"Hints on Translating Unseen Passages."
"1. Read the passage carefully through, at least twice."
"2. Keep as closely as possible to the original in sense, but use English idiom boldly."
"3. Never write down nonsense."
Now, and whilst I think of it, why unseen?
It may be that I do not perceive the niceties of the English language, but this commonly used word, "unseen," never conveyed any meaning to my mind. Would not "unforeseen" be a better word? I would timidly suggest.
If the book in question succeeded in making boys carry out the foregoing suggestions, it would be worth its weight in gold.
As far as my experience goes, the only hint which I have known them follow is the one that tells them to use English idiom boldly.
A drawback to these hints is that they are given in the preface. Now, dear colleagues and confrères, which of you has ever known a school-boy read the preface of his book?