Then come the simplest health. Salus plurima." And so on. questions and answers: "How old are you?" &c., proceeding to more extended phrases, but still such as are used in common conversation. In a second part, the author arranges phrases of a higher grade, classified by their meaning, in thirteen parts, the German, as before, standing first, and the Latin after it. For instance: "Virgil is not comparable to Homer. Virgilius cum homero non comparandus est. Non puto homero poete huic clarissimo virgilium parem esse, etc;" and so on, down to the colophon already given. The volume in the Scheurl library contains several such books. One, beginning "Ad patrem, to the father," consists of examples on the Latin prepositions, with the German words printed over the Latin. One is entitled "Small grammar for the instruction of the young, with a German translation."* Notwithstanding its title, however, this is still not a grammar, but, as more correctly designated in the second title, "Tract called gramma tellus, containing facetious sayings, and by reason of the obtuseness of young pupils (ob scolariculorumque hebetatem) put beneath a German translation." Another work in the same volume, entitled "Kudiments of grammar for boys. Most carefully selected from Remigius, Donatus and Alexander," is without any German translation; and another, called “Juvenile exercises on Donatus," contains but a few German words. I have enumerated more in detail the contents of this collected volume, because it gives us so very satisfactory an account of the literary helps by means of which its first owner, the celebrated Christoph Scheurl, (born 1481,) when a boy, exchanged his native German for the Latin. The next step to these books was, the insertion in the Latin Grammars proper, of an interlinear German version. This also became the practice during the fifteenth century; when it became usual to print, above the very much altered text of Donatus,§ a verbatim German translation.|| author however makes a defence for his Bonum sero. And compare on this point Rudolf Agricola, in this History, Vol. I., p. 82, (of the German). * Grammatellus pro iuuenum eruditione cum glosa almanica. ↑ Rudimenta grammatice ad pueros. De Remigio Donato Alexandroque studiosissime lecta. 1 Puerilia super donatum. Nürmberge Per Marcum ayrer. Compare the text of "Donatus' Latin Grammar (Donati ars grammatica)” in Lindemann's "Collection of Latin Grammars (Corpus Grammaticorum Latinorum),” Leipsic, 1831, with that even of the Donatus of Glareanus, Augsburg, 1547 or 1550. 1 Panzer (Annales typographici), enumerates four such Donatuses, with a German translation, viz.,--1. Ulm, 1497. (Annales, iii, 540.) 2. Without place, by J. S., 1497. (Ann., iv, 67.) 3. Per Frider. Kreuszner Nurmbergae incolum. Without date. (Ann., iv, 388.) 4. Without place or date. (Ann., iv, 123.) But numbers 1 and 2, seem to be the same. A rare little book which W. Grimm loaned me from his private library, indicates that this mode of printing a German interlinear version over the Latin text of Donatus was long practiced. But the distance was greater, from such an interlinear version as this, merely intended to render the text of the Latin grammarians more comprehensible, to an intelligent use of the German mother tongue, with the design of making the Latin Grammar itself better understood. The first step in this direction was taken by Aventinus, in his Latin Grammar; a work which is for this reason often mentioned as the first instance of a German grammar.* The celebrated Bavarian historical writer, Johannes Thurnmeyer, surnamed Aventinus from Abensberg in Bavaria, his birthplace (b. 1466, d. 1534), was in 1512 appointed tutor of the Bavarian princes Ludwig and Ernst, brothers of Duke Wilhelm IV. A thorough scholar, yet a zealous lover of his native country, he had no hesitation in introducing the German language even into the instruction which he gave in Latin Grammar. He had observed, as he himself says, that a single German word will often make clear to a beginner, what the Latin circumlocutions only made more and more obscure. Under this method, his noble pupils had learned as much of the Latin Grammar in eight months, as they could otherwise scarcely have gained in three years. Still, he felt obliged to make some excuses for his undertaking, when he published his Grammar, with German text intermingled with the Latin. He says in his preface, "I did not feel ashamed to make use of the vernacular tongue, since I had seen the same thing done by the most learned of the Italians;" and he then goes on to allege the practical reasons already alluded to. Thus Aventinus was the first of the humanists of Germany who dared do thus; or at any rate, if he had any predecessors, he was unconscious of it, or he would not have thus relied upon the example of the Italians. It is a noticeable fact that in this particular also it was the Italians who gave an impulse to the Germans. What were the Latin-Italian grammars which Aventinus had in view, we may learn from a work of the kind published in Venice, A. D. 1499, of which a copy exists in the Scheurl library at Nuremberg. The mixture of Italian with the Latin Grammar in this instance, is about half-way between that of the actual inter This is "The Elements of Ælius Donatus, after the text of Henricus Glareanus; with a German translation (Ælii Donati elementa, ad collationem Henrici Glareani, una cum traductione Germanica)." M. D. L. At the end it has, "Augustae Vindelicorum, in aedibus Valentini Othmari, excusum mense Martio, Anno M.D.XLVII." * Thus, in the very full list of Modern High German Grammars, by H. Hoffmann, in “The German Philology (Die Deutsche Philologie)," Breslau, 1836. p. 138. † Aventinus' "Grammar (Grammatik)," (published 1512,) p. 2. 1 Beginning: "I am the door for the ignorant (Janua sum rudibus)." Ending: "Impres sum Venetiis, impensis Joannis Baptistae de Sessa Mediolanensi. Anno salutis nostrae. M.CCCCXCIX. Die uero. XX Julii. Foeliciter." This is in a bound volume, whicà begins with the "Quasto Sie Uno Libro" &c.; an Italian-German "Vocabulista." linear version, and the circumspect use made of the German by Aventinus. ཙ The Latin Grammar of Aventinus appeared at Augsburg in 1512, with the title, "New rudimentary grammar, most useful to the young," &c.