LESSONS IN GEOGBAHIY. 



in Latin as well as in Kn^lL-h, some adjectives depart from 



the usual modes of comparison. As we say, positive, good; 



iiii|..i: r; Buperlativo, Lett; so the Romans said, 



", better ; o^timui, best. Carefully learn by 



.ULAR roans or COMPARISON. 



Positive. 



, jood 



. bail 



, littb 

 Multus, much 



Comparative. 



inelior, better 



pejor, worse. 



major greater 



iiiiuor, leu 

 fplus (n), more 

 J plurvs (m. aiiil f.) 

 {plura and pluria(u) 



Superlative, 

 optlmua, beet. 



pVSSiUlUI, i'.., sf. 



maxlwua, -,. 

 niiniiniii, Itait. 



( I'liirimus, moet. 

 ( plurimi, very many. 





Many Latin adjectives do not tako any of those forma of 

 comparison. Such ore adjectives which have e beforo the ter- 

 mination us; as idone-ns, fit. Theso aro formed by prefixing 

 : and moxime, most ; as, magis idoncus, more fit ; 

 ,no$t fit : ao, pius, pious ; mogia piua, more 

 M.tumo pius, most pious. Intho same way, form nearly 

 ;i!l adjectives ami participles ending in icus, itnus, inns, ivus, 

 wruH, iindus, andus, and bundus. 



In the English meanings added to facilis above, I have given 

 tho forms easy, easier, easiest. Hero you see changes made at 

 the end of tho positive, eimilar to those you have just been 

 instructed to make in the Latin. First, the positive easy is 

 changed into east, and then to this, as the stem, wo add cr 

 for the comparative, like the Latin ior, and est for the super- 

 lative, like the Latin iftitnus. This similarity of forms indicates 

 in the two languages a sameness of origin. As too, in English, 

 we use more and most, so do tho Latins use magi* and maxime, 

 to denote the comparative and superlative. Magis and maxime 

 must be used for this purpose, in the case of adjectives which 

 do not admit the termination forms. 



Besides expressing tho formal degree of comparison, the 

 Latin superlative signifies a very high de<jree of the quality in- 

 volved in the positive, as doctissimus, very learned ; pater tuus 

 est doctissimus, thy father is very learned. So in English, 

 Milton uses wisest : 



" The triscst heart 



Of Solomon he led by fraud, to build 

 His temple right against the temple of God." 



Latin comparatives are declined like adjectives of two termi- 

 nations, and according to the third declension. Thus, positive 

 altus, high, makes comparative altior, higher; altior is masculine 

 and feminine, tho neuter is oltius. 



EXAMPLE OF A COMPARATIVE. THIED DECLENSION. 



Cases. 



N. 



G. 



D. 



Ac. 



V. 



Ab. 



Singular. 

 M. F. 

 nltior 



altioris 

 altiOri 

 altiorem 

 altior 



altiore (i) 



If. 



nltius 



nltius 

 altius 



Plural. 



Caes. M. f. v. 



N. altiores altiora 



G. altiornm 



D. altioribus 



Ac. altiores altiora 



V. altiores altiora 



Ab. altioribus. 



VOCABULARY. 



Accotntnodatns, -a, -nm, suited 



(E. E. accormnodute, commodious). 

 Adulutio, -iinis, f., flattery (E. li. 



adulation). 

 Affinitas, -atis, f., relatioiuhip 



(E. E. acuity). 

 Amabllis, -e, worthy to be loed 



(E. E. amiable). 



Amor, -oris, m., loce (E. E. amorous). 

 Beatus, -a, -um, ?uij>py. 

 Benoficentia, -te, f., trtll-doiny, kind 



action (E. E. btneficenct). 

 BenefTcus, u-ell-dowj, beneficent. 

 Brevis, -e, short (E. E. brevity). 

 Celeber, -bris, -brc, soii-jht a/ter, 



visited (E. E. celebrity). 

 Contemno, 3, I despite, contemn. 

 Corvus, -i., m., a raven. 

 Crus, cruris, n., fiio leg (from tha 



leg to the ankle). 

 Garrulus, -a, -um, (uUcaft'w (E. E. 



yarruiity). 



Hirando, hirundluis, f., a swallow. 

 HomeruB, -i., m., Homer. 

 Humilis, -e, bumilis, low. 

 Labor, -oris, m., Itibour [man. 

 Lacedajinouius, -i., m., a Lncedemo- 

 Liberalitas, -atis, f., liberality. 

 Luna, te, f., the moon (E. E. lunar). 

 Lux, hicis, f., lifjht. 

 MOB, moris, m., ciufom; in the 



plural, character (E. E. moruU). 

 MuuificuB, -a, -um, fret in jiving, 



liberal (E. E. mimi/icettt). 

 Murus, -i, m., a vail (E. E. mural). 

 Natunx, -so, f., nature. 

 Niger, uigra, nigrum, black (E. E. 



nejro). 



Nihil (not declined), nothing. 

 Non nunquum, adv., sometimes. 

 Odium, -i, n., hatred (E. E. odioue). 

 Pauper, paupCris, a. poor man 



(E. K. pauper). 

 Quam, conj., than. 



Ratio. *nia, f.. nato* (. R. ratio), j Bimpkx, stopftcU, *mpU. 

