than at a public school. Remember[5] this, I beseech[6] you, _all_ you
boys who[7] are getting into the upper forms. Now[8] is the time when
you may[9] have more[10] influence for good or evil in the society you
live in than you ever can have[11] again. Quit[12] yourselves like men,
then; speak out[13] and stand up for whatever is true, manly, and lovely.
Never (S. 68, N. 2) try to be popular[13], but _only_ do your duty, and
help[14] others to do theirs; and when you leave the school (S. 27, N.
8), the[15] tone of feeling in it will be higher than you found it, and
so you[16] will do good to[17] generations of your countrymen yet unborn.
For boys follow one another in herds like sheep, for[18] good or evil;
they[19] hate thinking, and[20] have rarely _any_ settled[21] principles.
[1] Use the 2nd pers. pl.; whatever = all that; see S. 3, N. 7.
[2] +schön.+
[3] In no place = Nowhere.
[4] more weight = greater influence.
[5] Remember this = Think (2nd pers. pl.) of it; see S. 4, N. 5, _B_.
[6] +bitten.+
[7] +=Der=+ (m. sing.), +=die=+ (f. sing.), and +=die=+ (pl.) must be
used =as relative pronouns= in reference to a personal pronoun of the
first or second person of either number, and also in reference to the
personal pronoun of the third person plural (+Sie+) used instead of the
second person plural. For the sake of emphasis the personal pronoun is
frequently repeated after the relative pronoun, and the verb must then
agree with the personal pronoun, as the following examples will show.
+Verschmähst du ~mich~, ~die ich~ deine Freundin bin?+
Dost thou disdain _me_, _who_ am your friend?
+~Ich~, ~der ich~ dich von deinen Feinden befreite.+
_I_, _who_ delivered thee from thy enemies.
Construe the clauses ‘who — forms’ accordingly; to get into the upper
forms, +in die obern Klassen versetzt werden+.
[8] Say ‘The time has [is] come’; when, +wo+.
[9] may have = exercise (+aus´üben+) likely.
[10] Say ‘more good or evil influence upon (+auf+) the company
surrounding you (+Eure Umgebung+)’.
[11] have = exercise.
[12] Say ‘Be therefore manly’.
[13] ‘to speak out’, here +gerade und frei heraus´sprechen+; ‘to be
popular’, here +sich beliebt machen+.
[14] When the following verbs are used in connection with another verb
governed by them, that verb stands in =the Infinitive without the
preposition +zu+= (Comp. S. 34, N. 10):
_A._ The auxiliary verbs of mood: +dürfen+, +können+, +mögen+, +müssen+,
+sollen+, +wollen+, and +lassen+. (see Expl. 1.)
_B._ The verbs: +bleiben+, +fahren+, +gehen+, +finden+, +fühlen+,
+heißen+ (to bid, to command), +helfen+, +hören+, +lehren+ (also with
+zu+, Comp. S. 43, N. 10), +lernen+, +machen+, +sehen+, and +reiten+.
(See Expl. 2.)
_C._ The verb +haben+ in phrases like Expl. 3.
_D._ The verb +thun+ followed by +nichts+. (See Expl. 4.)
EXAMPLES.
1. +Ich ~mag~ gern ~schreiben~.+
I am very fond of writing; I like to write.
2. +Der Diener ~fand~ seinen Herrn tot am Boden ~liegen~.+
The servant found his master lying dead on the floor.
3. +Er ~hat~ gut ~reden~.+
It is all very well for him to talk.
4. +Er ~thut nichts~ als ~essen~ und ~trinken~.+
He does nothing but eat and drink.
[15] the — higher = the moral tone of the same (gen.) will be a higher
_one_ (S. 67, N. 3).
[16] Supply here the adverb +noch+.
[17] +an+; remember that the p. p. ‘unborn’ is used as an adj. and
qualifies the noun ‘generations’.
[18] Say ‘as well in evil as in good’.
[19] +das Denken ist ihnen unbequem.+
[20] Supply here the pron. ‘they’.
