German composition

Section 94. A CURIOUS INSTRUMENT. VII.

Reading edition

Charles. “What! can it speak then?”

Father. “It is sometimes said (S. 54, N. 13) to⁠[1] do so, especially when⁠[2] it happens to meet with⁠[3] one of its own species.”

George. “What colour are⁠[4] these instruments?”

Father. “They vary⁠[5] considerably in this respect.”

George. “Well, what colour is yours?”

Father. “I believe it is of a darkish colour; but if I shall confess the truth (S. 27, N. 8), I must say that I never saw (S. 48, N. 2) it⁠[6] in my life.”

Both. “Never⁠[7] saw it in your life?”

Father. “No, nor⁠[8] do I wish; but I have seen a representation of it, which (S. 48, N. 6) is so exact that my curiosity is quite satisfied.”

George. “But why don’t you look⁠[9] at the thing itself?”

Father. “I should be in great danger⁠[10] of losing it, if I⁠[11] did.”

Charles. “Then you could buy (S. 58, N. 8) another.”

Father. “Nay⁠[12], I believe I could not prevail⁠[13] upon any one to part with such (S. 28, N. 9) a thing⁠[14].”

George. “Then, how did you get yours?”

Father. “I am so fortunate as⁠[15] to be possessed of more than one; but⁠[16] how I got them I really cannot recollect⁠[17].”

Charles. “Not recollect! Why⁠[18], you said you brought⁠[19] them from London to-night!”

Father. “So⁠[20] I did; I should be sorry if I had left them behind me (see App. § 36).”

Charles. “Now⁠[21], father, do tell us the name of this curious instrument!”

Father. “It is—the Eye.”—Jane Taylor.

Notes in this chapter

Note 8 · When a subordinate clause, beginning with one of the conjunctions da, obgleich, weil, and wenn, precedes a principal clause, which is often Note 9 · but — aversion = but (jedoch) showed such an aversion against one another. The Article, when used in connection with adjectives and adverbs,Note 2 · Use the Perfect, which is used in German to express an action or occurrence both perfect and past, without reference to any other action or Note 6 · To place the qualifying parts before the word qualified is one of the most striking peculiarities of German Grammar. This construction, call Note 13 · It is said to be, sie soll ... sein. The verb sollen is frequently used to express an assertion of another person, when it answers to the En Note 8 · The German language, as a rule, requires that the person for whose benefit an action is performed, is clearly indicated. When this is not do Note 1 · ‘to do so’, referring to the preceding verb ‘speak’, must be rendered by the infinitive of that verb.Note 2 · when — with = when it accidentally comes together with.Note 3 · with — species, mit einem seinesgleichen.Note 4 · are = have.Note 5 · to vary considerably, sehr verschieden sein.Note 6 · Supply the adverb noch after the object.Note 7 · Never — life? = You have never seen it in your life?Note 8 · ich wünsche es auch nicht.Note 9 · to look at a thing, sich ein Ding an´sehen.Note 10 · ‘to be in great danger’, here Gefahr laufen.Note 11 · Supply here the object ‘es’.Note 12 · O nein.Note 13 · to prevail upon any one, jemand überr´eden.Note 14 · ‘thing’, here Gegenstand, m.Note 15 · noch mehr als eines zu besitzen.Note 16 · but — them, aber wie ich dazu gekommen bin.Note 17 · to recollect, sich etwas ins Gedächtnis zurück´rufen.Note 18 · The English ‘why’ is, in this instance, best rendered by the adverb ‘ja’, which place after the verb.Note 19 · Use the Perf. Subj., according to App. §§ 28 and 30; here mit´bringen.Note 20 · Gewiß habe ich das.Note 21 · Say ‘But father, tell us at last,’ and supply the adverb ‘doch’ after the pron. ‘us’. Comp. Lange’s German Manual, p. 354, L. 31, N. 4.