German composition

Section 108. EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER⁠[1].

Reading edition

Section 108. EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER⁠[1].

A French student of (S. 3, N. 2) medicine lodged⁠[2] in the same house in London with a man in a fever. This poor man was constantly plagued by the nurse to drink, though⁠[3] he nauseated the insipid liquids that were presented to him. At last, when she⁠[4] grew more and more importunate, he whispered in her (S. 43, N. 9, B) ear:—“For⁠[5] God’s sake bring me a salt herring, and I will drink as much as you please⁠[6]!”

The woman indulged⁠[7] him in his request; he devoured the herring, drank plentifully, underwent⁠[8] a copious perspiration, and recovered⁠[9].

The French student inserted this aphorism⁠[10] in his journal⁠[11]:—“A salt herring cures⁠[12] an Englishman in a fever.”

On⁠[13] his return to (S. 72, N. 4) France he prescribed the same remedy to the first patient in a fever⁠[2] to whom he was called.

The patient died; on which⁠[14] the student inserted⁠[15] in his journal the following note:—“N.B. Though a salt herring cures an Englishman, it⁠[16] kills a Frenchman.”—W. C. Hazlitt, Anecdotes.

Notes in this chapter

Note 2 · Use the gen. of the def. art. The definite article is always required before nouns representing the whole of a given class, and before abstr Note 9 · A. The definite article is often used instead of the possessive adjective pronoun in cases where the possessor is clearly seen from the cont Note 4 · When the preposition ‘to’, in connection with a verb denoting motion, stands before the names of countries, towns, islands, etc., it must be Note 1 · Lehrerin, to agree with ‘experience’, which is feminine in German.Note 2 · Here place the words ‘in London — fever’; a man in a fever, ein Fieberkranker.Note 3 · Construe the sentence ‘though — him’ after the following model: Die mir gereichten geschmacklosen Getränke widern mich an.Note 4 · Here place the adv. ‘at last’; more and more importunate, immer zudringlicher.Note 5 · Um Gotteswillen.Note 6 · wollen.Note 7 · to indulge a request, einer Bitte willfahren.Note 8 · to undergo a copious perspiration, in tüchtigen Schweiß geraten (str. v.).Note 9 · genesen, str. v.Note 10 · Lehrsatz.Note 11 · Form a comp. n. of ‘day’ and ‘book’ according to S. 76, N. 22, C.Note 12 · kurieren; in a, vom.Note 13 · Say ‘When he had returned to France’.Note 14 · on which = whereupon.Note 15 · schreiben, after which place ‘following note’.Note 16 · so stirbt ein Franzose daran.