The Latin Grammar, Part 4
The method of this Grammar, and how to make thereby good progreſſe in the Latine Tongue.
1. IT may be underſtood that common concernments (equally belonging to this Grammar with the former made for Engliſh) are not heer repeated, but left to be remembred or learned thence.
2. Wherefore to begin with what is peculiar hereunto, it may be noted that the method of this Grammar is Syntheticall compoſing Analyticall Rules of Etymologie with reſults of Structures framed thence.
This compoſure is made for the reaſons following. Firſt, becauſe the Syntax with the proper ſignes of each affection, belonging to the parts of ſpeech, are the ſpecificall differences whereby ſuch affections muſt be defined.
2. Next the placing of the Syntax in the ſame Rules with thoſe ſeverall affections are infallible guides, whereby green wits, may with eaſe finde out the ſtructure, which otherwiſe would perplex them.
3. Likewiſe the compoſure of both together, doth conferre unto compendiouſnes, the only way to advance young Schollers being encouraged to proceed when they have eaſie taskes.
4. Moreover it is neceſſary to abridge Grammars, becauſe they are to be oft repeated as the only means to gaine proficiency for childrens progreſſe is a product in very few of ingenuity and induſtry, but in moſt youths of a cuſtomary practiſe growing into an habit.
4. This Grammar ſo much as is printed in Engliſh letters with examples thereto belonging ſhould be read twice or thrice within Book, and afterwards ſo oft without Book by young beginners: who from thence forward ſhould be made acquainted with the method and meaning of all the Rules, wherein the Maſters conſtant diligence will be neceſſary. And furthermore they ſhould be made to read deliberatly the Annotations annexed to the Rules, as good helps to underſtand them better, for both are needfull preparations to the reading of Latine Authors:
5. Lea…neſs thus enabled to take leſſons ſhould be taught to expound and examine the ſame themſelves, by few plaine rules as certain guids, for inſtance.
1. They ſhould look out firſt the principall verbe.
2. Next they ſhould ſearch out the Rect or Nominative, whereon that Verb and the reſt depen.
3. Laſt, they ſhould orderly diſpoſe all circumſtances, placeing the object after neuters, the ſufferer after Tranſitives, the agent after paſſives, and ranging with all the premiſſes ſuch other reſpective limitations as belong thereto; …ll which are diſcernable in the Latine, by the concordance or other ſtructure, and in Engliſh by good ſenſe in every ſentence, the neceſſary ſequell of true expoſitions, as in example.
—Heu Divos temnere diſcant
Ʋt moniti per vos mox omnes caede luetur.
To ſcorn the Gods ah ſhall be purg'd with blood,
That all men warn'd by you may learn for good.
6. Thus youth for eaſe may begin with Janua Linguarum, learning thence by heart a Latine and Engliſh ſentence to be rendered without Book, firſt intire, and aſunder as before; next word for word together, a Heu ah, temnere to ſcorne, Deos the Gods, luetur ſhall be purged, caede with blood, &c. So keeping cloſe to the ſignes of all affections, as good helps at the firſt aſſay to know them and their ſtructure. Then without loſſe of time, they themſelves, ſhould give account of every word, both in their ſeverall affections, and in their Syntax by Grammar Rules in the proper words thereof, as followeth.
7. Mox (by the part of Speech) an abſolute Adverb (by forme) of time (by Figure) primitive by conſtruction) as a circumſtance referring unto Diſcant.
Diſcant, a Verb adjectivall neuter of compleat ſenſe betokening to do primitive by proper affections) of the third conjugation and ſubjunctive mood interpreting another principall Verb and preſent tenſe, ſpeaking of the time now, but with (may) a Potentiall ſigne ſhareth with a continued future, called the ſimple and the third perſon ſpoken of and plurall number ſpeaking of many it agreeth in Perſon and Number with the Rect omnes.
Vos a Pronounce Demonſtrative primitive of a finite quantity (by proper affections; irregular in Declenſion, the plurall number and Accuſative Caſe having per a Prepoſitionall Adverb primitive expreſſely ſerving thereunto, beſides that it referreth as the agent or tearme whence to moniti.
Moniti, a Verb Paſſive of imperfect ſenſe, having reference to the Agents, derived from the Active moneo the Participle Mood and Preter tenſe, ſpeaking of Time paſt, the ſecond Declenſion. Rect plurall Maſculine Gender by termination, agreeing with viri an Ellipticall Subſtantive anſwering to the Queſtion who.
Omnes, A Pronoune Demonſtrative Collective, of indefinite quantity, Primitive of the third Declenſion, a Rect plurall of the Common of two by termination, but Maſculine by conſtruction, agreeing likewiſe with the ſame viri underſtood.
