Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1841, by REV. PETER BULLIONS, D. D.

in the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New-York.

PREFACE.

In the study of any language, the foundation of success must be laid in a thorough acquaintance with its principles. This being once attained, future progress becomes easy and rapid. To the student of language, therefore, a good Grammar, which must be his constant companion, is of all his books the most important, Such a work, to be really valuable, ought to be simple in its arrangement and style, so as to be adapted to the capacity of youth, for whose use it is designed; comprehensive, and accurate, so as to be a sufficient and certain guide in the most difficult as well as in easy cases; and its principles and rules should be rendered familiar by numerous examples and exercises.

The fundamental principles are nearly the same in all languages. So far as Grammar is concerned, the difference lies chiefly in the minor details—in the forms and inflections of their words, and in the modes of expression peculiar to each, usually denominated idioms. It would seem, therefore, to be proper, in constructing Grammars for different languages, that the principles, so far as they are the same, should be arranged in the same order, and expressed as nearly as possible in the same words. Where this is carefully done, the study of the Grammar of one language becomes an important aid in the study of another ;-an opportunity is afforded of seeing wherein they agree, and wherein they differ, and a profitable exercise is furnished in comparative or general grammar. But when a Latin Grammar is put into the hands of the student, differing widely in its arrangement or phraseology from the English Grammar which he had previously studied, and afterwards a Greek Grammar different from both, not only is the benefit derived from the analogy of the different languages in a great measure lost, but the whole subject is made to appear intolerably intricate and mysterious. In order to remedy this evil, I resolved, more than ten years ago, to prepare a series of grammars, English, Latin and Greek, arranged in the same order, and expressed in as nearly the

same words as the peculiarities of the languages would permit. In the prosecution of this purpose, a Greek and an English grammar have been already published, and the Latin, which completes the series, is now ready to follow them.

The work here presented to the public, is upon the foundation of ADAM'S LATIN GRAMMAR, so long and so well known as a text book in this country. Since the first publication of that excellent work, however, now more than fifty years ago, great advances have been made in the science of philology, both in Germany and Britain, and many improvements have been introduced in the mode of instruction, none of which appear in that work. The object of the present undertaking was, to combine with all that is excellent in the work of Adam, the many important results of subsequent labors in this field; to supply its defects; to bring the whole up to that point which the present state of classical learning requires, and to give it such a form as to render it a suitable part of the series formerly projected. In accomplishing this object, I have availed myself of every aid within my reach, and no pains has been spared to render this work as complete as possible in every part. My acknowledgements are due for the assistance derived from the excellent works of Grant, Crombie, Zumpt, Andrews & Stoddart, and many others, on the whole or on separate parts of this undertaking; and also for many hints kindly furnished by distinguished teachers in this country. With the exception of a few pages, the whole of this work has been written anew. The additions and improvements made in every part, it is impossible here to specify. The intelligent teacher will discover these, and judge of them for himself. In the typography of the work, neatness and accuracy have been aimed at, and, it is hoped, in a good degree attained. the other grammars, the rules and leading parts which should be first studied, are printed in larger type; and the filling up of this outline is comprised in observations and notes under them, made easy of reference by the sections and numbers prefixed. The whole is now committed, together with the rest of the series, to the judgment of an intelligent public, in the hope that something has been done to smooth the path of the learner in the successful prosecution of his studies, and to subserve the interests both of English and Classical literature in this country.

Albany Academy, Aug. 20th, 1841.

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