[21] +fest bestimmt.+
_Section 79._
STAND UP FOR WHATEVER IS TRUE, MANLY, AND LOVELY.
II.
Every school (S. 5, N. 2), indeed, has its own traditionary standard[1]
of right and wrong, which cannot be transgressed with impunity,
marking[2] certain things as low[3] and blackguard, and certain others as
lawful and right. This standard is ever[4] varying, though _it changes_
only slowly and little by little. It[5] is the leading[6] boys only, who
(S. 15, N. 3), subject[7] to such standard, give, for[8] the time being,
the tone to[9] all the rest, and[10] make the school either a noble
institution for[11] the training of Christian Englishmen, or a place[12]
where a _young_ boy will get[13] more evil than if he were turned out[14]
to make his[15] own way in London streets.—THOS. HUGHES, TOM BROWN’S
SCHOOL DAYS.
[1] +Maßstab+, m.; ‘of’, here +für+.
[2] +bezeichnen+, see S. 16, N. 4, and introduce the clause with the
conj. +und+.
[3] +schändlich und gemein.+
[4] +beständig.+
[5] ‘It is’, here +Es sind+.
[6] +tonangebend.+
[7] +diesem Maßstab unterworfen.+
[8] +zur Zeit.+
[9] to = for.
[10] Supply here the rel. pron. ‘who’; to make the school a noble
institution, +aus der Schule eine sittliche Anstalt machen+.
[11] to (S. 19, N. 7) educate Christian (+christlichgesinnt+) Englishmen.
[12] +Stätte+, f.
[13] ‘to get’, here +sich an´eignen+.
[14] +hinaus´stoßen+; use the First Conditional.
[15] his — streets = his fortune in (+auf+) the streets of London.
_Section 80._
WORK[1] IS A GREAT COMFORTER.
Two neighbouring gardeners had the misfortune of[2] having their crop
of early peas killed by frost. The one called[3] upon the other to
condole[4] with him. “Ah,” cried he, “how unfortunate[5] we have been,
neighbour! Do you[6] know? I have done nothing but fret ever since[7].
But it seems you have there a fine healthy[8] crop[9] coming[10] up
already; what[11] is it?” “This?” cried the other gardener, “why[12], it
is a crop of peas (S. 16, N. 10) I sowed (S. 48, N. 2) immediately after
my loss.” “What[13], coming up already?” replied the fretter[14]. “Yes,
while you were fretting[15], I[16] was working.” “What! don’t you fret
when you have a loss?” “Yes, but I always put it off[17] until _after_
I have repaired[18] the mischief[19].” “Why, then you have no need to
fret at all.” “True[20],” replied the industrious gardener, “I[21] find
working better than fretting.”—ANONYMOUS.
[1] +Die Arbeit ist eine süße Trösterin.+
[2] of — frost = that (S. 1, N. 3) their young peas were (S. 2, N. 1)
destroyed by (+durch+, followed by the def. art.) frost.
[3] to call upon a person, +einen besuchen+.
[4] to condole with a person, +einem sein Beileid bezeigen+.
[5] I have been unfortunate, +es ist mir unglücklich ergangen+.
[6] Use the 2nd pers. sing.
[7] ever since = ‘the whole time’, which place after the auxiliary; ‘but
fret’, +als mich geärgert+.
[8] +kräftig.+
[9] +Saat+, f.
[10] ‘to come up’ here +hübsch grün aussehen+.
[11] +Was ist’s für eine?+
[12] +ei+; it — peas = they are (+es sind+) young peas.
[13] +Wie+; coming up already? = and they look already so (supply
+hübsch+) green?
[14] +der Trauernde.+
[15] +sich ärgern.+
[16] Say ‘I have worked’.
[17] +auf´schieben.+
[18] +wieder gut machen.+
[19] +Schade+, m.
[20] +Richtig.+
[21] Say ‘I find it better to work than to fret’.
_Section 81._
PERSEVERANCE FINDS ITS REWARD.
