ON THE COMPARATIVE CONSTRUCTION OF THE VERB IN THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES. AUTHOR OF BY JULES FESTU, THE FRENCH SUBJUNCTIVE AND ITS NEGATIVES," AND MASTER OF LONDON: 1863. 295.6.41. PREFACE. SINCE the introduction of Competitive Examinations, and the adoption of Free Trade on the Continent, the teaching of French, in these countries, has been making rapid strides in the right direction. The old classic system, by translation from the French, no longer preponderates to the same extent, and translating from English into French now begins to take the lead, and will sooner or later predominate. Everybody learning French would like to speak and write it. This desideratum has been so strongly felt in England, that in the leading public schools, not only one, but two and sometimes three French masters are to be found. Materials for translating English into French have been published, but no book which could initiate the student into the Construction of French, as compared with English, has as yet been brought out. Our grammars, excellent though they may be, fall short of what is now required. The transition from their exercises to regular composition is not gradual enough, because their Syntax only treats of the Concord instead |