Synopsis
Excerpt from An Epitome of Part of Cęsar's Commentaries: With a Vocabulary, a Geographical Outline, and a Map of Cęsar's Gaul; For First Reading in Latin
In constructing the vocabulary, it was a prin cipal object to exhibit the derivation and radical signification of every word, as contributing power fully both to greater clearness of conception, and a more lasting impression upon the memory. With this view, the primitive or simple, though not itself occurring in the text, is always given at length; and subjoined to it is the derivative or compound, with the intermediate steps, if there be any - thus, in Chapter II. Statua, Instituo, Imtitutum, though the last only is used in the corresponding part of the text. This method required that the words should be given in the order of the lessons ratherthan alphabetically, not only because beginners are apt to feel the labour of turning up an etymon. Through several steps, as exceedingly irksome, but because juxta-position will render the affinities much more apparent. Should it be feared, how ever, that this arrangement may supersede the wholesome exercise of the Pupil's industry, by pro senting too much facility, the evil may be avoided by examining on each division of the Vocabulary, before reading the corresponding chapter of the text. Occasional recapitulary examinations, also, will be not only highly useful, but, after making some progress, absolutely necessary, as the words are seldom repeated, unless parenthetically, when a new derivative occurs. In the first chapters, the conjugation of the verbs is given at length, but this is gradually abridged to what is generally found in the dictionaries, except that the last unchanged letter is still prefixed to the terminations, to show distinctly what part of the root is to be retained or omitted. Marks of quantity are conceived to be better given, once for all, in the Vocabulary, espe cially arranged as it is, than repeated on every syllable of the text and, upon the whole, the lat ter, so far as the juvenile pupil is concerned, maybe' viewed chiefly as a body of exercises upon the former, which is intended to be studied with a far ther view than that of merely obtaining English for the few pages, that are here presented for his first essay in the work of translation. Such words as ought to be familiar from the study of the Rudiments were, at first, omitted, but they have been supplied, along with some other omissions, at the end of the Vocabulary.
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