PROF. SAC. LITER., YALE COLLEGE.

PECK, WHITE, & PECK, PUBLISHERS.

NEW YORK: WILEY & HALSTED.

BOSTON: J. E. TILTON & CO.

HAT ARD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858,
BY JOSIAH WILLARD GIBBS,

in the Clerk's office, of the District Court of Connecticut.

PREFACE.

THE object of the Latin Analyst, is the analysis of the Latin sentence, the analysis of the Latin sentence being substantially the analysis of a sentence in Greek, English, or any other language.

As will be seen by the Table of Contents, the Latin Analyst consists mainly of select Latin sentences, classified and arranged in about sixty sections. The principles of the work are as follows:

1. Every passage is a complete proposition. A proposition is the unit of language. Nothing short of a proposition can enter directly into continuous discourse. Mere phrases, or groups of words, by themselves, give a contorted view of language, and are not used as examples by the later grammarians. It is only in their relation to the proposition that such phrases or groups of words are a proper object of study.

2. These sentences are arranged on the progressive principle, i. e., they proceed from the more simple to the more complicated forms. This is the principle which has made the Ollendorffian method so generally popular in the study of modern languages.

3. The propositions however, are here arranged on philosophical principles, i. e., in the order of their natural development. It is the order substantially followed by the modern school of philosophic grammarians.

4. The whole is thought to form a more complete series of distinct propositions, than has yet been made by our grammarians for the Latin language.

5. In the transition from one section to another, or from one set of propositions to another, the distinguishing feature of the new section is brought under consideration and explained as far as may be.

6. In this way, it is believed, the strictly syntactical forms of the language are exhausted, and each of them in succession brought under review.

The short explanations, accompanying each section, are placed here in order to force themselves on the attention of the pupil. The instructor or pupil who wishes further explanation, will find full references to a former treatise, which gives in a condensed form the philological principles of the author.

But should the pupil merely study the Latin sentences in this order, without any further aid or suggestion from his teacher, he may yet derive a substantial advantage from the mere arrangement, as exhibiting language in its natural development.

Notwithstanding the air of novelty which this work may present at first sight, it is believed that the young pupil will easily fall into the system here suggested, and that teachers who have been accustomed to the old method, will soon accommodate themselves to the new, and feel themselves amply rewarded.

The arrangement and consecution here adopted, if accordant with truth and the reality of things, furnishes a basis for the method of grammar, which is now the great problem in instruction in language.

The sentences have been selected as far as could be done, so as to convey useful moral sentiments.

But the more important consideration to be here stated, is the hope that grammar taught in this way may be invested with fresh interest, and that the pupil may imbibe a living sense of the power of language.

The author may not, in every case, have carried out his theoretic principles. But special reasons have led him to publish without further delay.

The Latin Analyst contains no references to existing Latin GramIt will neither interfere with any of them, nor in any way supersede their use. It may be used with one Latin Grammar as well as

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another.

The Philological Studies, to which references are made in the Analyst, occupies a field somewhat different from common grammars. It concerns itself with the logic or philosophy of language. It brings together grammatical distinctions, which are either omitted in our common grammars or else imperfectly discussed. Being derived from the principles of general philology as concerned with the Indo-European languages, they will, it is thought, stand the test of thorough investigation.

Among the more important points here brought into notice, we may mention the distinction of notional words and form-words, see Philological Studies, p. 48, the three syntactical combinations, the predicative, the attributive, and the objective, see p. 39, the factitive relation, see p. 69, the distinction of the causal relation into the real, the moral, and the logical, see p. 126, the distinction of subordinate and co-ordinate compound propositions, see p. 115, the classification of subordinate propositions, see p. 116, the different forms of co-ordination, see p. 137, the nature of a period, as an artistic product, see p. 144.

The peculiar principles of the Philological Studies, are found in the grammatical works of Becker, Kühner, Krüger, Weissenborn, and many other German writers. They have been applied by the Germans to the Meso-Gothic and French languages.

Neither is this form of philology entirely new, even on English soil. Dr. J. D. Morell, well known for his philosophical writings, and one of Queen Victoria's Inspectors of Schools, has recommended the principles of Becker to the pupils of British schools. Prof. Fowler, of Amherst in his English Grammar, has several chapters based on Becker. In Yale College, also, these views have received some attention among the Academical Professors. The Germans of Cincinnati have republished in that city, for the benefit of their youth, a German grammar on the Beckerian plan. And many individuals in all parts of our country are desirous to understand the subject more perfectly.

Although these principles may not have been adopted very extensively in form, yet it is evident to any one acquainted with the state of things here, and abroad, that they are exerting a very great indirect influence, and might exert a still greater one, if they were presented to the American student in their natural connection.

The author hopes for a fair trial of his experiment to bring before young pupils materials of thought and study which have heretofore been regarded by many as above their capacity.

NEW HAVEN, Nov. 1858.

J. W. G.