A NEW METHOD OF LEARNING TO READ, WRITE, AND SPEAK A LANGUAGE IN SIX MONTHS, ADAPTED TO THE FRENCH: FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE TEACHERS. BY H. G. OLLENDORFF, PH. Dr. PROFESSOR OF LANGUAGES. SECOND EDITION. LONDON: WHITTAKER AND CO. AVE MARIA LANE; AND DULAU AND CO. SOHO SQUARE. PC2179 05 1516 LE SANSONNET PRUDENT. Un sansonnet altéré trouva un flacon d'eau. Il essaya de boire; mais l'eau arrivait à peine au col du flacon, et le bec de l'oiseau n'atteignait pas jusque-là. Il se mit à becqueter le dehors du vase, afin d'y pratiquer un trou. Ce fut en vain, le verre était trop dur. Alors il chercha à renverser le flacon. Cela ne lui réussit pas davantage: le vase était trop pesant. Enfin le sansonnet s'avisa d'une idée qui lui réussit: il jeta dans le vase de petits cailloux qui firent hausser l'eau insensiblement jusqu'à la portée de son bec. * L'adresse l'emporte sur la force; la patience et la réflexion rendent faciles bien des choses qui au premier abord paraissent impossibles. THE SEA-COMPASS. "How is the wind, Jack?" asked the captain of a ship, addressing the steersman. "North-east-by-North, sir," was the instantaneous answer of the tar. A jocular monk, who was a passenger, drew near the sailor. "My son," said he to him, "I heard thee swear like a demon during the storm; dost thou know thy prayers as well as thy sea-compass?" "No," replied Jack, "for I can tell you, father, that I know my sea-compass a great deal better than even you know your prayers."-" Thou art joking, son." -" Quite in earnest, father."Upon this, our tar began thus : -" North-north-west-by-NorthNorth-north-west," and so on, till he had gone round and got to the North again. "Now, father," said Jack, "'tis your turn." The monk recited his pater noster in a very ready manner. "That is clever," Then he went on, observed the son of Neptune; "tis mine now." "North-north-east-by-North-North-north-east, &c.," till he had come to the word again. "Well, father," said he, with a grin, "give a 2 us your prayer backwards." - "Backwards! I can't, boy: I have never learnt it but in one way; it is not necessary." "Then," observed the triumphant sailor, "I know my sea-compass better than you know your prayers, for I can tell it in a thousand ways." Jack has just told us how a language ought to be learnt and known. PREFACE. MY system of acquiring a living language is founded on the principle, that each question contains nearly the answer which one ought or which one wishes to make to it. The slight difference between the question and the answer is always explained before the question: so that the learner does not find it in the least difficult, either to answer it, or to make similar questions for himself. Again, the question being the same as the answer, as soon as the master pronounces it, it strikes the pupil's ear, and is therefore easily reproduced by his speaking organs. This principle is so evident, that it is impossible to open the book without being struck by it. Neither the professor nor his pupils lose an instant of their time. When the professor reads the lesson, the pupil answers; when he examines the lesson written by the pupil he speaks again, and the pupil answers; also when he examines the exercise which the pupil has translated, he speaks |
