Page images
PDF
EPUB

SELECTIONS

FOR

COMPOSITION AND TRANSLATION,

IN PROSE AND VERSE,

FOR THE USE OF THE HIGHER CLASSES,

IN

COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS.

SEVENTH SERIES.

BY

THE REV. W. DOBSON, M.A.

PRINCIPAL OF CHELTENHAM COLLEGE.

LONDON:

SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO., STATIONERS' HALL COURT.

CHELTENHAM: RICHARD EDWARDS, 82, HIGH STREET.

1848.

SELECTIONS FOR COMPOSITION.

MONDAY, AUGUST

Into English Prose.

14.

Quantum meum studium exstiterit dignitatis tuæ vel tuendæ, vel itiam augendæ, non dubito, quin ad te omnes tui scripserint. Non enim fuit aut mediocre, aut obscurum, aut ejusmodi, quod silentio posset præteriri. Nam & cum consulibus, & cum multis consularibus tanta contentione decertavi, quanta nunquam ante ulla in caussa : suscepique mihi perpetuam propugnationem pro omnibus ornamentis tuis: veterique nostræ necessitudini jamdiu debitum, sed multa varietate temporum interruptum officium cumulate reddidi. Neque mehercule unquam mihi tui aut colendi, aut ornandi voluntas defuit: sed quædam pestes hominum laude aliena dolentium, & te nonnunquam a me alienarunt, & me aliquando immutarunt tibi. Sed exstitit tempus optatum mihi magis, quam speratum, ut, florentissimis tuis rebus, mea perspici posset & memoria nostræ voluntatis & amicitiæ fides. Sum enim consecutus non modo, vt domus tua tota, sed ut cuncta civitas me tibi amicissimum esse cognosceret. Itaque & præstantissima omnium feminarum uxor tua, & eximia pietate, virtute, gratia tui Crassi meis consiliis, monitis, studiis, actionibusque nituntur: & senatus populusque Rom. intelligit, tibi absenti nihil esse tam promtum, aut tam paratum, quam in omnibus rebus, quæ ad te pertineant, operam, curam, diligentiam, auctoritatem meam. Quæ sint acta, quæque agantur, domesticorum tibi litteris declarari puto. De me sic existimes, ac tibi persuadeas vehementer velim, non me repentina aliqua voluntate, aut fortuito ad tuam amplitudinem meis officiis amplectendam incidisse; fed ut primum forum attigerim, spectasse semper, ut tibi possem quam maxime esse conjunctus.

Quo quidem ex tempore, memoria teneo, neque meam tibi observantiam, neque mihi tuam summam benevolentiam ac liberalitatem defuisse. Si quæ interciderunt, non tam re quam suspicione, violenta, ea cum fuerint & falsa, & inania, sint evulsa ex omni memoria, vitaque nostra. Is enim tu vir es, & eum me esse cupio, ut, quoniam in eadem reipubl, tempora incidimus, conjunctionem amicitiamque nostram utrique nostrum laudi sperem fore. Quamobrem tu quantum tuo judicio tribuendum nobis esse putes, statues ipse, & ut spero, statues ex nostra dignitate. Ego vero tibi profiteor atque polliceor eximium & singulare meum studium in omni genere officii, quod ad honestatem & gloriam tuam spectet: in quo etiamsi multi mecum contendent, tamen cum reliquis omnibus, tum Crassis tuis judicibus, omnes facile superabo: quos quidem ego ambo unice diligo, sed in Marco benevolentia impari: hoc magis sum Publio deditus, quod me, quanquam a pueritia sua semper, tamen hoc tempore maxime, sicut alterum parentem & observat, & diligit.-CICERONIS Epistolæ.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16.

Into Latin Elegiacs.

Oh! welcome home, my sister dearest,
Too long thou lingerest far from me:
The sounds of welcome that thou hearest,
My sister dear, are breathed for thee.

Our faithful friends this day have found us,
To herald thy return with glee;

The old and young alike surround us,
My sister dear to welcome thee.

The tender flowers whose bloom had perished,
In winter's blast, and every tree;

I for thy sake alone have cherished,
And now they blossom forth for thee.

Yes, this bright day shall banish sadness,
My heart with joyous thoughts is free:
Each vale shall ring with songs of gladness,
My sister dear, to welcome thee.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 18.

Into Latin Prose.

After this resolution had been entered into, each retired to his quarters, to eat and drink what he could find there; and they desired their companions to be silent, in order that the trumpets might be heard: at the first sounding of which, the horses were to be saddled and made ready; at the second, every one was to arm himself without delay; and, at the third, to mount their horses immediately, and join their banners. Each was to take only one loaf of bread with him, slung behind him after the manner of hunters. All unnecessary arms, harness, and baggage, were ordered to be left behind, as they thought they should for a certainty give battle the next day, whatever might be the consequences, whether they should win or lose all. As it had been ordered so it was executed, and all were mounted and ready about midnight. Some had but little rest, notwithstanding they had laboured hard the day before. Day began to appear as the battalions were assembled at their different posts: the banner-bearers then hastened on over heaths, mountains, valleys, rocks, and many dangerous places, without meeting any level country. On the summits of the mountains, and in the valleys, were large marshes and bogs, and of such extent, that it was a miracle many were not lost in them; for each galloped forwards without waiting for either commander or companion: those who fell into them found difficulty in getting any to help them. Many banners remained there, and several baggage and sumpter horses never came out again.

In the course of the day, there were frequent cries of alarm, as if the foremost ranks were engaged with the enemy; which those behind believing to be true, they hurried forward as fast as possible, over rocks and mountains, sword in hand, with their helmets and shields prepared for fighting, without waiting for father, brother, or friend. When they had hastened about half a league towards the place from which the noise came, they found themselves disappointed, as the cries proceeded from some herds of deer or other wild beasts, which abounded in these heaths and desert places, and which fled before the banners, pursued by the shouts of the army, which made them imagine it was something else.-FROISSART.

« PreviousContinue »