German composition

Section 118. THE BLESSEDNESS OF FRIENDSHIP. II.

Reading edition

And a friend once won (S. 7, N. 3, A) need⁠[1] never be lost, if we will only be trusty and true ourselves. Friends may⁠[2] part, not merely in body, but in spirit, for a while. In the bustle of (S. 3, N. 2) business and the accidents of life, they may lose⁠[3] sight of each other for years (S. 115, N. 4); and⁠[4] more—they⁠[5] may begin to differ in their success in life, in their opinions, in their habits, and there may be, for a time⁠[6], coldness and estrangement between them: but not for ever, if each will be but trusty and true.

For then⁠[7], according to⁠[8] the beautiful figure of the poet, they will be like two ships which set sail⁠[9] at morning from the same port, and ere⁠[10] nightfall lose sight of each other, and⁠[11] go each on its own course, and at its own pace, for many days, through many storms and seas; and⁠[12] yet meet again, and⁠[13] find themselves lying side by side in the same haven, when the long voyage is past.—Charles Kingsley, “The Water Of Life.”

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 3 · A. Whilst the English Perfect Participle (commonly called Past Participle) is placed both before and after the noun it qualifies, the German Note 4 · Supply ‘years’, and construe thus: I began the process (Verfahren, n.), which I continued for years (jahrelang) to speak daily about (über, Note 1 · need — lost = we need (brauchen) never to lose.Note 2 · may = can, after which place the adverbial clause ‘for a while’, auf kurze Zeit; the verb ‘part’, which is equivalent to ‘be separated’ shou Note 3 · to lose sight of each other, sich aus dem Gesicht verlieren.Note 4 · ja noch mehr.Note 5 · Say ‘it is possible that their success in life, their opinions, their habits begin to differ (differieren)’.Note 6 · for a time, eine Zeit lang, which place after ‘and’; ‘may’, here mag; ‘be’, here = exist, bestehen.Note 7 · Here follow copula and subject according to App. § 14.Note 8 · according to, nach; figure, Bild, n.; to be like, gleichen, which governs the Dat.Note 9 · to set sail, aus´segeln.Note 10 · ere nightfall, vor Dunkelwerden.Note 11 · Say ‘and of which each through many storms and upon many seas (Meer, n.) for days pursues its own course (Richtung, f.) and its own pace (La Note 12 · and — again, welche aber dennoch wieder zusam´mentreffen.Note 13 · Say ‘and find that they lie after the long voyage (Seefahrt, f.) side by side (neben einander) in the same haven’.