The Comic Latin Grammar A new and facetious introduction to the Latin tongue

by Percival Leigh, John Leech (Illustrator)

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

129 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 4, 1840

About the author

1813-1889

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

The introductory material makes a big deal of how mirthful the Victorian Age would be remembered as. Alas, this book shan't be remembered so fondly. Published in 1840, it's not the author's fault, per se, that the book is such a dreadful bore that I could barely finish a quarter of it. It's very much a product of its time and place, with humor that is very local and colloquial in nature.

I almost forgot the worst part - at least from the Latin student's perspective. There are numerous clever poems designed to aid memorization, but they rely on rhymes inconsistent with both the restored classical and Ecclesiastical pronunciations. Rather, they employ the English pronunciation, which is an appallingly awful historical anomaly.

TL;DR: If you don't care about proper Latin pronunciation and obscure 19th century references and casual racism are your thing, have fun. I couldn't finish it.

[Harry Collier IV]

A delight.

[Wax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in MDCCX, the author makes several references to The Pickwick Papers, written by Charles Dickens in 1837.

The witty remarks show a cleverness and facility with the the English language I am unaccustomed to seeing these days.

[Aaron Cummings · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cross Eton Grammar withe devil's Dictionary. You get this. Humorous at moments but the joke gets old quickly.

[Chantal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Either I've lost my sense of humour or it's a ridiculously boring book.