German composition

Section 133 Robert Dick, the Baker, Geologist, and Botanist

Not long ago, Sir Roderick Murchinson discovered at Thurso, in the far north of Scotland, a profound⁠1 geologist, in the person of a baker there⁠2, named Robert Dick. When (S. 4, N. 2) Sir Roderick called upon him at⁠3 the bakehouse in which (S. 131, N. 4) he baked and earned his bread, Robert Dick delineated⁠4 to him by⁠5 means of flour upon a board, the geographical features⁠6 and geological phenomena of his native country, pointing⁠7 out its imperfections in⁠8 the existing maps, which⁠9 he had ascertained by travelling over the country in his leisure hours. On⁠10 further inquiry, Sir Roderick ascertained⁠11 that the humble⁠12 individual before him was not only a capital baker and geologist, but also a first-rate⁠13 botanist. “I found,” said the Director-General of the Geographical Society, “to my great humiliation, that this baker⁠14 knew infinitely more of (S. 40, N. 9) botanical science, ay, ten times more, than I did; and that there were (S. 82, N. 7) only some twenty or thirty specimens⁠15 of flowers which he had not collected. Some he had obtained⁠16 as presents, some (= others) he had purchased, but the greater portion had been accumulated⁠17 by his industry, in his native county of Caithness; and the specimens⁠18 were all arranged⁠19 in the most beautiful order, with⁠20 their scientific names affixed.”—S. Smiles, “Self-Help.”

Notes

1 gründlich.

2 dortig, which use attributively before the noun ‘baker’; named, namens.

3 in.

4 entwerfen, insep. comp. str. v.

5 mittels eines mit Mehl bestreuten Brettes.

6 Umrisse.

7 Say ‘whereby he pointed out the imperfections’. To point out a thing, auf etwas verweisen, insep. comp. str. v.

8 Use the gen. of the def. art.

[9] which — hours = of which (wovon) he had convinced himself on (auf) his travels through the country in his leisure hours (Mußestunden).

10 Nach weiterer Prüfung.

11 ascertained = learnt, erfuhr, from erfahren.

12 humble = modest; individual = man.

13 first-rate = considerable, bedeutend.

14 Here follow the words ‘of — science’ after which transl. the adv. ‘infinitely’, which is followed by ‘ay (ja) ten times more’ and the verb ‘knew’.

15 specimens of flowers, Blumenarten.

16 To obtain a thing as present, etwas geschenkt erhalten.

17 accumulated = collected. Where, and in what order, must the verbs be placed? Which voice must you use?—native, heimisch.

18 Exemplar, n.; pl. e.

19 zusam´menstellen, sep. comp. w. v.

20 and the scientific names everywhere (überall) affixed (hinzu´fügen), sep. comp. w. v.