Robert Bruce, restorer[1] of the Scottish monarchy, being[2] pursued
one day by the enemy, was[3] obliged[4] to seek refuge in a barn and to
spend[5] the night there. In[6] the morning, when he awoke, he saw a
spider climbing up[7] the[8] beam of the roof. The spider fell[9] _down_
to the ground, but immediately tried to climb up again, when it a[10]
second time fell to the ground[11]. It made a third attempt, which also
failed. Twelve times did (S. 32, N. 11) the little spider try to climb up
the beam, and twelve times it fell down again, but the[10] thirteenth
time it succeeded[12] and[13] gained the top[14] of the beam. The king
(S. 5, N. 2) immediately got up[15] from his lowly[16] couch, and said:
“This little spider has taught (S. 42, N. 4) me perseverance; I will
follow its example. Twelve times have[17] I been beaten by the enemy. I
will try my fortune once more!” He did so[18], and won the next battle.
The king became the spider’s scholar.—N. GOODRICH.
[1] Use the noun with the def. art.
[2] Construe according to S. 55, N. 1, and use the Imperf. of the Passive
Voice; by, +von+.
[3] The pron. +er+ must be supplied here.
[4] +genötigt+; ‘to seek refuge’, here +sich flüchten+.
[5] +zu´bringen.+
[6] Say ‘When he awoke in the (+am+) morning’.
[7] +hinauf´kriechen ... an+; see S. 16, N. 4.
[8] Use the indef. art. instead of the def. art.
[9] +auf den Boden fallen.+
[10] +zum zweiten Male.+
[11] +herun´terfallen+, to avoid monotony.
[12] I succeed, +es gelingt mir+.
[13] The pron. +sie+ must be supplied here.
[14] +das oberste Ende.+
[15] +sich erheben.+
[16] +bescheiden.+
[17] The Active Voice will read better in German.
[18] so = it.
_Section 82._
THE NECESSITY OF[1] VOLCANOES.
The[2] remarkable proofs which modern geology has presented of vast
accumulations of heated[3] and melted matter[4] beneath the earth’s
crust[5], make it evident that (S. 3, N. 2) volcanoes are essential[6]
to the preservation of the globe. If (App. § 36) there[7] were no
safety-valves through[8] the crust, such vast accumulations of heat would
rend asunder[9] even[10] a whole continent. Volcanoes are[11] those
safety-valves[12], more than two hundred of which are scattered[13] over
the earth’s surface. But if no such passages[14] existed (see S. 27,
N. 8), nothing could prevent the[15] pent-up gases from accumulating
till they had (Impf. Subj.) gained strength[16] enough to rend a whole
continent, and[17] perhaps the whole globe, into fragments.—REV. PROF.
HITCHCOCK.
[1] Use the gen. of the def. art.
[2] Use the attributive construction explained in S. 48, N. 6, and
say ‘The by (von, followed by the def. art.) modern geology presented
(+auf´stellen+) remarkable proofs of (_von_) a vast accumulation’, etc.
[3] +erhitzt.+
[4] matter = masses.
[5] +Erdrinde+, f.
[6] essential = necessary; to = for.
[7] ‘=There is=’ and ‘=there are=’, used in a general sense, are
generally rendered by the impers. v. ‘+=es giebt=+’.
[8] Say ‘in the earth’s crust’.
[9] +auseinan´derreißen.+
[10] +sogar.+
[11] are = form.
[12] Here follow the words ‘of which’.
[13] +verteilen.+
[14] passages = openings.
[15] the — accumulating = the accumulation of the pent-up (+ein´sperren+)
gases.
[16] +Kraft+, f.; enough, +hinreichend+, adj., to be placed before the
noun ‘strength’.
[17] ‘and’ here +ja+. The verb ‘to rend into fragments’
(+auseinan´derreißen+, of which form the Supine, S. 1, N. 2) must of
course be placed at the end of the whole passage.
_Section 83._
THE POWER OF BEAUTY.
