New-York tribune., 1870-10-07

"a
evidently one Of the pure and sincere cntnus"e
take no counsel with flesh and blood, and IN the e" -
ness of conviction make no account Oh '"o ,,,o
they may offend, or the antagonisms whlc" W. ,oys
His tone ie bold resOluc, often even ucn'l ,,an,
combatiye The lovers Of controversy WIZ - - nth
materials TO their taste in the merry '. 49, 80
-, 10 ,yoges tho war Of opinion, smthe HE oiP
ropts ON the right hand and the left ana III 'ne "
conquest fercely assailing persons aH We" % -, 49,, DO,
storms what he deems the oitadeI Oh error WIZ"
shot and battle cries, clearly WIN ~.
tadtion that a still atmosphere and quiet frame oi
-, 90 tho most favorable conditions for the attain
ment OF truth
4 Compendious German Grammar, by Professor
WILLIAM d. WHITNEY of which second edition has been
issued by Leypoldt Holt, presents philosophical e1
position Of the principles of the language adapted to
the use OF the advanced student and perhaps too snbte
and profound for popular manual Of instruction No
work has hitherto appeared in English which furnishes
so complete analysis of the rules of infection and con-
structon in the German language, or which eucidates
its difficulties with copious variety Of details The
primary OF the volume is to aid the student In
attaining knowledge othe wrtenlanguage with view
to proficiency in its literature rather than to enable him
to master the idiomac cooqual phrases which form the
substance OF common conversation Hence it gives com
paratyoy exercises for practice and is also sparng
examples in illustration OF the refined distinctions
which IL abundantly sets forth In short, 1t abandons
the beaten track or OllenOOIu anu
similar pan and supplies the defects OF their system
arising from the neglect of theory by an exhibition OF
the language on rgidly pathological principles. IL
makes attempt to open royal road to the acquisition
German. The empiricsm which promises the attain
ment Of Language in dozen or two Of lessons, may
here learn the actual demanded Of the student We
accordingly aIrprehend that the work Of Professor
whitney viii not be favOrite with those VINO
unwilling to pay the price OF accurate knowledge
students who wish to glide into an acquaintance win
German smooth waters, and TO conquer its dicu-
ties by some patent night invention, will here find no
facilities for their purpose Perhaps indeed the author
who is one of the most learned phloOsts of the present
day far I'm advance of the majority OF pups 10 DC
adapt himself perfectly TO the wants Of the begin
ner II may be thought that he addresses hInse 700
exclusively the pure intellect, that he INDUCES hin
self too freely what may he called the metaphysics OF
philoogy and In his desire for logical development
sometimes negects the lucid simplicity of statement
that is essential TO the comprehension OF the
subject There is doubtless truth In thls suS-
geston do not know that IL greatly detIacts from
the value OF the work treatise on German or SUI
dents who wish to resy and complete their knowledge
of the language. Ii affords sure and singulary III
stutiye guide for those who would pursue the study OF
German they do that Of the classical languages Tor
the sake Of its literature rather than for facility In con-
versation this point OF view presents no greater
difficulty than do most OF our Greek aud Latin gram
mars And after ALL the power OF speaking German, or
acquired by different process from the study OF books
The living voice only eectua teacher, whether
lessons given by the actual intercourse OF SOCIAL
life or by Of artificial exercises intended express
y for the education Of the 1t Is an neXora0e law
Of nature which applies well 10 the student in learn
ing foreign language TO the infant in learning It's
vernacuar must first learn to hear aud then to
speak understand what is said to us in
foreign language speaking comes almost as matter OF
course; bat no knowledge of grammar nor oil the WITT
ten literature in general will give the power 10 speak
language until the ear has been especially tuned to its
sounds. The sight OF word collection OF words, on
the printed page gives more idea of their meaning as
they fall from the lips than the sound OF trumpet cOmd
give to blind notion of the color of scaret-ln
regard the details of Professor Whtneys method they
may he open criticism from grammarians on several
points in which it differs from their own But these
usually relate to the classification Of words which in
arranged the sake Of convenience rather than as
necessity from the genius of the language There Is
abundant for choice and difference OF opinion We
have never seen classification that not liable TO OBJ
lection nor perhaps for which certain advantages
could not he claimed. Thus Professor Whitney
distributes the German into only two de-
clensions, determined by the formation OF the
gcntive singular, those which add or eS to
the nominatve forming the first decenson, and those
which add or forming the second declenson The
first decension again is divided into three classes,
cordng the formation fthe nOmnatve plural the first
making change from the singular but sometimes m0di-
flying the vowel the second forming the plural in and
sometimes modifying the vowel and the third in er and
always modifying the vowel. To this arrangement, as 10
every other, there exceptions, making an
acquaintance with the deClensons, and especially the
variations in the plural Zone Of the most perpexing tasks
in the acquisition of German. OF course no scheme can
be autless but though it is i'll arguing with the author
on point OF this kind, we are inclined to give the
! preference to the system of five declensions the
| first including all masculine and neuer nouns end
| ing in ci, en-, and er, the second all mascuines
| in en-, the third all mascunes which make the nom
NATIVE plural in e. the fourth all feminine nouns, and
the fifth all the words of the ncuter gender which are
clas>cd according to their termination in the first
deccnsiOn. This system, il to us, is more readily
mastered at st, and more easily retained in the memory
than any other which has been proposed besides admit
ting greater simplicity in The arrangement Of the excep
TONS the whole matter great degree arbitrary
aud should stand up for Freedom OF grammar no less
than for freedom Of religion There points Of
! pregnant importance to the student, which the
author has failed he sufficiently explicit, unless in
his crowded pages have overlooked his explanations
Thus find dec lions for the Of the negative
with ransve verb and the accusatve and only slight
explanation Of the relative position Of the datve and
accusative, when used objects Of the verb.
But these like defects which may fancy
red in the work from the preference
OF the author to feed adults with strong meat rather than
administer milk TO babes Students who have taste
for "manler diet" will here find ample supply of
nutritious food though II must he cOnicssed not always
emiueutly light Of digestiOn-The publishers have
also issued complete edition Of Professor WHITSEYs
Reader, with Notes and Vocabulary, the text OF
which brought out IN 1862 The selections consist OF
extracts from standard German authors in prose and
verse, and exhibit wide diversity OF character from
specimens OF easy and familiar narrative 10 the
mate masterpieces Of the great dramatists The Notes
by the author cOpOus and exact They give clear
eucdation Of the grammatical difficulties presented by
the text together withsketches Of authors forming
admirable Introduction TO the study Of the German liter