PREFACE.

IT is worth while to know the conjugation of the French verb.

Granting that the ungrammatical aim in French is to read it, write it, and speak it, a knowledge of the tabulated system of the verb will be no hinderance and not even a digression. More than this. While the forms in themselves are of no great account, and their possession may be entirely barren, their lack is a fatal one. They are a negative essential. One who knows them may and may not know French; but one who does not know them does not know French. One who already knows French can give the classified forms as a matter of course; and the one who cannot give them must learn to before he can ever know French.

This essential acquisition need not imply by any means the downright memorizing of pages on pages. Careful observation of the forms as they occur in literature will do nearly all. But this observation unassisted can hardly be so thorough and searching that it may not well be supplemented by an examination of systematic tables. This will easily resolve the familiar verbs into simple and natural elements, and give coherent relation to all the isolated items. To the observant user of the language it will supply completeness and distinctness, and with no further exertion to speak of.

Some books try to teach the French verb by rules for forming the various moods and tenses from the Infinitive or the Principal Parts; expecting each form to evolve itself spontaneously thereby. This attempts a short way; but it leads over very quaggy ground and into an abatis of exceptions. It seems an easy method; but it is full of disheartening toil, and brings no thoroughness to correspond. It can hardly ever be a wholesome or efficient mental process to depend upon

generalizations for acquiring specific facts. The way to learn the whole is to learn each part. The French verb is a company of French verbs. This book sets every specific fact within easy reach; and the learner is encouraged by the abundance of opportunity, and constrained by questions wherever feasible, to construct for himself his own generalizations from the particulars before him. Nothing is left for him to guess at or to form by mere analogy. Fulness is quickness in the long run. The whole matter is down in black and white; and the only chance for failure is neglect.

Education must needs be a compromise between independent investigation and the absorption of the work of others. One single original achievement is a more important factor in personal development than the most splendid educational gift from another. But if every one confined himself to his own unaided endeavors, the same work would be done over and over again without any progress. This book leaves the work in the learner's own hands, but collects his materials so that he shall have the chance to do up his work speedily, thoroughly, and once for all. He must make his own bricks; but he shall be duly furnished with the straw.

The regular imperative forms are given, and so are a good many in other moods, even when their use in actual language would be unlikely or impracticable. Nobody but a French author needs to know whether a particular form has actually been in use; and indeed, it is for him to decide, if he choose to, whether or not it could be used. part is merely to know what the form would be if it were used.

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Extra pronouns are not given, even in verbs that are almost always reflexive.

In the résumé of the principal parts, the common or the preferable form is generally the only one given, in case there be more than one. The miscellaneous list at the end supplies fresh material for exercise on all the preceding examples that are not in themselves exhaustive.

SUGGESTIONS.

THERE are some few facts worth observing from the outset about

the relation of the forms.

In the Present Indicative, the first and second persons plural have an unvarying relation to the Present Participle. This is not the case however in être, avoir, savoir, some of the seoir verbs, and the irregular form of fleurir.

In the Imperfect Indicative, the endings always run the same way. The forms have an unvarying relation to the Present Participle, except in avoir, savoir, and some of the seoir verbs; and to the mentioned forms of the Present Indicative, except in être and fleurir.

In the Preterite Indicative, the first and second persons plural have the circumflex accent on the vowel of the last syllable.

In the Future Indicative, and in the Conditional, the endings always run the same way. The first person singular of the Conditional is like that of the Future with an s on. The endings of the Conditional are like those of the Imperfect Indicative with an r before.

In the Imperative, the forms are the same as some of the Present Indicative; namely, the first person singular and the first and second persons plural. Some verbs take the corresponding subjunctive forms in stead; but these are subjunctives of command, rather than genuine imperatives. The only further peculiarities are in aller and vouloir.

In the Present Subjunctive, the first and third persons singular are alike, and end in e: the second person singular is the same with an s

on; and the third person plural the same with nt. The first and second persons plural are just like those of the Imperfect Indicative. The only exceptions to these statements are in être, avoir, pouvoir, savoir, faire, and fleurir.

In the Imperfect Subjunctive, the endings always run the same way. The forms are intimately connected with those of the Preterite Indicative; and this relation does not vary in verbs of the same conjugation. The third person singular has the circumflex accent on the vowel of the last syllable.