A FRENCH GRAMMAR, ARRANGED ON A New and Systematic Plan, CONTAINING A SYNOPTICAL TABLE OF THE CONJUGATION OF EVERY REGULAR VERB; AN ALPHABETICAL LIST OF ALL THE IRREGULAR VERBS IN THE LANGUAGE; AND THE GENDERS SIMPLIFIED BY A NEW METHOD. BY B. DU GUÉ, Author of "A French Pronouncing Dictionary;" ""French Exorcises; FOURTH EDITION, ENLARGED AND IMPROVED BODL DUBLIN: JOHN ROBERTSON, 3, GRAFTON STREET. SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO., LONDON. 1848. AN PREFACE. IN my Preface to the First edition of this Grammar, I expressed myself as follows: "The French language is 66 now so generally studied, and constitutes so essential a 66 part of a liberal education, that it is perhaps unnecessary "to allude to the advantages to be derived from an inti"mate acquaintance with it:—it is more incumbent on me, "at present, to state what has been my object in prepar 66 66 ing the following pages, which I now present to the "attention of the literary public. In them I have attempted "to simplify, condense, and arrange useful grammatical "information. Therefore, not only have the Rules and Exceptions been laid down with perspicuity, but likewise throughout the treatise I have studied conciseness and "order; for the convenience of the junior student in "the French Language who requires not merely that "the rules should be stated so explicitly that he may "understand them, but likewise that due regard should "be paid to brevity and arrangement, that he may re"member them. As an accurate acquaintance with the "formation of the Tenses of the verbs is of the greatest "importance, particular attention has been paid to this 66 subject, and to afford every facility to the young pupil, "I have subjoined the conjugations of all the verbs in the "French Language." In those terms the original edition was introduced to the notice of teachers and students. With regard to the pre sent I would observe, that it has undergone a most rigid and careful revision. MUCH IMPORTANT MATTER HAS BEEN ADDED: THE DEFINITIONS ARE EXPRESSED WITH GREATER SIMPLICITY THAN IN THE PRECEDING EDITIONS; AND WITH A VIEW TO A MORE PERFECT ILLUSTRATION OF THE RULES, A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES HAS BEEN INTRODUCED; BESIDES, ALL THE EXCEPTIONS ARE ANNEXED TO EACH RULE: So that the student cannot have the least difficulty, for if the word is not found among the exceptions it must be regular. The verbs (which require so much attention) have been conjugated in all their different forms, as it is essential that each should be known; all the irregular verbs in the language will be found in alphabetical order. The lesson on Genders will shew with what ease a knowledge of them may be acquired by the sound of the last syllable, even if the student may not know the correct spelling of the word. In fact I have laboured most diligently to render this Grammar as perfect as it was in my power to make it; my aim throughout was utility, neither have I inserted any rule unless sanctioned by the most unquestionable authority. During a period of nineteen years, the leisure hours— which a due attention to the proper discharge of the duties of an arduous and honorable profession would allow me— have been devoted to the subject which I have here attempted to elucidate, and the result of my labours is again respectfully submitted to the public. 27, PEMBROKE PLACE, B. DU GUÉ Professor of the French Language. DUBLIN. |