* Its arrangement is, in general, similar to that of the editions of Donatus then in common use. The text proper is Latin. The following examples may show how far, nevertheless, this work of Aventinus included a beginning of the grammatical treatment of the ver nacular. Thus, on p. 3, we have, "Dictio. A word. Illa dictio est nomen cui in nostra lingua potest addi a, ut homo, a man. equus, a horse." And p. 38, “De verbo. Illa dictio est verbum cui in nostra lingua potest addi, I, thou, he." This is in truth a very trifling beginning; and far the greater part of the German matter contained in the work of Aventinus, consists merely in German translations of the Latin examples. But the grammar of Aventinus was nevertheless entitled to a place, even in this brief sketch, because he was the first who made use of German for the explanation of the Latin grammar. The German Orthographists. The books thus far referred to relate primarily to Latin, and used the German for explaining that language. These constitute one of the sources to which we must look for information relating to the original beginnings of a German grammar. The other of these sources consists of a class of books which are in a certain sense quite opposite in character to them; namely, the introductions to the reading and writing of German, intended for pupils unacquainted with Latin. This class of books includes two varieties. Those of one were intended as an introduction to German written composition. After a few rules and observations on orthography and grammar, they pass on to formulas for letters, legal contracts, addresses, and titles. Those of the other class originated in the necessity for acquainting the uneducated laity with German books; and in particular with the German Bible. Among books of the first description, should first of all be named the work of Fabian Frangk, entitled "The method and qualities of the German tongue. Orthography, or the right way to › spell in German. New Chancery, or current practical and correct directory for properly preparing formal communications and letters to all persons. In the most condensed form. M [agister] Fabian Frangk.t The work appeared at Frankfurt on the Maine in * "Gramatica noua fundamentalis iuuenibus vtilissima" &c. ↑ "Teutscher Sprach Art und Eygenschafft. Orthographia, Gerecht Buochstaebig (in the original with the o over the u, the over the a, &c.,) Teutsch zuschreiben. New 1531;* and deserves attention for more than one reason. The author was from Asslaw in Silesia; a Master of Arts (Freier Kunste Magister); and a burgher of Buntzlaw. Frangk's preface describes the scope of his work. His primary object, he says, is to provide that those who employ such persons as have mastered his work and who are employed in writing, chancery business, and writing titles, shall meet with no disappointment." But although this comparatively subordinate object was that chiefly contemplated by the author, he still urges that at some time or other an actual exclusive German grammar should be written, as has been done for the Greek, Latin, and other languages. For, he says, "our own noble tongue is as agreeable, useful and powerful, in proportion to its extent, as any other whatever;" and there are "among us unlearned laics, (neither practiced in the learned tongues nor acquainted with them), who place as high a value upon it as upon any other." XI. LEGAL PROVISION RESPECTING THE EDUCATION, IMPROVEMENT, AND SUPPORT OF TEACHERS IN PRUSSIA. THE following are the provisions of the law of 1819 respecting Normal Schools and teachers. It is difficult to describe the well-qualified teacher in more appropriate language: "In order that a master may be enabled to fulfill the duties of his station, he ought to be religious, wise, and alive to the high importance of his profession. He ought thoroughly to understand the duties of his station, to have acquired the art of teaching and managing youth, to be firm in his fidelity to the state, conscientious in the discharge of his duties, friendly and prudent in his relations with the parents of his children, and with his fellow-citizens in general; finally, he ought to inspire all around him with a lively interest in the progress of the school, and to render them favorably inclined to second his own wishes and endeavors." In order to insure the education of such schoolmasters, the following regulations are laid down: "Each department is required to have a number of young men well prepared for their duties, who may supply the yearly vacancies in the ranks of the schoolmasters of the department, and therefore each department shall be required to support a Normal School. These establishments shall be formed on the basis of the following regulations: 1. No Normal School for teachers in the primary schools shall admit more than seventy pupil teachers. 2. In every department where the numbers of Catholics and Protestants are about equal, there shall be, as often as circumstances will permit, a Normal School for the members of each sect. But where there is a very marked inequality in the numbers of the two sects, the masters of the least numerous sect shall be obtained from the Normal Schools belonging to that sect in a neighboring department, or by smaller establishments in the same department annexed to an elementary primary school. Normal Schools for simultaneous education of two sects shall be permitted when the pupil teachers can obtain close at hand suitable religious instruction, each in the doctrines of his own church. 3. The Normal Schools shall be established whenever it is possible in small towns, so as to preserve the pupil teachers from the dissipations, temptations, and habits of life which are not suitable to their future profession, without subjecting them to a monastic seclusion; but the town ought not to be too small, in order that they may profit by the vicinity of several elementary and superior primary schools. 6. No young man can be received into a Normal School who has not passed through a course of instruction in an elementary primary school; nor can any young man be received, of the excellence of whose moral character there is the least ground of suspicion. The age of admission into the Normal Schools shall be from sixteen to eighteen years. 7. As to the methods of instruction, directors of the Normal Schools shall rather seek to conduct the pupil teachers by their own experience to simple and clear principles, than to give them theories for their guidance; and with this end in view, primary schools shall be joined to all the |