German composition

Section 34 The⁠ Means of Conveyance in the Time of Charles II. — II1

The rich⁠1 (S. 5, N. 2) commonly travelled in⁠2 their own iron carriages with at least four horses. A⁠3 coach and six is in our time never seen, except as part of some procession. The frequent mention, therefore, of such equipages⁠4 in old books is likely to mislead us. We⁠5 attribute to magnificence what was really⁠6 the effect of⁠7 disagreeable necessity. People⁠8 in the time of Charles II travelled with six horses, because⁠9 with a smaller number there was danger of sticking⁠10 fast in the mire.—Abridged from Macaulay’s History of England.

Notes

1 Adjectives used as nouns are declined as they would be if the noun, which is understood, were to follow them. They are always written with a capital initial.

2 in ihren eigenen mit wenigstens vier Pferden bespannten eisernen Kutschen.

3 ‘A — seen’. This clause must be construed thus: ‘Except (Außer) in processions a coach and six (eine sechsspännige Kutsche, see App. § 14) is now never seen’. Supply the words ‘bei uns’ before the p. p.

[4] Staatsfuhrwerke; therefore... is likely to mislead us = can therefore easily mislead (irre führen) us. The object ‘us’ must be placed immediately after the copula ‘can’.

5 Wir schreiben der Prachtliebe zu.

6 really = in reality; ‘effect’, here = consequence.

7 Say ‘of a’.

8 One (S. 5, N. 2).

9 because... there was danger, weil man... Gefahr lief; ‘small’, here gering.

10 to stick fast, stecken bleiben. Use the Supine, for: When the English Gerund (i.e. the verbal in -ing) is governed by a noun, a verb, or an adjective, it is generally rendered by the Supine. Comp. S. 78, N. 14. Examples:
He possesses the gift of speaking well. Er besitzt die Gabe gut zu sprechen.
Do not begin talking! Fangen Sie nicht an zu sprechen!