HAVET'S FRENCH STUDIES: MODERN CONVERSATIONS on the ordinary topics of life; COLLOQUIAL EXERCISES, affording practice in French Composition; 140 Ex tracts from Standard French Writers, and a DICTIONARY of the Words and Idioms used in the text. This Method, written by an experienced native Professor, is fast superseding the works published by Germans, who had but an imperfect knowledge of the French language, and whose system of repetition is carried to a ridiculous extent. Monsieur Havet's Questions and Answers, all expressed in lively colloquial French, are such as are daily used in France, and do not in any way resemble the unlikely and too often absurd sentences of the German authors. Sixth Edition, 400 post 8vo pages. These "FRENCH STUDIES" consist of Conversations and Reading Lessons, the practical effects of which I have tested by using them for years in some of my classes, either as exercises in dictation, translation or reading, or as subjects of composition for the more advanced pupils. Experience has shown me that they are particularly well adapted for teaching the most useful words and idioms of the French language; and I now offer them to be used either as a graduated course of French instruction, or as a companion to all French grammars. The CONVERSATIONS, which are invariably formed of questions and answers, are written in clear and lively colloquial language, so as to be easily understood and remembered. The subjects introduced are all of an interesting and instruc tive character, and calculated to promote readiness in understanding and fluency in speaking French on the ordinary topics of life. Each Conversation is followed by an ENGLISH EXERCISE, which can be done into French at any stage of progress, and without the assistance of either grammar or dictionary. Each section contains a READING LESSON, generally connected with the previous Conversation. Instead of the usual selections, which, for the most part, are of too rhetorical or lofty a description to be of much use for teaching purposes, I have made from standard French writers upwards of 140 Extracts, intended to interest and instruct the reader, and to leave in his mind the words and phrases which are most likely to be useful to him in his subsequent studies, or in his intercourse with those who speak the French language. The Reading Lessons are not only valuable from their connection with the Conversations, but can also serve as an introduction to the study of French literature. They contain some of the finest specimens of the writings of Molière, Bossuet, La Fontaine, Fénelon, Mme de Sévigné; Voltaire, Montesquieu, Buffon, Rousseau, Diderot, Bernardin le Saint-Pierre; whilst many a page has been borrowed from the works of modern authors, such at Châteaubriand, Lamartine, Victor Hugo, Lamennais, Alfred de Vigny, Jules Janin, Souvestre, Charles Nodier, Alexandre Dumas, Alphonse Karr, Mérimée, Edmond About, &c. New Edition, 300 crown 8vo pages. HAVET'S HOUSEHOLD FRENCH. "M. HAVET's system obliges the pupil to learn almost in spite of himself, and to stock his memory with words and phrases belonging to our daily wants and avocations. The Conversations are most varied in matter, and range from the simplest construction to the most difficult idiom and the purest gallicism; yet the progress is so gradual, that a pupil with commonplace abilities must arrive at a good spoken knowledge of the French language."-Professor H. DE CANDOLE, Clifton College. "Cette véritable introduction à la langue française a pour titre Household French, autrement dit le français familier, le français de tous les jours, enfin le français qu'on parle. Bon nombre d'élèves en finissant leur cours, pourraient s'exprimer en langage plus ou moins académique, mais seraient dans l'impossibilité de causer des choses les plus usuelles et de donner un ordre à un domestique. C'est cette langue familière que le livre de M. Havet est destiné à leur apprendre, et nous croyons que rien n'a été négligé pour atteindre ce but." -Le Courrier de l'Europe. "The book embodies a dictionary of the most useful words and idioms of the French language, the words amounting to 10,000 in number. This is an excellent feature. Every large dictionary is encumbered with thousands of words which are rarely if ever used. We accordingly like the idea of judicious selection, sufficient for common purposes, and indeed, as regards the actually spoken language, almost complete."-The Glasgow Citizen. "This popular and practical work is got up in a convenient form, and is one of the cheapest, as well as one of the best introductions to the French language. Our readers, who attempt French without a master, will find it of great use."Examiner. "M. Havet, who has already gained a reputation as the author of several excellent works for teaching the French language, here achieves another success. Household French is a very useful work, with a dictionary of all the principal words in the language, which will answer all the requirements of a junior student."