"_Arborei foetus alibi, atque injussa virescunt Gramina_" (_Virgil G._
I. 55.).--Amongst my school reminiscences, I retain very distinctly the
remembrance of the surprise we felt in the sixth form, when we were
desired by our revered and excellent master to construe the above words
as follows:
"'Arborei foetus,' _flourish unbidden in one situation, grass in
another_."
Or, more literally:
"'Arborei foetus,' _flourish unbidden in situations different from
those in which grass (flourishes unbidden)_."
I well remember too, that some of us, while we admired the ingenuity,
ventured to doubt the correctness of the translation. Will some of your
learned correspondents kindly favour me with their opinions?