the treatment of SyntaX the authors have been
equally successful and fortunate The rules are concise
perspcuous and philosophical the arrangement scien'
titc and logical and the relations OF words and senten
to each other explained and LUMINOSITY illustrated
We observe another feature in this book, which expe
rience will attest be useful it Is novel The
marks Of quantity placed all Latin words from
the beginning the book and the rules OF Prosody
introduced wherever the pupil has occasion FOR them
He viii therefore acquire the Prosody Of the language
as gradually correctly and msy add as naturally
as the meaning of the words themselves.
The Appendix contains the rules of versiica,on md
Scanning the forms OF Greek Nouns, the Roman Calen
dsr the Authorizations used by Latin authors and chap
Ter on Urd- BUldiae. in which the principles OF deri-
vstion are treated OIL and the formation OF words by suit
fixes pretxes, and composition, lie scientifically ex-
planned To these added series OF Reading Les
sons Vocabulary for turning Latin into English and
another for turning English into Latin. The book there
fore contains within itself Grammar Exercises Reading
Book and Dictionary--an within the compass OF four
hundred duodecimo pages.
The book is not likely please lazy teachers for it
will make them work as hard as their pupils bu;
doubt no, that w be extensively used by that class OF
teachers who prize the progress of the youth committed
to their charge more than their own