 Ree secundiB. /uwuroWe /.m-;e, that Bimulatio, 4aia. f. 

 is, yood/ortuiu. ;<, ..t. i '.> 



.a, -m, 1., wisdom (E. B.' Soi, aolis, m.. (I- e (E. R. aotsr). 

 i<). ; Sonitos, -<ks, m,. < 



Beonndua, -a, -um./drouraU* (E. R. ' 



to ucvnd). 



Simla, -a. f., m ope. [afoOta*). 

 BlmtHtndn, .mis, (fen*. 



Vateo, *./ *rv*j, I um 

 VU. TAlfids. *r /t ( E. B. wlocily). 



EXERCISE 45. LATIX-EXOLIKH. 



1. Nihil est natnrsi homiuis accommodatiaa quam timsJMSjHs, 

 Nihil ost amabiliua quam virtus. 3. Lux est veloeior quam 

 4. Nihil et molius quam sapientia. 5. Multi 

 aunt q-owm hirundines. 6. I'aupfres sape snot 



divites. 7. In advents rebus svpe aunt homines pradsstfofW quasi 

 in secnnlis. 8. Divitisaimorum vita s0pe est muwrrima. 9. Biass* 

 latio amoils pejor est quam odium. 10. Xihil eat melius qnam ratio. 

 11. Sol im\ior est quam terra. 12. Luna minor est qoam terra. IS. 

 Omnium twatiaaimus eat sapiens. 14. Homfrus omnium Onsooram 

 pootarum est veterrimus. U>. Adulatio est pessimum malnm. W. 

 Urbs Syraouate maxima et pulchvrrima est omnium Gneon 

 17. Pessimi homines aunt maledid. 18. Omnium bomin 

 centiaaimi sunt fratres tui. 19. In amiciUa plus valet 

 morum quam affinitas. SO. Soror tua smabilior set quam i 



EXERCISE 46. ENOLISH-LATIS. 



1. Nothing is worse than the pretence of love. 2. The sun Is very 

 great. 3. The sun is greater than the moon. 4. The life of men ill 

 very short. 5. The richest are often the unbappieat. 6. The poorest 

 are sometimes the happiest. 7. The labonr is very easy. . My 

 labonr is easier than yours. 9. The customs (character) of men are 

 very unlike. 10. The king is very free in giving. 11. The worst men 

 are not often happy. 12. Good men are happy. 13. Very good men 

 are happiest. 14. God is the happiest of all. 15. The best men are 

 sometimes despised by tho worst. 16. The health of my friend is very 

 weak. 17. Thy father's garden is very beautiful IS. Thy son's 

 garden is more beautiful. 19. The labonr is very difficult. 20. The 

 walls of tho city are very low. 21. Most (plurimi) men love their 

 native country. 22. Nothing is better than virtue. 23. The port is 

 very much visited. 24. God is the greatest, best, and wisest of an. 

 25. The customs (or character) of the Lacedemonians were very 

 simple. 26. The horse js very swift. 27. Ravens are very black. 28. 

 Thy father is very benevolent and very liberal. 29. Thy brother 

 builds a very beautiful house. 30. A very beautiful house is built by 

 thy brother. 31. Virgins must (debeo) be very modest. 32. Thy 

 sister is more modest than thy brother. 33. The ape is like men. 34. 

 Is the ape very much like men ? 35. Of all animals the ape is most 

 like men. 36. Nothing is sweeter than friendship. 37. The Laeede- 

 monians were very brave. 38. Light is very quick. 39. Light is 

 quicker than sound. 

 V TJi Key to E-wn-cieee in Lewon* in Latin, XII., iriU bt tMn i So.ttU 



LESSONS IN GEOGRAPHY. XI11. 



EXPLOEATIONS AND DISCOVEBIES IN AFBICA, 1890-1868. 

 To give a detailed account of the additions that Have been 

 made year by year to our stock of information respecting Africa 

 by travellers and explorers in all ports of tho continent einoo 

 the discovery of the principal embouchure of tho Niger by tho 

 brothers Richard and John Lander, would require more space 

 than that which we have at our command, as it is necessary now 

 to bring our sketch of the progress of geographical discovery to 

 a close, and proceed with those portions of tho subject which 

 treat of tho earth's position in space as ono of tho members of 

 our solar system ; the great physical features of its surface ; 

 and its political division into states, empires, kingdoms and 

 republics, and their various subdivisions. All we can do is to 

 touch briefly on the principal expeditions that have been set on 

 foot to effect explorations in Africa since 1830, and to mention 

 tho discoveries that have been made, first in Soudan or Nigritift, 

 by Drs. Barth, Overweg, and Vogel ; secondly, in the interior 

 of Southern Africa, by Dr. Livingstone and his companions; 

 and thirdly, in tho eastern part of the belt of land that extends 

 ten degrees north and south of tho equator, by Barton, Spoke, 

 Grant, Baker, and Pothcrick. 



In 1841, the British Government having resolved to effect fc 

 further exploration of tho great river of Western Africa, tie 

 and the densely populated countries through which it 

 flows, sent out an expedition consisting of three steamers, the 

 Albert, SouJaii, and Wilbcrforce. The vessels reached the prin- 

 cipal mouth of the Niger in August, and the ascent of tho river 

 was commenced forthwith. The malaria, however, aruing from 



