A Sanskrit Reader- With Notes and Sanskrit-English Vocabulary

Preface THE results of comparative philology are now so generally Incorporated into our modern classical grammar, lexicons, and text-books, that even slight knowledge of Sanskrit, if it be accurate so far as goen, is of great service to the classical teacher in making his instruction Interesting and effective. As independent disciplines, moreover, Sanskrit and comparative philology, and the literatures and religions of India, are constantly gaining in importance, so that, for example, Sanskrit is now taught at all but of the twenty universities of the German Empire.

The design of this work, then, is twofold. In the first place, in to serve as an introduction to these subjects for the students our colleges and universities. The excellent Chroatomathy of BOEITLINGK has no vocabulary; and few persons can be expected to buy the costly dictionary of WILLIAMS or that of BOEITLINGK AND ROTI, at the outset, when they are uncertain whether Sanskrit will be of sufficient interest use them to warrant their continuing its study. What the beginner needs an elementary work comprehending both text and vocabulary single volume. And accordingly, this Reader is meant to furnish ample material for about fifty weeks' reading, in a course of three hours wook, and, with the text, the appropriate lexical apparatus. The Reader made a companion-volume to WHITNET's Sanskrit Grammar, and those two books supply all that is needed for the first year's study.

This is designed, in the second place, render knowledge accessible to the classical teachers high-schools, academies, and colleges. Theso teachers, if they pursue this study all, usually so without aid and is especially the requirements unaided private study have taken constant meet. this fact thus explicitly, because, both here Cambridge, and during my connection the Hopkins University (where plan for work was formed), numerous inquiries such have been addressed to me by persons remote any the higher institutions of learning.

Introduction Ir is chiefly at the beginning that the difficulties of Banskrit present themselves. The variety of forms, the strange alphabet, the peculiarities of word and sentence combination,-all these almaltaneously confront the student at the very outeet. Accordingly, the plan followed with my classes, and for which provision is here made, is to distribute these difficulties over the first few weeks of the course. The common paradigms of nouns and verbs should first be learned. These are given by the Grammar in transliteration. The reading of the first four pages of the Nala in Roman letters should then be taken up. The Reader gives these in transliteration on an inset conveniently facing the same text in nagart letters. The student may thus become familiar with the form and sound of the vocables, without being embarrassed by the alphabet and the running together of the words. Next, the same familiar text should be read aloud over and over again in nagart lettem. I am convinced that the easiest way to master the alphabet is to read frequently in it words which one already knows. The next step will be the reading of pages five to nine without the help of a transliteration, but with the aid given by the typographical separation of the words, which has been carried out so far an is practicable, though in violation of Indian usage. Finally, from this point on, the reading may be continued without other help for the difficulties of euphonie and graphic combination than is offered by the notes. After finishing the Nala, the student should take up the Ilitopadeça. Soleo tions xvii, xx, and xi. are very easy and are good to begin with. The remaining short ones from vi. to xxi. may then follow in order; and finally the long selections ii. to v.

It is recommended that the student use the stories from the Katha-sarit-agara for exercise in rapid reading, as soon as he has acquired a fair vocabulary from what precedes. The passages from "Manu" may be read as they stand.

Of the Vedic selections, the easiest are numbers xxxi. (Rigveda i. 1), xxxiii., xxxviii., xxxix, xli., xlv., xlvi., and lix.; and it is advisable to read these first and in the order here mentioned. Selection xxxii., as being one of poetic merit and not over-hard, may next be taken up, and after it, the Varuna-hymns, selections xliii.-xliv.; then the hymns in dramatic form, selections xxxv., xxxvii., and lvi.

**Contents and Sample Pages**