Adjective and Case sections are finished. This part therefore can be gone through more than once, if a teacher wishes to give a more perfect grounding in words before proceeding to more complex constructions. In the latter and more elaborate sentences, the fresh grammatical examples are first put separately by themselves, and afterwards in their places in the passage; each time in Italics.

It is not necessary to teach according to the system laid down in the book, but if other systems are used, it should be borne in mind that mounting a broken ladder is never easy. When the elementary part may be judged unnecessary, the careful selection of passages from the best authors will still make it a useful construing book.

A short practical manual of common mood constructions with their English equivalents forms a second part.

A Greek Gradual on the same plan is in course of preparation. It is hoped these little works will advance the cause of intelligent teaching. With this hope the first of the two is now committed to the hands of all fellow-workers.

A FEW REMARKS

ON ARRANGEMENT.

THE principle of the arrangement of sentences is the same in all languages, though it leads to very different results in Latin and in English.

That principle is, the putting the most forcible and important idea first, and letting the rest follow in order of importance.

Nothing can be forcible unless it is clear.

For the sake of clearness in a common sentence the subject comes first.

But in Latin the Cases, and the many formal changes of the Verb, make numberless arrangements clear which in English would not be so.

The cases belong mostly to the predicate.

The predicate is almost always the most forcible part of the sentence; because it is the reason why the sentence is spoken.

In Latin therefore there will be a tendency to get part of the predicate early in the sentence, as the cases prevent its being mistaken for the subject.

Again, any governed case is generally more important in sense than the governing word; because the governing word only tells something done to, or

belonging to the case. The case, therefore, is generally more important than its belongings. Thus, 'Insularum immensa spatia.' Tac. Nunquam senectutem tibi gravem esse sensi.' Cic. The Islands in the one sentence, Old Age in the other, are the main object. These words, therefore, are put before those that govern them.

This is the explanation of the common rule, that the verb should be placed at the end of the sentence, as far as the rule is true.

When the action done, or the quality, is the important notion more than the person or thing acted on, or qualified, which sometimes happens, the governing words come first, as

'Pastor quum traheret per freta navibus

Idæis Helenam perfidus hospitam,' etc.

- In this instance the protraction of the voyage is the prominent notion; and as such begins the

sentence.

The last place in the sentence is sometimes very emphatic.

These few observations may be sufficient to enable any person to pursue this interesting subject for themselves, as all varieties of arrangement are but different examples of these principles.

A LATIN GRADUAL.

GRAMMAR teaches how to talk and write correctly. But men talk and write in order to make known to others what is in their minds.

This then is the origin of Grammar; the thoughts within man take an outward shape in language; and then Grammarians observe language, see what is meant by the words chosen, and how the meaning is conveyed, and make rules accordingly, if the rules

are correct.

That is, Grammar does not make language, which exists already. But good Grammar, like a sort of sign post, is common sense and experience about language set up in rules to guide learners.

Let us begin then making Grammar, by showing how thoughts must take shape in words.

Two things are necessary to communicate the simplest thought, 1st, the speaker must name what he is thinking about. 2ndly, he must go on and tell something about it.

In Grammar every name is called a Noun, i.e. every single word that stands for any thing, or any thought is a Noun, e.g. 'dog,' 'cat,' 'virtue,' 'vice,' &c.

But many words may all unite to represent a name, or Noun.

And the word which tells something of the Noun is called a Verb.

Rule.

No sentence then can be without a Noun or something representing a Noun as its subject or naming part, and no sentence can be without a Verb in its Predicate or telling part.

And as the Verb speaks of the Noun, every change in the Noun must be met by a corresponding change in the Verb.

RULE.

The Verb agrees with the Noun.

In the Latin language, the endings of the words change very much.

Each change denotes a difference of meaning in the word changed.

Like the different uniforms in an army and their different colours, these changes in the endings of the words show an experienced eye to what part of the sentence each word belongs.