CAREFULLY CORRECTED, GREATLY IMPROVED, ENLARGED, AND ARRANGED IN CONFORMITY WITH THE LAST EDITION (1835) OF THF DICTIONARY OF THE FRENCH ACADEMY, AND AGREEABLY TO THE LAST EDITION OF THE FRENCH UNIVERSITY OF FRANCE. BY N. LAMBERT. LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS, AND WHITTAKER AND CO. EDITOR'S PREFACE. SINCE the appearance of the excellent, and once popular, Grammar of the learned Chambaud, no work of this kind has had so great and merited success as the Grammar of Hamel. It would require a long preface to enumerate all its merits; and I will merely state here, that, of all French Grammars published in England, it is decidedly the one best calculated to lead the pupil most easily and effectually from the elements up to the most intricate parts of Syntax, and to a perfect knowledge of the French tongue. The Author, keeping constantly in view the almost invariable discrepancy between the genius and the construction of the French and English languages, has framed a series of rules and examples admirably fitted to point out the peculiarities of each with accuracy and precision; and by thus obliging the pupil to study them analogically, at once confirms him in the principles of his native tongue, and initiates him in the mysteries of the French idiom, more speedily and accurately than by any other plan. After a careful examination of all the Grammars of reputation, I can honestly affirm that I know of none that can compete with Hamel's on this and every other point. Nor is my opinion on this subject open to the suspicion of interested motives, for, in the independent exercise of my own judgment, I selected Hamel's Grammar from among several others in repute, to make it the subject of the improvements I had in view. With all its acknowledged merits, however, the work of Hamel was far from being exempt from errors and defects; and to correct the one and supply the other has been the object of the present edition. To a few of the leading improvements, I beg here to direct the reader's attention. 1. The Grammar and Exercises, which, in the old editions, formed two separate volumes*, have been incorporated into one; and though containing a great deal of new and important information, the works will now be sold conjointly at little more than the original price of the separate volumes. 2. The rules for Pronunciation have been greatly enlarged, and modified agreeably to the best and most recent Parisian authorities. 3. As the French like the English nouns have no change of termination to mark a variety of state in the object, the declensions, &c. have been abolished as unnecessary, and as not being recognised by the French Academy and the University of France. 4. The verbs have been thoroughly revised, increased, and arranged in four conjugations, in conformity with the Grammar of the University of France. 5. The table of the government of prepositions has been completely altered according to the rules of the French Academy. 6. New exercises have been written, and the second * To accommodate those who might prefer having the Grammar and Exercises separately, the Publishers have also thought fit to retain the Edition in two volumes, in which all the improvements of this edition have been embodied. person singular of verbs has been introducedan arrangement which, it is hoped, will greatly lighten the labour of the pupil. 7. A new and complete alphabetical table of the genders one of the greatest difficulties in the French language - has been substituted for that of Hamel; so that the pupil will now be enabled at once to see the rule by which the gender of hundreds of words, with few, or no exceptions, will be determined. Such are a few of the leading improvements which have been introduced into this Volume; but the whole work has been subjected to a most careful and unsparing revision, and numerous emendations have been made which the reader, on comparing this with former editions, will discern at a glance. In conclusion I may state, that all these improvements and emendations have been recognised by the French Academy and the University of France, which, it must be remembered, exercise as much authority over the French language as the Parliament of England over the law of the British empire. It must not be said of any French teacher, as of the abbess of Chaucer, "Frenche she spake ful fayre and fetisly, After the scole of Stratford atte bowe, For Frenche of Paris was to hire unknowe." The French Academy and the University of France are, I repeat, the only competent and recognised authorities on this point, and all French grammars and dictionaries must, to be at all valuable, be in conformity with the decisions of these two illustrious bodies. N. LAMBERT. Paris, Rue Montaigne, No. 20. 20 Septembre, 1843. |