Erasmi Colloquia Selecta. Arranged for translation and retransla- tion. By
E. C. Lowe, D.D. (Parker.)—Dr. Lowe, the excellent Head Master of the Hurstpiorpoint Middle School, who by his judicious management of that institution popularized the idea in the country, has found that at such places, when boys only stay long enough to learn the elements of Latin, the tedium of a course of deleetus, which is per- petual, is intolerable. He has therefore hit upon the idea of preparing an edition of the colloquies of Erasmus for the relief both of masters and pupils. We think the idea an excellent one, and are satisfied with the manner in which the doctor has executed it, with one exception. He has thought it necessary to translate most of thedialoguos, on the ground that learning to construe is not so good a mental exercise as parsing, greater attention to• which ought to result from the use of his book. We certainly are of opinion that the effort to make out a meaning has greater'advantages than any other mental discipline, and we strongly recommend the matter to Dr. Lowe's ,reconsideration. In the mean- time we call the attention of the heads of institutions that have followed in-the vtakerof Huratpierpoint, to; the utility of a school-book that "in- troduces the thoughts and habits of modern life, and enables the pupil to realize that there once -were men- and boys who lived, and worked, and thought, and played mush as we do, although they talked 'Latin, and not English," thus helping off, with some amusement, the-dry work of-beginning Latin and also laying-the foundation of a-vocabulary.
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