Ʋt a Conjunctive Adverb cauſall, Primitive, referring alſo unto diſcant.
Caede a Noune Subſtantive Primitive of the third Declenſion, an Ablative ſingular feminine gender by the termination es, not increaſing, conſtrued with luetur, as the cauſe, and of the ſame ſignification, therefore the Prepoſition is Ellipticall.
Luetur a verb adjectivall paſſive, derived from the Active luo, and that from lavo ſyncopated, or it hath affinity therewith, the third Conjugation Indicative mood future tenſe ſpeaking of the time to come with ſigne ſhall the third perſon ſingular, agreeing with the Rect temnere.
Divos a Noune Subſtantive derived of Deus the ſecond Declenſion Accuſative plurall and maſculine gender by the termination us, it followeth the verbe tranſitive temnere.
Temnere a verb Active tranſient to a ſufferer for compleating the ſenſe thereof, primitive the infinitive mood preſent tenſe by Enallage ſtanding for Rect Subſtantive Aptote ſingular that goeth before luetur, and anſwereth to the queſtion what.
Heu an Interjectionall adverb of ſorrow primitive, and a circumſtance belonging to luetur.
8. It may be noted, that words which end in expoſition muſt begin at examination, in a retrograde courſe, for uſually the word following doth referre to former guide, ſaving that it is a property of Interrogatives Relatives conjunctive and prepoſitionall adverbs to precede inexpoſition all ſubſequent guides. Likewiſe it muſt be remembred that beginners ſhould be uſed conſtantly to vary every Noune according to a proper example in their own Declenſion, and every Verb according to their proper terminations, with Analagy to the ſame Conjugation. And for finding the Rect of Nouns and theme of verbs, youths may take directions, page 39. & 105. or adviſe with Dictionaries.
9. In this progreſſe to facillitate all the reſt Learners ſhould be made to repeat by parts all the Grammar at leaſt once every week, giving as aforeſaid a juſt account of the method and meaning of all Rules therein, and moreover ſhould be made to get by hart the firſt Dictionary in the Janua reading over the next often and deliberatly, ſo as they may be ready to give Engliſh for any Latine word therein; and contrarywiſe Latine for every Engliſh, which will furniſh them with good abillity to expound all other Latine Authors, and beſides to diſcourſe in Latine, whe…eof more followeth.
10. When ſuch performances grow habituall, the proficients need not decline all variable words, or to account for common ſtructures, but in both, to expedite the hardeſt, and to notifie in every Syntax the true reaſon of it, wherein they ſhould be then well verſed, and laſtly to diſtinguiſh what is regular, and what is figurative, either in Orthographie by a Metaplaſmus, or in the ſenſe of words by Tropologie, or in the parts of ſpeech and their affections by Enallage; or in the ſtructure by other Anomalies ſpecified in the true reaſon of a right Syntax.
Nor is it requiſite that Learners be tyed to the ſignes of parts of ſpeech, and their affections, when ſuch and their Syntax are known without it; provided that ſuch without impaire of the Authourss meanin improve their owne Tranſlations, whether made leſſe or larger, as A rationibus delega…us pro ſua ſibi p…ritia inter calculandum …ibi adeſto ▪ Let a well skilled Auditor help the at accounts. Sus ad lyram. The bruit that is undiſciplinable, will never attaine to make good Muſick, and for their honour Schollers ſhould be duplicate page duplicate page elaborate to advance their mothers tongue; for every language hath its idiomes and ſome elegancies proper to it ſelfe.
12. The next taske in a due procedure, ſhould be to ſtrive for a luxuriance in the tongue, which the Schollers learne, and that is only gained by due variations of the ſentences, a peculiar product aymed at in this Grammar: Firſt as of concernment to finde out the proper ſtructure when it is ambiguous.
Next as of unavoidable neceſſity to prepare Phraſes for Poeticall meaſures. Likewiſe as of ornament unto Proſe by acceſſe of copiouſneſſe. Laſt, as of ſpeciall uſe in the practick of all ſtructure, when Maſters to confirme their Schollers judgement, and to perpetuat the ſame in laſting memory, do appoint them to vary the choiſeſt Phraſes in their Leſſons, ſo teaching them to uſe what is good, not (as it is properly tearmed) to make Latine, a baſe Coyne of their own ſtamp, no better then Barbariſme Solaeciſmes, or at beſt a Neoteriſme, or Idiotiſme of their own tongue.
