Mount Hope classics, vol. 2

Mons Spes, et novellæ aliæ

To prepare for college in Latin, commonly means by a four or five years study of rules and forms to work through an amount of Latin text about equivalent to a hundred pages of Harpers Monthly. The subject thus pursued is not very alluring. Even pupils who can recite rules distinguishing between the use of cum with the subjunctive to describe the time of the main verb by its circumstances and the use of cum with the indicative to define the time by denoting a coexistent state of things, will too often find the distinction losing somewhat of such vividness as it may have had, when told that cum regularly takes the indicative if the principal action is expressed in the form of a temporal clause. So with other rules. They are not hard in themselves, but their multiplicity and variety as they grow in number during a course of several years, and their abstract statement, make the study something like a problem in chess. The results of all this instruction, so far as knowledge of Latin is concerned, we can perhaps understand if we try to imagine what would be the English achievements of a French or German boy who in lessons of five hours or so a week during parts of four or five years had worked out the grammatical constructions of some short English book. To many persons the whole scheme seems wrong, and the results accomplished seem an inadequate return for the outlay of time and labour. Those who so think, believe that the remedy is easy. Latin is taught as no modern language is taught one might almost say as no language is taught, for by the method followed the ancient languages have become mnemonic tasks and grammatical problems, the literature being lost in a species of anagram whose significance is slowly determined by prescribed formulas. The remedy would be to teach Latin as a language. By this it is not meant that anything should be subtracted from the course of instruction now given. Rules and forms must be learned, and it is no disadvantage that in so doing the student learns also to concentrate his attention and to work upon a given task. It is, however, a disadvantage with little reading, to dwell upon logical niceties and abstract statements, when familiar use would illuminate the whole field. Therein is the secret of language learning familiar use. There is no other way, and Latin is no exception to the rule. This, moreover, is the easy way, the method by which in the same time and with no greater efforts much greater results can be achieved. Suppose, for example, the element of pleasure were introduced into the study, and texts were given to the pupil which he could read out of class, easily and with enjoyment, stories or novels, such as are given to beginners in any modern language, would not the process of learning rules, forms and uses of words be simplified at every point? Suppose that by a little practice of this sort, without using the dictionary, and without stopping over difficult passages, a student could learn to follow the action of stories, told in Latin, such as would appeal to the interest of the young and could be read for a double enjoyment the enjoyment of the story and of unexpected success and suppose that by much reading in this way Latin could be so far learned that the lessons in class would deal with forms and constructions already somewhat familiar, would it not be possible thus to substitute a certain degree of success for the failure which now so often marks Latin studies? But it will be objected, that Roman literature has no such stories as are needed for this method of instruction. This is true. Petronius and Apuleius come nearest to what would be needed, but on account of the subject-matter, of difficulties in the text and other objections they are not adapted to the purpose described. What is needed for the plan proposed is a modern translation of modern stories. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 64146
Author: Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton
Release Date: Dec 28, 2020
Format: eBook
Language: Latin

Contributors

Contributor (Author): Maupassant, Guy de, 1850-1893, Prentice, E. Parmalee (Ezra Parmalee), 1863-1955, Ruskin, John, 1819-1900, Stevenson, Robert Louis, 1850-1894


Translator: Avellanus, Arcadius, 1851-1935