him useful to his religion or his country. * * * * * And now, having instanced what I mean by the _want_ of accuracy, and stated the results in which I think it issues, I proceed to sketch, by way of contrast, an examination which displays a student, who, whatever may be his proficiency, at least knows what he is about, and has tried to master what he has read. I am far from saying that every candidate for admission must come up to its standard:— _T._ I think you have named Cicero’s Letters ad Familiares, Mr. Black? Open, if you please, at Book xi., Epistle 29, and begin reading. _C. reads._ Cicero Appio salutem. Dubitanti mihi (quod scit Atticus noster), de hoc toto consilio profectionis, quod in utramque partem in mentem multa veniebant, magnum pondus accessit ad tollendam dubitationem, judicium et consilium tuum. Nam et scripsisti aperte, quid tibi videretur; et Atticus ad me sermonem tuum pertulit. Semper judicavi, in te, et in capiendo consilio prudentiam summam esse, et in dando fidem; maximeque sum expertus, cùm, initio civilis belli, per literas te consuluissem quid mihi faciendum esse censeres; eundumne ad Pompeium an manendum in Italiâ. _T._ Very well, stop there; Now construe. _C._ Cicero Appio salutem.… _Cicero greets Appius._ _T. __“__Greets Appius.__”_ True; but it sounds stiff in English, doesn’t it? What is the real English of it? _C._ “My _dear_ Appius?”… _T._ That will do; go on. _C._ Dubitanti mihi, quod scit Atticus noster, _While I was hesitating, as our friend Atticus knows_.… _T._ That is right. _C._ De hoc toto consilio profectionis, _about the whole plan … entire project_ … de hoc toto consilio profectionis … _on the subject of my proposed journey … on my proposed journey altogether_. _T._ Never mind; go on; any of them will do. _C._ Quod in utramque partem in mentem multa veniebant, _inasmuch as many considerations both for and against it came into my mind_, magnum pondus accessit ad tollendam dubitationem, _it came with great force to remove my hesitation_. _T._ What do you mean by “accessit”? _C._ It means _it contributed to turn the scale_; accessit, _it was an addition to one side_. _T._ Well, it may mean so, but the words run, ad tollendam dubitationem. _C._ It was a great … it was a powerful help towards removing my hesitation … no … _this was a powerful help, viz., your judgment and advice_. _T._ Well, what is the construction of “pondus” and “judicium”? _C. Your advice came as a great weight_. _T._ Very well, go on. _C._ Nam et scripsisti aperte quid tibi videretur; _for you distinctly wrote your opinion_. _T._ Now, what is the force of “nam”? _C. pauses; then_, It refers to “accessit” … it is an explanation of the fact, that Appius’s opinion was a help. _T._ “Et”; you omitted “et” … “et scripsisti.” _C._ It is one of two “ets”; et scripsisti, et Atticus. _T._ Well, but why don’t you construe it? _C._ Et scripsisti, _you both distinctly_.…