The Synonymes of the Latin Language, Alphabetically Arranged - With Critical Dissertations Upon the Force of Its Prepositions, Both in a Simple and a Compounded State #263710

When the study of languages is first begun, no more should be required of the learner than he can easily perform. The school-boy's task is sufficiently hard for his years. In every stage of teaching, more failures arise from the indiscretion of the teacher, than from the dulness of the student. The first shoots of genius must be delicately managed, as they perish under the culture that is injudiciously applied to them. As the young philologist advances in his progress, other powers must be ex erted, beside that of memory. Is is not enough, that he can repeat the few rules, by which he connects the few terms, with which he may be acquaint ed. When the eye of reason Opens, it must have something to contemplate and the objects, soliciting its notice, must be multiplied in proportion to its strength. The task, that is too easy, is as hurtful to the advanced student, as that, which is too hard, would have been at his outset. In the theory of uni versal grammar, he must look for the law, which he may have falsely under stood to depend upon arbitrary usage. He must view the vocabulary of the language he studies, as an imperfect register of its terms. To each of these, that is susceptible of definition, he must apply it; and limit the authority of use with that scrupulous precision, which can render the laws of language im mutable, like those of thought.