In one of the worst parts of London there is[1] an institution[2] which I
visited. In one room I found about[3] thirty-five men listening (S. 16,
N. 4) to the teaching[4] of the daughter of a small shopkeeper[5] in[6]
the neighbourhood. She was one of the prettiest women (S. 16, N. 10) I
ever saw[7] in my life. I noticed that the young girl was quite alone
with those rough[8] men, and said to the superintendent[9]: “Are[10] you
not afraid to leave the pretty young girl alone with all those men?” He
replied: “I[11] am.” “Then, why don’t you go to her?” “You mistake[12] my
fear. I[13] am not afraid of their doing her any harm. They love her so
much that they would lick[14] the ground on which[15] she walks, but I
am afraid[16] that some[17] person may step in, who, not[18] knowing the
manner of the place, may[19] say something impertinent[20] to her; and if
he[21] did, he would not leave the place[22] alive[23].”—LORD SHAFTESBURY.
[1] Render ‘there is’ by the Pres. of +bestehen+.
[2] +Anstalt+, f.
[3] +ungefähr+.
[4] +Unterricht+, m.
[5] +Krämer.+
[6] +aus.+
[7] saw = have seen. The auxiliary may be omitted, according to S. 52, N.
8.
[8] +roh.+
[9] This noun may be used in its unaltered form.
[10] +Furcht haben.+
[11] +Ja, doch+, which place before the words ‘he replied’.
[12] mistake = misunderstand.
[13] I — harm = I fear not that they will do her any harm (+etwas zuleide
thun+).
[14] ‘to lick’, here = to kiss.
[15] +worauf.+
[16] +befürchten.+
[17] Say ‘a stranger’ could (Impf. Subj.) come in.
[18] not — place, +unbekannt mit den Sitten dieser Anstalt+.
[19] Impf. Subj.
[20] +Ungehöriges.+
[21] Supply here the object ‘+das+’.
[22] +Haus.+
[23] +lebendig+, before which supply the adverb ‘+wieder+’.
_Section 84._
THE ENGLISH CLIMATE.
The air is generally very moist, most[1] so near the western coast, and
less so[2] as[3] we go eastward.
It[4] is to the abundant moisture of the air that the beautiful foliage
of our trees and the rich verdure of our fields and gardens, so much
praised by foreigners who visit England, are chiefly owing. Moisture is
one of the two things[5] most necessary to[6] vegetation, and hence[7]
our fields, trees, and woods possess during the greater part of the year
a continuous richness of[8] verdure, which[9] cannot be found under[10]
the sunny skies of the shores of the Mediterranean.
The weather is at[11] times liable to very sudden changes, depending
(S. 16, N. 4) mainly on the changes of the wind[12].—HEWITT, PHYSICAL
GEOGRAPHY OF ENGLAND AND WALES.
[1] most so near, +und zwar am feuchtesten an+.
[2] so = moist.
[3] +je mehr.+
[4] Say ‘To the great moisture of the air owe (+verdanken+) our trees
chiefly their beautiful foliage and our fields and gardens their rich
verdure, which by foreigners, who visit England, is praised so much’.
[5] The words ‘most (+höchst+) necessary’, qualifying the noun ‘things’,
must precede it. Things = conditions.
[6] +für.+
[7] +daher+, adverbial conjunction, see App. § 24, _B_.
[8] +an.+
[9] Say ‘as (+wie+) one cannot find it (+ihn+)’.
[10] under — shores, +an den sonnigen Küstenstrichen+.
[11] +mitunter.+
[12] +Windeswechsel+, m.
_Section 85._
THE LONDON DOCKS.
I.
Seemingly[1] boundless is the region of the docks, and the visitor who
sets out with ever so definite an idea of the course he intends to
pursue, will constantly find himself allured from the path. He passes[2]
a door from[3] which issues a delicious fragrance of spice, and he turns
in[4] to (S. 19, N. 7) explore[5] it. At[6] the top of a stone staircase
he finds an enormous floor[7] piled[8] with bales of cinnamon and boxes
of nutmeg. Here and there are great heaps which, on[9] close inspection,
prove[10] to be cloves. Others, of[11] _a_ brilliant sienna colour,
he[12] finds to be heaps of mace. The[13] floor above this is stored[14]
with Peruvian bark[15]. This article is used for the preparation[16] of
quinine, but[17] it is imported in such quantities[18] as[19] to render
it difficult to believe that[20] it can all be used medicinally.
