A Letter from HENRY KIRKE WHITE to a young Friend and Contemporary of his, now the REV. HENRY TACY, of Wymondham, in Norfolk.

"DEAR TACY,

"ON looking over my books here, I have found a Lyne's Primer, which Mr. Middleton may not have seen, as it is a recent publication. It is undoubtedly "the best book for a beginner, particularly a late scholar, "C extant. I have found it so. And if my progress in "classical knowledge has been rapid, I may attribute "it to having begun with such a book. It is much at your service: to me it is now quite useless. I wish

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you success in your studies, and beg my respects 66 may be made to Mr. Middleton.

"11 a'Clock, Tuesday."

"I am, your's truly,

"H. K. WHITE."

For the original of this Letter, and for the very copy of the Latin Primer (second edition) therein mentioned, (both now in my possession) I am indebted to the Rev. Mr. Henry Tacy himself: to whom, as he informs me, "they were sent immediately after his (Henry Kirke "White's) very successful examination at St. John's; " and when, as he afterwards said, he had been reaping "the fruit of his acquaintance with the Latin Primer."

Not having the honour of Mr. Tacy's acquaintance, I am the more indebted to him for these sacred relics of that excellent young man. The following is a copy of what Mr. Tacy most justly calls "an highly interest

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ing sketch of his dear Friend's mode of study, written "with his own hand" on a blank page of the Primer.

All cannot do as he did. But to know what he did with much less assistance than grammar schools afford, should stimulate young gentlemen at grammar schools to much greater exertions than they commonly make. By way of a task imposed upon himself, he says;

"On the second day of November, 1803, (now Oc"tober 21, 1803,) you must have read all the first "part-repeating every subdivision twice over-eight pages a day. Then repeat it again, saying six pages

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a day by rote, by the 18th of November. Then to "Position, which finish by the 1st of December."Clarke is to be finished by the 1st of December, and "repeated by January, 1804. Horace's first book to be "finished by Monday 24th. Second book by Monday "31st, (January 1804.) Then Virgil's Eclogues by

Monday, 6th November. Then the Eneid, first "book, by 13th November. Second book by 20th "November. Third and fourth books by 30th No"vember. Then Sallust, a book a week. Lastly Ta"citus. Ovid's Metamorphoses intermitted." About one year's work.

On a white Marble Tablet, with a Medallion, by Chantrey, in All Saints Church, Cambridge, and erected at the expence of FRANCIS BOOT, Esq. of Boston, in North America, is the following Inscription, by WILLIAM SMYTH, Esq. Professor of Modern History in the University of Cambridge: .

HENRY KIRKE WHITE,

Born March 21st, 1785; died October 10th, 1806.

Warm with fond hope, and Learning's sacred flame, To Granta's bowers the youthful Poet came; Unconquered powers, th' immortal mind display'd; But worn with anxious thought the frame decay'd: Pale o'er his lamp, and in his cell retir'd, The martyr student faded and expired. O Genius, Taste, and Piety sincere,

Too early lost, midst duties too severe !

Foremost to mourn was generous SOUTHEY seen :
He told the tale, and shew'd what WHITE had been.
Nor told in vain.-Far o'er th' Atlantic wave

A Wanderer came, and sought the Poet's grave.
On yon low stone he saw his lonely name,
And raised this fond memorial to his fame.

THE

LATIN PRIMER.

PART I.

GENERAL RULES OF CONSTRUCTION,

TO BE LEARNT BY HEART.

RULE 1.

CONSTRUE the nominative case first, (with the words thereto belonging, if any,) then the verb; then the word or words governed of the verb; lastly, the preposition, (if any) with the word depending on it.

RULE 2.

A genitive case is usually construed after another

noun.

RULE 3.

An infinitive noun is generally construed after a verb.

RULE 4.

An adjective or participle, if no other word depend on it, must be construed BEFORE its noun.

RULE 5.

If an adjective or participle govern a word after it, it must be construed AFTER its noun.

RULE 6.

In an ablative absolute construe the participle or adjective last, i. e. after the noun or word, with which it agrees.

B

RULE 7.

If two adjectives or participles agree with the same noun, they must not be construed one before, and another after that noun; but either BOTH BEFORE, by Rule 4, or BOTH AFTER, by Rule 5.

RULE 8.

Let the relative and its clause be construed as soon as possible AFTER the antecedent.

RULE 9.

Certain adverbs and conjunctions are construed before the nominative case and verb; i. e. they are construed first in their own clause or sentence; so is the relative qui; and so are quis the interrogative, quantus, quicunque, and such like words, (with their accompaniments) in whatever case.

RULE 10.

When a question is asked, construe the nom. case (unless it be the interrogative quis, quotus, quantus, uter, &c.) after the verb, or else between the English verb and its auxiliary, expressing the auxiliary first.

RULE 11.

After the verb sum, a verb passive, and a verb neuter, a nom. case is sometimes construed; but then there is usually another nom. case, expressed or implied, to come before.

RULE 12.

An abverb is not to be construed with a noun, but rather with a verb, or an adjective, or participle.

RULE 13.

After a preposition constantly look for an accusative, or ablative case.

RULE 14.

The word governed must be construed after (generally immediately after) that word which governs it; except such word as Rule 9 specifies; and even they must be construed after prepositions.

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