German composition

Section 133. ROBERT DICK, THE BAKER, GEOLOGIST, AND BOTANIST.

Reading edition

Not long ago, Sir Roderick Murchinson discovered at Thurso, in the far north of Scotland, a profound⁠[1] geologist, in the person of a baker there⁠[2], named Robert Dick. When (S. 4, N. 2) Sir Roderick called upon him at⁠[3] the bakehouse in which (S. 131, N. 4) he baked and earned his bread, Robert Dick delineated⁠[4] to him by⁠[5] means of flour upon a board, the geographical features⁠[6] and geological phenomena of his native country, pointing⁠[7] out its imperfections in⁠[8] the existing maps, which⁠[9] he had ascertained by travelling over the country in his leisure hours. On⁠[10] further inquiry, Sir Roderick ascertained⁠[11] that the humble⁠[12] individual before him was not only a capital baker and geologist, but also a first-rate⁠[13] botanist. “I found,” said the Director-General of the Geographical Society, “to my great humiliation, that this baker⁠[14] knew infinitely more of (S. 40, N. 9) botanical science, ay, ten times more, than I did; and that there were (S. 82, N. 7) only some twenty or thirty specimens⁠[15] of flowers which he had not collected. Some he had obtained⁠[16] as presents, some (= others) he had purchased, but the greater portion had been accumulated⁠[17] by his industry, in his native county of Caithness; and the specimens⁠[18] were all arranged⁠[19] in the most beautiful order, with⁠[20] their scientific names affixed.”—S. Smiles, “Self-Help.”

Notes in this chapter

Note 2 · ‘When’, referring to definite time of the Past, must always be rendered by ‘als’.Note 9 · Use the gen. of the def. art. The definite article should be used in all cases where an object is individualised or singled out from other o Note 7 · ‘There is’ and ‘there are’, used in a general sense, are generally rendered by the impers. v. ‘es giebt’.Note 4 · ‘when’, here wo. Notice that: The relative conjunction ‘wo’ is often used in reference to time as a translation of ‘when’ in the sense of ‘a Note 1 · gründlich.Note 2 · dortig, which use attributively before the noun ‘baker’; named, namens.Note 3 · [1] gründlich. [2] dortig, which use attributively before the noun ‘baker’; named, namens. [3] in. [4] entwerfen, insep. comp. str. v. [5] m Note 4 · entwerfen, insep. comp. str. v.Note 5 · mittels eines mit Mehl bestreuten Brettes.Note 6 · Umrisse.Note 7 · Say ‘whereby he pointed out the imperfections’. To point out a thing, auf etwas verweisen, insep. comp. str. v.Note 8 · Use the gen. of the def. art.Note 9 · which — hours = of which (wovon) he had convinced himself on (auf) his travels through the country in his leisure hours (Mußestunden).Note 10 · Nach weiterer Prüfung.Note 11 · ascertained = learnt, erfuhr, from erfahren.Note 12 · humble = modest; individual = man.Note 13 · first-rate = considerable, bedeutend.Note 14 · Here follow the words ‘of — science’ after which transl. the adv. ‘infinitely’, which is followed by ‘ay (ja) ten times more’ and the verb ‘Note 15 · specimens of flowers, Blumenarten.Note 16 · To obtain a thing as present, etwas geschenkt erhalten.Note 17 · accumulated = collected. Where, and in what order, must the verbs be placed? Which voice must you use?—native, heimisch.Note 18 · Exemplar, n.; pl. e.Note 19 · zusam´menstellen, sep. comp. w. v.Note 20 · and the scientific names everywhere (überall) affixed (hinzu´fügen), sep. comp. w. v.