[1] Say ‘The region (+Bereich+, m.) of the docks seems (+erscheinen+)
almost boundless (+unbegrenzt+), and even when the visitor begins his
course (+Wanderung+, f.) with ever so (+mit einem noch so+) definite
a plan about (+über+) the direction he intends to pursue (+die
einzuschlagende Richtung+, Comp. S. 48, N. 6), (+so+) he will constantly
find himself allured (+ab´lenken+) from his path’. Supply the adverb doch
before the adv. ‘constantly’.
[2] +an etwas vorbei´gehen.+
[3] +aus der ihm ein köstlicher Wohlgeruch von Gewürzen entgegenströmt.+
[4] +hinein´gehen.+
[5] +besichtigen+; the pron. ‘it’ must be rendered by the persnl. pron.
of the 3rd pers. pl. to agree with its antecedent ‘+Gewürze+’.
[6] +Am Ende.+
[7] +Lagerraum+, m.
[8] +an´füllen+; for the constr. see S. 7, N. 3, _B._
[9] +bei näherer Besichtigung.+
[10] Construe according to the following model: This _proves to be_
false, +dies ~erweist sich als~ falsch+.
[11] +von prächtiger Okerfarbe.+
[12] Say ‘he recognises as heaps’.
[13] +Der darüberliegende Lagerraum.+
[14] +an´füllen.+
[15] +Chinarinde.+
[16] To render ‘preparation of quinine’ form a comp. n. of the
corresponding German terms ‘quinine’ and ‘preparation’ (+Bereitung+); to
use, +verwenden+.
[17] +doch+, adverbial conjunction, see App. § 24, _B._
[18] +Menge+, f., only used in the sing.
[19] as — believe, +daß es sich kaum glauben läßt+.
[20] that — medicinally = it (to agree with +Artikel+) could (Pres.
Subj.) only be used (+benutzen+) for (+zu+) medical purposes (+Zweck+,
m.).
_Section 86._
THE LONDON DOCKS.
II.
On[1] another floor of the same building may[2] be found bundles of
Pimento[3] sticks and Malacca[4] canes, a great store of mother-of-pearl,
a heap of delicate[5], richly-tinted ear-shells[6], and a quantity _of_
ivory. Here are elephants’ teeth, some[7] of which are larger than bricks
and weigh fourteen pounds. Passing[8] out of this building, we find[9]
ourselves in an enormous shed with little black boards, hung[10] at
intervals, and bearing the names of vessels. Beneath these boards are[11]
goods lying ready for shipment, and these are at least as varied[12]
as the imports[13]. Here are pickles[14], blacking, a[15] cartload or
so _of_ bricks, and scores[16] of anvils. There[17] are church-bells,
a chest of drawers, a rocking-horse, a mangle, and boxes, bales, and
barrels innumerable[18].—‘THE GLOBE’ NEWSPAPER.
[1] +In.+
[2] Use the Active Voice with ‘+man+’, and say ‘one finds’. Comp. S. 4,
N. 4. For the constr. see App. § 14.
[3] +Nelkenpfeffer+, m.
[4] +Malakkarohr.+
[5] +zart.+
[6] +Seeohrmuscheln.+
[7] The clause must commence with the words ‘of which’.
[8] ‘To pass out’ here = to leave, v. trans. Construe according to S. 55,
N. 1.
[9] to find oneself, +sich befinden+.
[10] +auf´hängen+; at, in. Construe according to S. 7, N. 3, _B._
[11] are — shipment, +liegen zur Einschiffung bestimmte Waren+.
[12] +verschiedener Art.+
[13] +Einfuhrartikel.+
[14] Use this noun in its unaltered form.
[15] Say ‘one or two loads _of_ bricks’.
[16] scores of, +eine Unzahl von+.
