Lessons in Greek. A Familiar Introduction to the Greek Language, as a Living Tongue

122 Pages·7.163 MB·

by  Dwight T.

ExLibris
OGDEN
C. K.
US;

LESSONS IN GREEK;
A FAMILIAR INTRODUCTION
TO THE
GREEK LANGUAGE,
AS A LIVING TONGUE.
BY THEODORE DWIGHT, JR;
SPRINGFIELD:
PUBLISHED BT G. AND C. MERRIAM.
1833.
Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1833, by
o. t c. MERRiAM, in the Clerk's Office ofthe District Court
ofMassachusetts.
PREFACE.
THIS book is designed for the instruction of the young in
theGreek as a spokenand written, that is, a living language.
The author regards this as a highly important branch of
education, and would have it taught before the Latin, as
well as the French, Spanish, and Italian, all which owe to it
their origin. This noble, venerable, highly cultivated, and
useful language he would wish to see much moreextensively
and thoroughly understood than it ever has been in this
country, that thebest heathen writersmaybefamiliarly read
in the original, and still more the New Testament, with that
translationoftheOld, whichwasso often quoted bytheapos-
tles and the Savior. Having, however, had an acquaintance
with the old plan of studying and teaching Greek, he sees
no possibility of the desired end being accomplished until a
fundamental change be made in the method. Sufficient evi-
dence that the knowledge of Greek is at a very low ebb in
the United States, is found in a recent declaration ofProfes-
sor Stuart, in which he represents the time devoted to it as
so nearly wasted, that even graduates at Andover generally
carry away with them hardlyany useful knowledge ofso im-
portant a tongue.
1C91SSG
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IV PREFACE.
The ancientGreekgrammarsappeartohavebeen designed
fortext booksforthe occasionalreferenceofinstructors. But
althoughourgrammars at the present day are formed on the
same general plan, teachers in England and the UnitedStates
have often persisted in driving theirpupilsthroughthewhole
book, before they have allowed them to regard the language
in the only proper light: that is, as a thing for practical use.
When language is otherwise presented, than as a convenient
vehicle for thought, it is misrepresented; and when treated
as something else in instruction, it can never be well ac-
quired. Common grammars, so far from being adapted to
the capacities of children, are formed ona plan which a ma-
ture mind finds it exceedingly difficult as well as uninterest-
ing to pursue; and although an instructor may acknowledge
no othermodeofteaching a languagebutthat commonin our
institutions, he never submits to study in that manner if he
can avoid it, but seeks the aid of the living voice and ear,
and choosestoapplythe new words at oncetoobjects around
him, and feelings in his own breast. In this manner the
memory is no less exercised, and it is employed in a more
natural and rational manner, while other powers of the
mind are also brought into action at the same time; if the
plan besuch as should be adopted, other branches of knowl-
edge, and the training of the affections, may be connected
with the study of language to a considerable extent.
Different menofeminence haverecommendedthe adoption
of a systemof instruction allied to that commonly practised
with mother tongues, among whom may be mentioned Mr.
Locke, President Dwight, and Professor Stuart of Andover ;
and some of our recent editions of Greek grammars have
made some progress towards a change in this respect. But
while we see such results in all ages and countries, in the
progressoflanguage among children,whopursuethe method
ofnature, there canbe no doubtthatour ground work should