Page:Johnsonian Miscellanies I.djvu/154

 136 Annals.

��[Here there is a chasm of thirty-eight pages. in the manuscript*^ examination. We always considered it as a day of

��ease ; for we made no preparation, and indeed were asked commonly such questions as we had been asked often before, and could regularly answer. But I believe it was of use at first.

On Thursday night a small portion of JEsop was learned by heart, and on Friday morning the lessons in ^Esop were repeated ; I believe, not those in Helvicus 2. On Friday afternoon we learned Qua Genus 3 ; I suppose that other boys might say their repetition, but of this I have now no distinct remembrance. To learn Qua Genus was to me always pleasing ; and As in Prasenti was, I know not why, always disgusting.

When we learned our Accidence we had no parts, but, I think, two lessons. The boys that came to school untaught read the Accidence twice through before they learned it by heart.

When we learned Propria qua Maribus, our parts were in the Accidence ; when we learned As in Prasenti, our parts were in the Accidence and Propria qua Maribus \ when we learned Syn taxis, in the former three. Propria qua Maribus I could repeat without any effort of recollection. I used to repeat it to my mother and Tom Johnson ; and remember, that I once went as far as the middle of the paragraph, ' Mascula dicuntur mono- syllaba,' in a dream.

On Saturday, as on Thursday, we were examined. We were sometimes, on one of those days, asked our Catechism 4, but with no regularity or constancy.

The progress of examination was this. When we learned Propria qua Maribus^ we were examined in the Accidence ; particularly we formed Verbs, that is. went through the same person in all the Moods and Tenses. This was very difficult to

1 What follows is the account of Latin, madam; he is just got into his studies at Lichfield School. See Quae Genus? ' Joseph Andrews, Life, i. 43. Book iv. ch. 9.

2 Christopher Helvicus (1581- Quae Genus, As in Praesenti and 1616) was Professor of Greek and Propria quae Maribus are chapters Divinity at Giessen. in the Eton Latin Grammar.

3 ' Lady Booby, seeing a book in 4 G. Hector never had been taught Dick's hand, asked him, if he could his Catechism. Note by Johnson. read. " Yes," cried Adams, " a little

me;

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