A KEY TO THE EXERCISES

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D. Appïeton ty Co.'s Educational Publications.

CRITICAL OPINIONS ON M. OLLENDORFF5S METHOD OF LEARNiNG

The French, German, SpanisL and Italian Langages,

In an article in the " Methodist Qvarterly Review," entitîed Modes of Teaching Languages, after describing thc various modes of Teaching, it goes on to state : —

" Some ten years ago, it seems, Captain Basil Hall, or' fatnous metnory, tirst found out how to learn German. He had tried it again and again, but alvvays found it impracticable until he stumbled on Herr Ollendorff, who was teaching German at the time in Paris, and who led him along nat by the nose, but by the mouth, most gently and delectably, into asutiicient knowledge of thatnoblest of modem tongues. As the captain lias always been distinguisrhed for his gratitude, he repaid the skilful teacher a hundredfold, by a puff in ' Scbloss Hainfeld,' that mad© him at once a man of notoriery and fortune.

" ' After six months of close application, I can venture to pronounce, that by Mr. Olîendorf?*» method alone, so far as l bave been able to unrierstand the subject, can this very difïîcult, but very charming language be taught without confusion. By it. the scholar advances step by step^ nnderstands cleaily and thorougbly every thing he reads, and as he goes on, he becomes sensible that ail he learns he retains, and ail that he retains is useful and practically applicable. At the same.time, he scarcely knows how he got hoîd of it, so slightly marked are the shades of daily progression ; and so gentle is the rise, that he feels no unpleasant fatigue on the journey. Of course, the student is called upon to exert no smail degree of patient application, and he must consent to dévote a considérable portion of his time to this puisuit ; but he will hâve the en- Couraging conviction, that every particle of effort is well bestowed.*

" Every body in Paris began to learn German a la mode d* Ollendorff, and in aîl German towns you might find Englishmen and Frenchmen thumbing the ' New Method,' and repeating its tliousand phrases with commendable persévérance. In 1838 the System was introduced into England by the publication of the ' New Method of learning to read, write, and speak a Language in Six Movtks, for the Useof Schools and Prhmte Tcachtrs ;* and although the complète work extended to three octavo volumes, and was sold at un enormous priée,* it soon aequired a great circulation. We hâve before us the fourth édition. Nor was the réputation of the work confined to Europe ; many copies were imported into this country, andof late the demand has been so great, that an American édition has been brought out in excellent style by the Messrs. Ap piétons, with the addition of a clear 4 Systematic Outline of German Grammar,' prepared by Mr. Adler, of the University of New-York. Nor has this success been by any means undeserved; the book certainly goes further in smoothing the rugged road to German than any other book extant ; and that too, not by attempting to dispense with the industry of the pupil, but by making ail his industry profitable.

" It takes ail thatis good in the Hamiltonian method, by giving the words to be used at once to the student, and not sending him to the Djctionary to hunt them out ; and it involves Jacotot's best principle of fixing the forms of the language by constant répétition, and supplying grammatical principîes only as they are required. Thèse are its chief excellences, and they are essential to any gcod System. The book, especially with Mr. Adler's appendix, is infinitely better adapted for use as an introduction to the German language than any other that we know of, and we hope it will obtain a wide circulation.**

* " Teaching is worse paid than any other kind of labour ; but it seems that when any particular teacher becomes the rage, he takes revenge on the public, and ' puts money in his purse/ We see from an advertisement at the end of Herr OllendorrT's second volume, that he teache» German in London atthe pleasant price of j£12 12s. sterling per quarter 1"

JVew Orléans Commercial Times.

" Mr. Ollkndorff's new method of teaching languages — a method founded upon an analytical system, which simplifies and connects information, and proceeds by gradations from the easy to the difficult — has found more favour among teachers than any previous system. It has been appîied with the utmost success, and has elicked the approbation of the best minds in the country. The system is one which it requires the patient study of a German toelaborate, but when once framed, its results are practical, complète, and speedy of attainment. We hâve no doubt that an intelligent person will masterthe intricacies of the French tongue,i>y the assistance of this work, in half the time iî would require to wade through the interminable exercises of Wanostrocht and Levizac.'*

D. Appleton fy CoJs Educatimial Publications. NEW MODERN FRENCH READER,