Second French book after the natural or Pestalozzian method. For schools and home instruction

C'est un véritable trésor, merveilleusement adapté au développement de la conversation familière et pratique, telle qu'on la veut aujourd'hui. Cet excellent livre met successivement en scène, d'une manière vive et intéressante, toutes les circonstances possibles de la vie ordinaire.

(c) SPANISH.

First Spanish Book, after the Natural Method (like the German) (in press).

Introduction.

The Second French Book follows in course the first book of the Chautauqua Language Séries. It is so arranged, however, that it can be used also independently of its predecessor, and witli or without any other text-book of French.

The principles underlying the natural method are continuously adhered to. The Second Book is marked, however, by the same peculiar 'characteristics that distinguish the First Book.

1. This course teaches the French language without the help of the learner's vernacular, and is, so far as we know, the first attempt to base linguistic instruction upon a direct appeal to a pictorial illustration of the object mentioned. The picture becornes the représentative of the object or action to bc interpreted, and instead of translating the thought the learner is madc to express himself in the language he studies. Moreover, the student in no instance is left to guess at what is said. He is instructed clearly and always speaks understandingly .

2. Grammar is taught, in order to enable the learner to speak accurately. Ail other elementary text-books, after the natural method, ignore the difficulties of grammar, and thus tend to make the learner superficial. Unsystematic study being always pernicious in its results, the aim of thèse little books is to supply a progressive course based upon the principles of the language. Ail grammatical as well as lexical détails required for the thorough understanding of the text are given, but the aim is to set forth the irregular and more complicated principles of the language, only whenever the occasion calls for them.

3. The Rules are deduced from the examples ; the purpose being to develop the dbstract from the concrète. In short, the laws of the language are the learner's own inferences from the examples.

4. Everything is taught by contrast and association. Too frequently in teaching, the learner's memory is overtaxed and the development of lus sensé and reasoning faculties neglected. The aim of our method is to employ, first of ail, the lower or sensé faculties of the mind, the perceptions. It has been wisely said : " True perceptions lead to true conceptions, and true conceptions are the very foundation of Truth itself."