[17] +Dort sind.+ Comp. S. 82, N. 7.
[18] +in zahlloser Menge.+
_Section 87._
DR. JOHNSON ON[1] DEBT.
Dr. Johnson held[2] that[3] debt is ruin. His[4] words on the subject
are weighty, and worthy of being held in remembrance. “Do not,” said[5]
he, “accustom[6] yourself to consider debt only as[7] an inconvenience.
You[8] will find it a calamity. Poverty takes[9] away so many means of
doing good, and[10] produces so much inability to resist evil, that
it[11] is by[12] all virtuous means to be avoided. Let[13] it be your
first care, then, not to be in any man’s debt. Resolve[14] not[15] to be
poor. Whatever[16] you have, spend less. Poverty[17] is a great enemy
to _human_ happiness. It destroys liberty. It makes some[18] virtues
impracticable[19] and others[20] extremely difficult. Frugality[21] is
not only the basis of[22] quiet, but[23] of beneficence[24]. No[25] man
can help others that wants himself. We must have[26] enough, before[27]
we have to spare.”—S. SMILES, SELF-HELP.
[1] +über das Schuldenmachen.+
[2] ‘to hold’ here = to be of opinion, +der Ansicht sein+.
[3] Say ‘that debt (_das Schuldenmachen_) leads (Pres. Subj.; Comp. App.
§§ 28 and 31) to ruin’.
[4] Say ‘What he says on (+über+) this subject (+Gegenstand+, m.) is
important and worthy of our notice (+Beachtung+, f.)’.
[5] Place the words ‘said he’ at the end of the whole clause.
[6] =When verbs and adjectives, governing a preposition, are used in a
principal clause and are followed by a subordinate clause, either in
the form of a supine= (i.e. an infinitive with +zu+, see S. 1, N. 2)
=or beginning with a subordinative conjunction, the adverb +da+, in
connection with the preposition required, is generally placed in the
principal clause=; as—
We will accustom ourselves to be thrifty.
+Wir wollen uns daran gewöhnen, sparsam zu sein.+
Do not excuse yourself with having had no time.
+Entschuldigen Sie sich nicht damit, daß Sie keine Zeit gehabt
haben.+
The verb sich +gewöhnen+ requires the prep. +an+. Construe accordingly,
and use the 2nd pers. sing.
[7] an inconvenience, +als etwas Lästiges+.
[8] Say ‘You will find that it leads to poverty’, see S. 3, N. 2.
[9] to take away, +entzie´hen+, after which supply the pron. +uns+ (from
us).
[10] and — inability = and makes us so often incapable.
[11] it is ... to be avoided = we must avoid it (to agree with +Armut+),
see S. 62, N. 4.
[12] by — means, +nach besten Kräften+.
[13] Say ‘Beware therefore (+sich hüten+) of running into debt’. To run
into debt, +Schulden machen+. Use the Supine according to S. 34, N. 10.
[14] +sich etwas vor´nehmen.+
[15] not — poor = not to get (+geraten+) into poverty.
[16] Say ‘However little (+Wie gering+, after which supply the adverb
+auch+) thy income (+Einnahme+, f.) may be, lay up a part of the same
(+so lege doch einen Teil derselben zurück+)’.
[17] +Armut ist dem Glücke feind.+
[18] +einzelne.+
[19] impracticable = impossible.
[20] supply here the adverb +wiederum+ (again).
[21] ‘frugality’ here = thrift (to be used without the art.).
[22] of quiet, +des innern Friedens+.
[23] Supply here the adverb +auch+, and see S. 6, N. 10.
[24] +Wohlthun+, n., to be used with the gen. of the def. art.
[25] Say ‘He who (+Wer+, after which supply the pron. +selbst+) needs
(+bedürfen+, requires the gen. of the def. art.) help, cannot help
others’.
[26] to have enough, +zur Genüge haben+.
[27] Say ‘before (+ehe+) we can have to spare (+etwas übrig haben+)’.
_Section 88._
A CURIOUS[1] INSTRUMENT.
I.