13. When youths are habituated in variations, and for that purpoſe have ſtored their note books and memories with variety and choiſe of phraſes, they may be incouraged to conſtant exerciſe of the ſame in familiar diſcourſes among themſelves, and no ſooner ſhould they be allowed cuſtomarily to ſpeak in Latine, then they are enabled to ſpeak Latinly. At which advance Youths need no more to manage a common calling, for then they are fit for any office, ſaving of a perfect Orator, which is not to be aymed at by a vulgar wit, but by an heroick Genius to be diſcerned by theſe enſuing arguments.
14. Can Schollers intend their learning all the Schoole time, that will ſuffice only for the precedent progreſſe.
Can they abate their recreations, if need require ſome meales, that cometh towards it, but not home, being for the moſt part deſultory.
Do their ſtudies aim at Honourable Eminencies?
Are they predominant to all other affections, whether of profit or pleaſure?
Will they admit of no vacations, but ſtill inſinuate themſelves, at all urgent intermiſſions?
Are they inſuperable in all obſtructions?
Do ſuch Students reſolve to attain their deſignes or periſh with them? If thus affected, they are in poſſibility to prove competent Orators, either for God, as Churchmen, or for Princes as Embaſſadors, or for the people as their Advocates, or for Schooles or Univerſities, as the Profeſſors. But who leap furtheſt, uſe firſt to ſtoop; And ſo muſt theſe begin with the lower ſtep, and proceed by degrees and ordinary means.
15. Such then may firſt be exerciſed in ſhort and eaſie ſimple Themes, for diſplaying the ſplendor of any Vertue, or diſcovering the filth of any Vice, for which uſe Schollers ſhould before hand by the direction of their Maſter, be well ſtored with common places gathered, and Alphabetically ranged for more readineſſe: And as a ſupplement when their ſtock proves …canty, they may be tutoured to make uſe of Lycoſthenes and other Authors; borrowing thence ſome choyce Apophthegmes or ſimilitudes the moſt proper Topicks uſefull for beginners.
16. Learners may be taught therewith to make by turns ſome Epigrams, provided they be firſt taught the Lawes of Poetry, and with reading Poets bee well exerciſed to ſcan their Verſes, and give account of feet and quantity, after which preparation they may be trained, firſt to make Adonicum and Almanium or Glyconium and Pheretratium, or Partheniacum, and Archilochium, which are the ſhorteſt Verſes, and each couple a juſt proportion of Maeonium the chiefeſt of all the reſt▪ And if children cannot thrive or ſpeed at ſuch aſſayes; To tune green witts they may be uſed to place words in Verſes being before diſplaced, as Quis aurum oblatum niſi inops mentis reſpuit. And when their phanſies are poſſeſſed with a true Poeticall Idea, they may be exerciſed in ſimple Thems taken from Buclers Theſaurus, where they have for matter a competent variety of Poeticall Phraſes prepared for Verſes, and if they will not ſuffice they may be further guided to uſe ſentences taken from Palingenius, Flores Poetarum or ſuch other, (not ingroſſing intire Verſes, untill they are accſtomed to a poeticall ſtile, for then they may be inſtructed with eaſe to change Comaedies into Verſes, as choiſe matter for a ſatire, and well prepared for the forme, and with a new forme Apophthegms will afford convenient matter for other Epigrams.
17. After good proficiency in the former exerciſes, Schollers may proceed to more elaborat tasks upon mixt Thems, whether indefinite, as an potior vit… eſt caeleſtis; or elſe finite called Hypotheſis, as an Philoſopho potior eſt caelibatus; But in diſcretion the Maſter ſhould propound no other Quaeſtion to his Schollers, then from their former reading, they may finde competent previous matter for their invention. Or what is therein wanting he ſhould ſupply, either by ſuggeſting to them proper arguments, or by directing them to learned Authors that miniſter ſuch upon the ſame ſubject. Elſe their Declamations muſt prove jejune to ſay no more.
18. Laſtly, to declaime with credit, will require good forme aſwell as matter and in both a figurative Elocution. The laſt is epitomized in the next foregoing ſubject. And the firſt is ſummarily handled by Apthonius, and in Farnabies, Judex Rhetor tus. But all three are miniſtred amply and magnificently by Cauſinus in his Book de Eloquentia where the precepts need to meet with juncture of Diligence, Witt, and Memory, or cannot be converted into practiſe, and who are not content therewith, having abilities fit to be Suadelas, Mi…ions may learne of the Maſter Orator, Cicero de oratore perfecto.
But alas the melody of an Orpheus that was wont to allure both Birds and Beaſts to ſing in concordance, and dance compliance is now grown uſeleſſe, becauſe outvoyced by Drums and Guns, that ſtunned her Clients, & when they pauſe the whiſling fluits do play, and pretend to Oracles, but prove Sirens.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Lloyd, The Latin Grammar (1653)