COPYRIGHT, 1900, BY
H. A. POTTER
———
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
314.11
The Athenæum Press
GINN & COMPANY PROPRIETORS
BOSTON U.S.A.
PREFACE.
THE following collection of short stories contains material which isabsolutely new; the stories are from the pens of the most popularwriters of the day, and it is hoped that a favorable reception will begiven them by all who are interested in French.
The collection, as a whole, gives an excellent example of the Frenchlanguage as it is spoken and written to-day. The stories are all fairlyeasy, adapted to second-year reading, and even to third-year classes inpreparatory schools and to first-year students in the higherinstitutions. The notes are intended to elucidate the more unusualgrammatical difficulties and to explain the historical references.
At the end of the volume are to be found free adaptations in English ofthe French text; the idea of these paraphrases is to give an ease andfreedom of expression to the pupil, by leaving the grammatical drill assuch aside, and to cultivate his confidence in himself and his abilityto turn his English thoughts into French. According to the editor'sexperience nothing equals such translations, based upon known texts, andoften repeated until they are learned; nor has any better way beenfound, it seems, to enlarge the student's diction, and to bring him, byeasy stages, to a realization of the beauty, conciseness, and eleganceof the French language.
H. A. P.