In Preparation. BY THE SAME AUTHOR. EXERCISES on the IRREGULAR VERBS of the 1st and 2d Classes, and on the DEFECTIVE VERBS. 26X353 PREFACE. IMPRESSED for a long time with the idea that there must be a fixed principle by which the conjugation of French verbs, whether regular, irregular, or defective, might be rendered easy to the comprehension of even the youngest or most untutored minds, I explained my principle in a Second Grammar Course; but the formula, besides not being applied to regular verbs, was perhaps not sufficiently simplified to render the principle comprehensible without further explanation. Having therefore simplified my conception by tables and classification contained in this volume, I explained it before a class of pupils, both English and French, who understood it with ease and rapidity. I then submitted the idea to various English and French friends occupying high positions in the educational world. They were all struck with the simplicity and complete accuracy of the method, and assured me that by its publication not only should I save endless hours of tedious study to pupils, but that all who aim at an accurate knowledge of the French language would be only too glad to possess a complete synthesis of the verbs and forms which the most perfect memory cannot always retain. This book is the result. It will be found to contain: A list as complete as possible of all verbs of the dead or old conjugation, viz.: I. All verbs regular and irregular of the 4th conjugation. II. All verbs regular and irregular of the 3rd conjugation. III. All irregular verbs IV. The two irregular verbs of the 2nd conjugation. of the 1st conjugation. In addition about 700 regular verbs of the 1st conjugation and about 50 of the 2nd. V And also: A complete list of the defective verbs, several of which are revived by modern authors. I have added to the end of each table, as far as space would allow : Verbal substantives and adjectives and sometimes proverbs and idiomatic sen tences. The whole is illustrated by examples drawn from the works of well-known writers. For the sake of comparison I have given the ordinary method of conjugation. It will be seen that the principle of the method consists in a single system. of conjugation, and one which leaves but few exceptions, these nearly always running on the same tenses and the same persons. It only remains for me to thank many friends for kind encouragement, and to ask for suggestions which may be of use in a preparation of a new edition. LONDON, January, 1895. A. ESCLANGON. |