AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE ROMAN HISTORY,
INTENDED AT ONCE TO MAKE THE LEARNER ACQUAINTED WITH
HISTORY, AND THE IDIOM OF THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE.
By F. BOTTARELLI, A. M.
The EIGHTH EDITION, carefully revised and corrected.
By G. B. ROLANDI.
_LONDON:_
PRINTED FOR J. COLLINGWOOD; LONGMAN, HURST, REES
ORME & BROWN; SIMPKIN & MARSHALL; G. & W. B.
WHITTAKER; T. BOOSEY & SONS; AND J. BOOKER.
1822.
Printed by T. C. Hansard, Peterboro’-court, Fleet-street, London.
_PREFACE._
Amidst the laudable endeavours for the advancement of the Italian
language, it is surprising that an easy and expeditious method
of teaching it has been, in a great measure, neglected; and that
beginners have hitherto been left without proper assistance. Under
this impression, I have composed these EXERCISES upon the Syntax of
VENERONI’S _Italian Grammar_; with what success I have executed the
task, must be submitted to the decision of qualified and impartial
judges.
These Exercises comprehend all the difficulties, and idiomatical
expressions of the Italian language; the rules and exceptions of which
are exemplified after such a method, that a learner cannot fail to
become master of that language who has carefully gone through them once
or twice.
The examples are of three sorts; the first, immediately following
the rule, are short: as nothing farther is designed by them, than to
illustrate that particular rule. The second sort are longer, and in
them, not only the rule to which they refer, is exemplified, but also
the foregoing ones are again brought into practice, the better to
imprint them on the memory: since, were it not for this contrivance,
learners would forget one rule, while they were learning another; the
examples of the third kind, contain all the preceding, and some of
the subsequent rules promiscuously; and for these reasons, are not to
be attempted, until the student has gone twice at least, through the
former part (for I think it advisable they should go through it more
than once).
The radical Italian words are interlined, a thing very useful and
requisite in a work of this nature, as well to save the trouble of
consulting Dictionaries, as to prevent the use of improper terms, and
wrong spelling, otherwise unavoidable; and those who wish to learn
the Italian language, will thereby be enabled to make a much quicker
progress than they could possibly do by the tedious task of searching
a Dictionary for the words they require.
I have frequently omitted such words as had been often mentioned
before, presuming there was no occasion for such repetition; and in
order to excite attention in learners, that they might recollect what
they had learned, and exert both their memory and judgment, or, on
memory failing them, have recourse to a Dictionary, as a last resource.
For these reasons, in the latter part of the Exercises, there are
scarcely any Italian words but _nouns_ and _verbs_, all the other parts
of speech having already been gone through.
There is added, by way of Appendix, an Abridgment of the Roman
History. As history is one of the most easy and entertaining parts of
literature, and as that of the ancient Romans is absolutely necessary
to a proper understanding of the Classics, I hope this addition will
prove highly beneficial to young beginners.
* * * * *
_N. B. Great pains have been taken to render this new Edition of
BOTTARELLI’S ITALIAN EXERCISES more perfect than any hitherto
published. In order to facilitate the Italian pronunciation, the words
have been accented according to the plan of VENERONI’S GRAMMAR; the
references to VENERONI have been compared, and carefully corrected,
and many new ones added, together with several Notes and Remarks. All
obsolete and improper phrases have been expunged; and the Chronology
of the Roman History has been improved by the addition of DATES to
each respective chapter: in short, on account of the many additions,
alterations, and improvements, this edition may almost be considered
as a new book, and a worthy companion of the celebrated Grammar of
VENERONI.
⁂ _A new Edition of the KEY to these EXERCISES is just published._