-Monthly Scholastic Register. “Of all the works used in this country, none possessed the singular advantage of clearing up the difficulties of French grammar without dragging the weary student through an interminable maze of confused rules. We have attempted to supply this desideratum by publishing an American edition of Monsieur Havet's Household French, after having long watched the steady and unprecedented success it has obtained since its first appearance in England. It is, in the opinion of some of our foremost teachers, emphatically the best system for learning French."-Preface to the New York edition, 1867, ALFRED HAVET, DIRECTOR OF THE SCOTTISH INSTITUTION, EDINBURGII, AUTHOR OF "FRENCH STUDIES;" "THE FRENCH CLASS BOOK;" "FRENCH COMPOSITION," ETC. "Familiar in their mouths as household words.”—SHAKSPEARE. LONDON: W. ALLAN & CO.; SIMPKIN & CO.; HACHETTE & CO.; DULAU & CO.; DUBLIN: M'GLASHAN AND GILL, 50 UPPER SACKVILLE STREET; Twentieth Thousand (August, 1868). 303. f. 54. Entered in Stationers' Hall, HAVET'S FRENCH EDUCATIONAL WORKS, Used in Colleges and Schools throughout Great Britain, Ireland, the English Colonies, and the United States of America. THE FRENCH CLASS-BOOK; PART I., containing Reader, Conversations, Grammar, French and English Exercises, Dictionary, &c. (The only work required in Elementary Classes.) 330 crown Svo pages. THE FRENCH CLASS-BOOK; PART II., containing the Syntax and Peculiarities of the French Language, with numerous English and French Exercises. 180 crown Svo pages. THE COMPLETE FRENCH CLASS-BOOK; or, Grammar of French Grammars. Ninth Edition, in one volume. 500 8vo pages. LE LIVRE DU MAÎTRE; or, Key to both parts of "The French Class-Book," with numerous Notes and useful Hints. FRENCH STUDIES: Modern Conversations upon the ordinary topics of life, Colloquial Exercises, Extracts from Standard Writers, a Dictionary, &c. 6th Edition, 400 Svo pages. HOUSEHOLD FRENCH; A Conversational Introduction to the French Language. 5th Edition. 300 Svo pages. FRENCH COMPOSITION; comprehending, I. Prose Specimens from British and American Authors, to be translated into French. II. Outlines of Narratives, Letters, &c. 272 8vo pages. ; KEY TO "FRENCH COMPOSITION," with Notes and Remarks. (Printed in Paris). LEÇONS FRANÇAISES DE LITTÉRATURE ET DE CONVERSATION, pour faire suite aux French Studies." [In preparation. * The right of Translation and Adaptation is reserved by the Author. Abbreviations and Signs used in "Household French.” Words followed by an asterisk (*) are the same in French as in English. Words printed in italics are not expressed in French. Words in a parenthesis are required in French and not in English. Several words united by hyphens are generally rendered into French by one word. PREFACE. Pour apprendre une langue étrangère, il faut que les élèves l'entendent, la parlent, la tournent et la retournent, pour ainsi dire, afin de se familiariser avec ses formes et ses usages. TEACHERS, who have adopted my other works, having asked me to publish a practical Introduction to the French Language, on the system which I have laid down in the "FRENCH STUDIES" and in "THE FRENCH CLASS-BOOK," I offer this series of Conversational Lessons, in which I have endeavoured to display the leading features of the language, and to give the most useful words and phrases employed in everyday life. The CONVERSATIONS, which are invariably formed of questions† and answers, are written in clear and lively colloquial French, so as to be easily understood and remembered. The principle of imitation is put into practice in the ENGLISH EXERCISES, each of which is entirely composed of words used in the preceding French Con. versation, and therefore familiar to the pupil. Repetition being one of the best means of teaching languages, the most useful expressions and idioms reappear frequently in the course of the Work; but it has not been thought necessary to repeat them till they become wearisome. The book opens with a short GRAMMAR, which exhibits the most important principles and forms of the French language, with appropriate Exercises. It also gives, for Translation and Reading, EXTRACTS from standard authors, which, it is hoped, will be both interesting and instructive. Some of these Extracts are interspersed throughout the work; but the greater number will be found at the end of the Conversational Lessons (p. 169). In order to enable students to use the book whenever and wherever they have leisure, I have put at the end a DICTIONARY of the words and idioms which appear in the different lessons. In short, I have spared no pains to produce a Work adapted to all classes of learners, both from its practical character and moderate price. 24 CHARLOTTE SQUARE, EDINBURGH, August, 1868. ALFRED HAVET. †The questions are the translation of the English Exercises in Havet's "French Studies." |