Andover, January, 1858.
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AUTHOR’S PREFACE.
The wish has been expressed to me from different quarters, and particularly by several respectable schoolmasters, to see the essential results of my larger work on Latin Synonymes and Etymologies compressed into a Hand-book. Although within the twelve years since I began to work at the long-neglected study of Latin Synonymes, the market has been almost glutted with works of the same sort, in the form of hand-books, by Habicht, Ramshorn, Jentzen, and Schmalfeld, I have not, on that acount, the least hesitation in complying with the wish expressed to me, by publishing the present Abridgment; for, in asserting that my method and the arrangement of my materials are totally distinct from what have been adopted by those deserving authors, I trust that I am neither extolling myself, nor underrating them. The Abridgment which I here submit to the Public contains, I hope, all that is essential in my larger work;—to effect which object I have omitted certain things of less direct importance; namely,—
First,—All etymological deductions. Not wishing, however, entirely to renounce my principle of associating the etymology with the synonyme, I have inserted it between parentheses, whenever it was not either so obvious as to make the insertion unnecessary, or so far-fetched as to make the etymology doubtful. Many instances of this sort will and must, especially to him who is not conversant with etymological researches, appear singularly uncouth; but it would have led me too far to refer, in every instance, to the principles established in the Treatise on the Formation of Latin Words, which I have subjoined to my larger work as a Supplement. I must, therefore, entreat those readers and critics into whose hands my treatise has not fallen, to ignore (if I may use a law term) the words included between parentheses, or to suspend their verdict concerning them.
Secondly,—I have omitted all parallel passages, and such as have an affinity with each other, without possessing any stringent force as proofs. On the other hand, I have given at length those passages in the classics in which the ancients, in the course of speech, and not by means of grammatical reflections, have introduced synonymes in contrast with each other, and thus taught their differences; and where such passages were wanting, I have frequently brought into juxta-position several passages from one and the same author, in which he seems to have indicated some peculiar force in a particular expression.
Thirdly,—I have omitted all critical and exegetical discussions. The more scientific form of my larger work not only afforded me the opportunity, but imposed the obligation of entering upon such discussions; but in the present Abridgment I have thought it best, except in a very few cases, to omit them altogether.
Fourthly,—I have omitted all detail in the treatment of the Greek synonymes. Nevertheless, I have thought it of essential importance to search for the nearest corresponding expression, both in the Greek and German languages, and place them by the side of the Latin synonyme; and at the same time to ascertain, and make intuitive, as it were, the precise meaning and extent of the Latin expression, by the introduction of such words as are strictly in opposition to it.
Fifthly,—I have omitted the views of other writers on synonymes. In my larger work I introduced, often only as literary curiosities, distinctions derived from the Latin grammarians, Varro, Cicero, Agrætius, Pseudo-fronto, and Pseudo-palæmon; and I also quoted, whether agreeing with or differing from me, the modern writers on synonymes, Popma, Hill, Dumesnil, Smitson, Habicht, Ramshorn, Jentzen, and others. Instead of which I must here content myself with merely referring to such quotations as are contained in my larger work; and have therefore added, at the end of each article, the volume and page of that work in which these quotations are to be found.
Sixthly,—I have omitted such synonymes as are of very rare occurrence, and distinguished from each other by a very slight difference. In my larger work I have treated as synonymes many expressions, ἅπαξ εἰρημένα, that occur but once, and whose differences, on that very account, cannot be deduced from the general usage of the language, but can merely be guessed at from etymology and other sources. Such expressions are of no importance with reference to the object of this Hand-book. The same may be said of many synonymes which can be distinguished, as it were, only by a microscope. Such synonymes are found throughout my larger work in great numbers, and have drawn upon me the reproach of “hair-splitting.” The fact I must acknowledge, but cannot admit it to be a reproach; for surely it is the proper vocation of a scientific writer on synonymes, not so much to distinguish words that merely resemble each other in meaning, as those that are apparently equivalent. The greater their apparent equivalence, the more difficult it is to grasp their essential difference, and the more indispensable the aid of a guide to synonymes. If, therefore, it be admitted, that words identical in meaning do not exist, and that it is morally impossible, if I may use the expression, that they should exist, the only questions are, whether, in such cases, it is worth while to search out their differences, and whether it is possible to find them out. Science will answer the first question, without hesitation, in the affirmative; and with respect to the second, there can at least be no presumption in making the attempt. A distinction is soon obtained when several words are contrasted with the word under consideration; and if these contrasted words are also synonymous with each other, it must follow, that the affinity of the several words in meaning is so close, as to permit their interchange, as synonymes, under all circumstances. Their differences are altogether unimportant with reference to speaking and writing, but highly important as far as the intimate and more refined knowledge of the language itself is concerned. It is on this account that hair-splitting is allowable. Can there be a doubt that a distinction will be slight in proportion as it has its origin in the individual feelings of those by whom a language is used? Such distinctions in synonymes are, consequently, most felt in one’s native language; it is only necessary that the feelings in which they have their origin should not be vague and unformed. In the introduction to the fourth part of my work I have evinced, I hope, sufficient liberality and tolerance with regard to the obligation of conforming to these hair-breadth distinctions, and selecting one’s expressions accordingly. So much in justification of those reprobated hair-splittings; those discoveries of atoms, or, as my deceased friend Bremi expressed it, keen discernment of atoms, which in my larger work, more devoted to science than to instruction, found their proper place; but in the present Hand-book, intended for the use of schools, especially in the art of writing Latin, my predilection for such nice distinctions would be sadly out of place. Distinctions of that sort I have, therefore, for the most part, omitted, but not with the intention of silently retracting them.