Page:The Great Didactic of John Amos Comenius (1896).pdf/374

 18. Gradation of this kind is the only true principle. On any other system everything falls into confusion and disorder, as we have most of us experienced. But through these four grades all who wish to learn languages may pass with ease if the proper materials for teaching languages have been provided; that is to say, suitable school-books for the pupils and hand-books to assist the teacher, both of which should be short and methodical.

19. The school-books, suited to the several ages, should be four in number—

The Vestibulum.

The Janua.

The Palatium.

(iv) The Thesaurus.

20. The Vestibulum should contain the materials for a child’s conversation—a few hundred words, arranged in sentences, to which are added the declensions of nouns and the conjugations of verbs.

21. The Janua should contain all the common words in the language, about 8000 in number. These should be arranged in short sentences embodying descriptions of natural objects. To this there should be subjoined some short and clear grammatical rules, giving accurate directions for writing, pronouncing, forming, and using the words of the language.

22. The Palatium should contain diverse discourses on all matters, expressed a varied and elegant style, with marginal references to the authors from which the several phrases are borrowed. At the end there should be given rules for altering and paraphrasing sentences in a thousand different ways.

23. The Thesaurus will be the name given to the classic writers who have written on any matter with serious intent and in a good style, with the addition of rules relating to the observation and collection of noteworthy passages and to the accurate translation (a most important matter) of idioms. Of these authors, some should be chosen to read in school; of others, a catalogue should be