A gentleman[2], just returned[3] from a journey to (S. 72, N. 4) London,
was surrounded by[4] his children, eager[5], after the first salutation
was over, to hear the news, and still more eager to see the contents[6]
of a small portmanteau, which[7] were, one by one, carefully unfolded and
displayed to view. After[8] having distributed amongst the children a few
small presents, the[9] father took his seat again, saying, that[10] he
must confess he[11] had brought from town[12], for his own use, something
far more curious and valuable than any[13] of the little gifts (S. 16, N.
10) they had received. It was, he said[14], too good to[15] present to
any of them; but he would, if[16] they pleased, first give them a brief
description of it (S. 4, N. 5, _B_), and[17] then perhaps they might be
allowed to inspect it.
[1] +merkwürdig.+
[2] The noun ‘=gentleman=’ may be used in its unaltered form in German.
[3] +heim´kehren+; for the constr. see S. 7, N. 3, _B_.
[4] +von+; to surround, +umrin´gen+.
[5] Say ‘who after the first salutations were eager (+begierig+)’.
[6] +der Inhalt+, which has no plural.
[7] Since the antecedent of the pron. _which_ (i.e. +Inhalt+) has no
plural in German, the constr. of the passage ‘which — to view’ must
be altered. Let us say ‘from which (+aus welcher+, to agree with
+Reisetasche+ in the fem. sing.) then (supply the adverb +auch+ in this
place) every piece was carefully unpacked (+aus´packen+) and shown round
(+umher´zeigen+)’.
[8] Construe accord. to S. 55, N. 1; to distribute, +vertei´len+;
amongst, +unter+, with the acc. The direct object must be placed before
the words ‘amongst the children’.
[9] Say ‘he sat down again and said’.
[10] that he must confess, +er wolle es nur gestehen+.
[11] This passage is best introduced by the conj. +daß+. Read carefully
App. §§ 28 and 30.
[12] +aus der Stadt+, which place before the p. p. (+mitgebracht+).
[13] +irgend eins.+
[14] Say ‘he continued’.
[15] See S. 19, N. 7, and supply here the pron. +es+; to any = to one.
[16] Say ‘if they wished it’.
[17] +und dann dürften sie es sich vielleicht ansehen.+
_Section 89._
A CURIOUS INSTRUMENT.
II.
The children were accordingly[1] all attention, while the father thus[2]
proceeded[3]: “This small instrument displays[4] the most[5] perfect
ingenuity of[6] construction, and[7] exquisite nicety and beauty of
workmanship. From[8] its extreme[9] delicacy[10], however, it[11] is so
liable to injury, that it is always protected by a[12] sort of light
curtain, adorned[13] with a beautiful fringe, and[14] so placed as
to fall in a moment on the approach of the slightest danger. The[15]
external appearance of the instrument is always more or less beautiful,
though in this respect there[16] is a great diversity in the different
sorts. The[17] internal contrivance, however, is the same in all _of
them_, and is so curious, and in its power[18] so astonishing, that no
one who knows it[19] can suppress his surprise and admiration.”
[1] +natürlich die Aufmerksamkeit selbst.+
[2] +folgendermaßen.+
[3] proceeded = continued.
[4] displays = shows.
[5] most perfect = highest.
[6] Use the gen. of the def. art.
[7] Say ‘and is most exactly (+unübertrefflich genau+) and beautifully
worked’.
[8] From = On account of, +Wegen+.
[9] extreme = extraordinary.
[10] +Empfindlichkeit+, f.
[11] it — injury = it is so easily exposed (+aus´setzen+) to (S. 3, N. 2)
injury.
[12] a sort of = a certain.
[13] Use the attributive constr., S. 7, N. 3.
[14] Say ‘which is placed (+angebracht+) so that it falls down at (+bei+)
the approach of the slightest danger in a moment’.
[15] The — appearance, +Das Äußere+.
[16] Render ‘there is’ in this instance by ‘+besteht+ (there exists)’,
which must be placed at the end of the passage, on account of the
preceding subordinative conj. +obgleich+.