_"Propria Quæ Maribus."_
As the "Propria Quæ Maribus" is no joke, and the "As in Præsenti" is too
much of a joke, we must do with them as we did with the verbs. Singing a
song is always esteemed a valid substitute for telling a story; and the
indulgence which we would have extended to us in this respect, is that
universally granted to civilized society.
Let the "Propria Quæ Maribus" be turned into a series of exercises,
thus, or in like manner--
_Air._-- "Here 's to the maiden of bashful fifteen."
All names of the male kind you masculine call,
Ut sunt (for example), Divorum,
Mars, Bacchus, Apollo, the deities all,
And Cato, Virgilius, virorum.
Latin 's a bore, and bothers me sore,
Oh how I wish that my lesson was o'er.
Fluviorum, ut Tibris, Orontes likewise,
Fine rivers in ocean that lost are,
And Mensium-- October an instance supplies;
Ventorum, ut Libs, Notus, Auster.
Latin 's a bore, &c.
We do not pretend that the mode of study here recommended, is perfectly
original. The genuine Propria Quæ Maribus, and As in Præsenti, like the
writings of the most remote antiquity, consist of certain useful truths
recorded in harmonious numbers. It has been a question among
commentators, whether these interesting compositions were originally
intended to be said or sung. Analogy (we mean that derived from the
works of Homer and Virgil) would incline us to the latter opinion, which
however does not appear to have been generally entertained in the
schools. We shall give one more specimen in the above style; and we beg
it may be remembered, that in so doing, we have no wish to detract in
any way from the merit of the illustrious poet in the Eton Grammar; all
we think is, that he might have introduced a little more _comicality_
into his work, while he was about it.
+OF THE PRETERPERFECT TENSE, &c. OF VERBS.+
_Otherwise the "As in Præsenti."_
As in Præsenti-- Preterperfect-- avi,
Oh! send me well done, lean, and lots of gravy,
Save lavo, lavi, nexo, nexui.
Ah! me-- how sweet is cream with apple-pie,
Juvi from juvo, secui from seco,
Could n't I lie and tipple, more Græco!
From neco, necui, and mico, word
Which micui makes, Oh! roast goose, lovely bird!
Plico which plicui gives. Delightful grub!
And frico, fricas, fricui, to rub--
So domo, tono, domui, tonui make.
And sono, sonui.-- Lead me to the stake,
I mean the beef-_stake_-- crepo, crepui too,
Which means to _crack_ (as roasted chestnuts do,)
Then veto, vetui makes-- _forbidding_ sound,
Cubo, to lie along (these verbs confound
Ye gods) makes cubui, do gives rightly dedi;
What viler object than a coat that 's seedy?--
Sto to form steti has a predilection;
Well-- let it if it likes, I've no objection.
&c. &c. &c.
+SYNTAXIS,+
_or the Construction of Grammar._
_Q._ What part of the grammar resembles the indulgences sold in the
middle ages?
_A._ _Sin_-tax.
THE FIRST CONCORD;
THE NOMINATIVE CASE AND THE VERB.
Where there is much _personality_, there is generally little concord.
However, a verb personal agrees with its nominative case in number and
person, as Sera nunquam est ad bonos mores via, The way to good manners
is never too late. Mind that, brother Jonathan.
[Illustration: AMERICAN GENTLEMEN.]
_Note_-- The above maxim is especially worthy of the attention of
neophytes in law and medicine; of the gods in the gallery, and of
Members of the _House_.
The nominative case of pronouns is rarely expressed, except for the sake
of distinction or emphasis, as--
_Tu_ es exquisitus, _tu_ es,
_You_ 're a nice man, _you_ are.
[Illustration]