CLASSICAL FRENCH READER; SELECTED FROM THE BEST WRITERS OF THAT LANGUAGE IN PROSE AND POETRY; PRECEDED BY AN INTRODUCTION, DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE STUDY OF THE RUDIMENTS OF THE FRENCH. AND ATTENDED WITH NOTES, EXPLANATORY OF IDIOMS, ETC. THROUGHOUT THE WORK. Aimer à lire, c'est faire un échange des heures d'ennui que l'on doit COMPILED FOR THE USE OF THE ROUND HILL SCHOOL, Professor of Modern Languages in the University of North Carolina. IN TWO PARTS. CONTAINING PIECES IN PROSE. BOSTON: CARTER, HENDEE, AND CO. Brattleboro' Power Press Office. DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, to wit: BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the first day of December, A. D. 1826, in the fiftieth year of the Independence of the United States of America, RICHARDSON & LORD, of the said District, have deposited in this office the title of a Book, the right whereof they claim as Proprietors, in the words following, to wit: "A classical French Reader, selected from the best writers of that language, in Prose and Poetry: preceded by an introduction designed to f cilitate the study of the Rudiments of the French, and attended with notes explanatory of Idioms, etc. throughout the work. Aimer à lire c'est faire un échange des heures d'ennui que l'on doit avoir en sa vie contre des heures délicieuses.-Montesquieu. Compiled for the use of the Round hill school. By N. M. HENTZ. Part first, containing pieces in prose. In conformity to the Act of Congress of the United States, entitled, “An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the times therein mentioned: " and also to an Act entitled "An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies during the times therein mentioned; and extending the Benefits thereof to the Arts of Designing, Engraving and Etching Historical and other Prints." JOHN W. DAVIS, Clerk of the District of Massachusetts. PREFACE. It has been, heretofore, a great disadvantage in teaching French in this country, that a good selection from the best authors of that language, could not easily be obtained. There are several works, published in France, which were selected by men of talents and judgment; but those collections are either too voluminous, and consequently too expensive, or seldom imported into this country. Moreover, the want of notes explanatory of idioms renders those books less adapted to beginners, and by beginners only such works are commonly used. A French Reader was compiled by Murray, the celebrated author of the English Reader, but the selection is not so judicious as that which he made from authors in his own language; and the book, also without notes, is on the whole an inferior production. The compiler therefore has been induced to publish this selection, endeavouring to avoid the defects which he has noticed in others, and availing himself of the experience acquired by teaching the language, for a period of several years, to persons of all ages and capacities. It is the general opinion that in a selection of this kind, the easiest pieces should be placed first, and that the others should gradually offer a greater number of idioms, till the most difficult phrases should be all made known; but to one who has attempted to select from classical authors, and who would not presume to curtail any part of their productions, such an undertaking must appear impossible; for the clearest writers, as they wrote for those who understood their language would in no instance refrain from employing an idiom, which, though unintelligible to a foreigner, might more forcibly express their idea. The only method, therefore, to be pursued in the compilation of such a work, is to arrange the pieces under such heads as may, from their nature, be likely to offer the fewest difficulties. Thus, descriptions must naturally be written in a clearer language than narrations, and the latter must generally be more so than dialogues. And to avoid the objection just made, notes should be added whenever the idea of the author may be misunderstood; but we think notes rather an impediment than an assistance whenever a Oct. 31.21- Men M.C. Send der good dictionary is sufficient to explain the sense. A knowledge of the verbs, both regular and irregular, ought to be acquired, before beginning to read; great disadvantage arises from attempting to translate without that previous study. In the introduction, simple phrases have been given under heads, which may direct the attention of the learner to the auxiliary and regular verbs; as to the irregular ones, a few notes only have been added, for some of the inflections which greatly vary from the infinitive, that many of the common difficulties might be avoided; but such assistances ought to be given with parsimony. The present compilation is made from authors of the first class only, and it is confidently hoped that the learner may find there sufficient matter to acquire the knowledge necessary to understand all the writers whose works compose the vast body of French Literature from the reign of Lewis the XIV. to the present time. INTRODUCTION. ON THE VERB AVOIR. PRESENT. J'ai une maison. Tu as un jardin. Il a deux chambres. Nous avons trois arbres. Vous avez quatre pommes. Ils ont cinq chevaux. IMPERFECT. J'avois six habits. Tu avois l'argent. Il avoit sept moutons. Nous avions le plaisir. Vous aviez la peine. Ils avoient huit chiens. PRETERITE. J'eus neuf frères. Tu eus dix amis. Il eut le livre. Nous eûmes les poulets. Vous eûtes le courage. J'aurai les chapeaux. aurons onze mouchoirs. J'aurois la satisfaction. sances. Ils eurent la bonté. Tu auras les souliers. CONDITIONAL. Tu aurois le dessein. Nous aurions le loisir. quinze enfans. Il aura la toile. None Ils auront le lit. Il auroit les connoisVous auriez quatorze cousins. Ils auroient IMPERATIVE. Aie le soin. Qu'il ait la charité. Ayons la fermeté. plaisance. Qu'ils aient l'attention. Ayez la com SUBJUNCTIVE PRESENT. Que j'aie le papier. Que tu aies l'encre. Qu'il ait la table. Que nous ayons seize chaises. Que vous ayez dix-sept fenêtres. Qu'ils aient une chambre. PRETERITE. Que J'eusse dix-huit piastres. Que tu eusses dix-neuf mille francs. Qu'il eût vingt vaches. Que nous eussions l'affection. la haine. Qu'ils eussent la pitié. COMPOUND TENSES. Que vous eussiez J'ai eu les fruits. Tu avois eu le pain. Il eut cu le vin. eu l'eau. Vous auriez eu le lait. Qu'il ait en la viande. eu le déjeuner. Nous aurons |