JOSIAH WRIGHT, M.A.

TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE; HEAD MASTER OF SUTTON COLDFIELD
GRAMMAR SCHOOL; EDITOR OF "HELLENICA, &c."

Cambridge:
MACMILLAN & CO.

M.DCCC.LV.

305. c. 61.

PREFACE.

I OFFER this volume as a help to boys beginning to learn Latin, in the hope that it will remove some of the obstacles, which they are sure to meet with in their difficult task.

I trust also that it may be found of service by those engaged in the no less difficult task of teaching the Elements of Latin. It is not intended as a rival to any of the excellent Grammars now in use; but perhaps it may help the beginner to understand them. Whatever Grammar he uses, he may, I trust with advantage, use this Help by its side. For it appeared to me that a book. might be made to do in some measure the work of the teacher; and that his labour would be considerably diminished, if he were enabled to lay before his pupils a written explanation of difficult points, instead of going over the same ground with them again and again by word of mouth.

Such an explanation I have attempted to supply in the following pages. I have in them directed attention chiefly to the Use of Words. At the same time, in order to render the work complete in itself, I have introduced all such Examples and Forms, as it is usual or expedient for a boy to learn before beginning to translate. But I have not touched on Roots or Crude Forms, as I hardly think that they can be studied with

profit by the mere beginner. And I have adopted the

old and ordinary classification of Nouns and Verbs, as

being the one that he can most quickly and readily learn.

For I believe that he cannot too soon be led on from

words to sentences, and from unconnected sentences to a

continuous narrative. With this view I am preparing

an edition of an easy Latin author, which he will be able

to commence as soon as he has finished the Exercises in

this volume, and in which he will find several important

rules, which we have not yet been able to touch upon,

both illustrated and explained.

My aim then throughout has been to call into play as

much as possible the faculties of the student himself;
to compel him to exercise, not merely his memory, but
his reason; and to inculcate accuracy both of thought and
expression. I shall be glad if I have so far succeeded as
in any measure to facilitate the progress of the pupil, and
lighten the toil of his instructor.