THE UNIVERSITY CTF ILLINOIS LIBRARY Presented in 1916 fey President Edmund James, in memory of Amanda K. Casad Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/newfrenchmethod00duff_0 ECLECTIC EDUCATIONAL SERIES. FRENCH METHOD, BY F. DUFFET, Officier d"* Académie ; Professor of Languages; Member of the ^^Association Poly technique Paris. REVISED, AND ADAPTED TO THE USE OF AMERICAN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, BY ALFRED HENNEQUIN, M. A., Instructor in French and German in the University of Michigan; Author of A Mew Treatise on the French Verbs f First French Reading Lessons,^^ etc. VAN ANTWERP, BRAGG & CO., CINCINNATI AND NEW Y"ORK. REMARKS TO TEACHERS. We would respectfully advise teachers using this book to adopt the plan of study suggested hereafter: 1st. Lay all possible stress on a correct pronunciation. Do not, however, delay the study of the Grammar proper too long. Should the students find the application of the rules on pronun- ciation too difficult, give the rules yourself in connection with practical illustrations from the words of the “Lessons;’’ and then, at some later time, review the rules in the book. 2d. If the exercises are too long for the time allotted to the study of French, assign certain portions in each of the exer- cises, both from the beginning and the end of the “Lesson.” 3d. Use the French Exercises, at the end of Part First (p. 199), in connection with the first twenty-five lessons. 4th. Begin the study of the Verbs, — as independent work, — as soon as the scholars have become familiar with the pronun- ciation. Devote whole recitations to this portion of the Gram- mar once in a while. If necessary, use a separate work, deal- ing with the Verbs only, especially if you wish to begin to read before Part First has been completed. 5th. When the “Reader” is first introduced, attach a great deal of importance to the words, explaining, when this is pos- sible, their relation to English or their formation in French ; and use the text principally as a means of reviewing and ex- plaining the Grammar. 6th. Make conversation, from the very beginning, an impor- tant phase of the study of the language. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by Wilson, Hinkle & Co., in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Copyright, 1881, by Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co. PKEFAOE. 4-4 5 TI88 h This revised edition of Professor DuffePs French Method does not differ in the main from the original work, which has, in a very short time, become so fa- vorably known in Europe and in this country. It is still an eminently Progressive and Practical French Method for the Study of the French Language.” The object to be attained in studying a foreign lan- guage is certainly to understand it, to speak it, and to write it at the earliest possible moment. With this in view. Professor Duffet introduces the student to the language itself in its most useful and practical forms from the very beginning. Before the twenty-five Les- sons” composing the Part First have been studied, the learner already understands and can apply most of the principles of the grammar of the language, and has be- come tolerably familiar with French conversation. It is, in fact, a colloquial grammar, simple but thorough, short and complete. We do not claim, as reviser, to have added much to the intrinsic value of the work. Our object has been to adapt the book to the requirements of American schools and colleges : our principal task having consisted in an endeavor to facilitate the acquirements of some of the leading features of the work. Most of the im- portant - changes that have been made occur in Part 400^.13 IV PREFACE, First, in which have been introduced numerous tables and diagrams, explaining the parts of speech in a more systematic form than Prof. Duffet had attempted. Short rules have also been given where deemed advisa- ble, and many of the original rules have been re-worded. Part Second has called for very few changes aside from the introduction of Tables and Diagrams. The or- der of the Rules of Syntax has been maintained. The verbs have also been left in the order given by Prof. Duffet, and the same classification retained. We have, however, given an enlarged formation of the tenses, adding numerous references to the same, thereby doing away, to a very great extent, with the mechan- ical memorizing of the irregular verbs. Various other minor changes have also been made in the verbs, mostly through the introduction of Tables and Diagrams. We hope that this revised edition of Prof. Duffet^s French Method will continue to receive the same de- gree of favor accorded to the original work, and _ that the new features will prove to be useful to the teach- es and students of the language. ^ ALFRED HENNEQUIN. University of Michigan^ ^ Ann Arbor j April, 1881. / CONTENTS, Part I. Pronunciation. Second Lesson. Third Lesson. Remarks to Teachers Preface . The Alphabet Accent . Vowels . Nasal Sounds Diphthongs . Consonants . Union of Words First Lesson. — The Definite Article The Indefinite Article Partitive Articles Position of the Adjective . Contracted Articles . Fourth Lesson. — Gender of Nouns Fifth Lesson. — Plural of Substantives and Adjectives. Vocabulary Sixth Lesson. Possessive Adjectives. Personal Pronouns, 3d person . The Possessive Case . Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronoun How to Ask Questions Feminine of Adjectives . Gender and Number of Adjectives Résumé of the Different Articles [ Comparison of Adjectives, f Interrogative Forms . ■{ Use of Definite Article (Special) [ Relative Pronouns Ninth Lesson. — To be able , pouvoir f Vocabulary •{ Possessive and Personal Pronouns [ Interrogative quel, etc. . f Vocabulary Special Meaning of certain Adjectives *1 Cardinal Numbers I Ordinal Numbers [ Names of the Months Seventh Lesson. Eighth Lesson. Tenth Lesson. Eleventh Lesson. Twelfth Lesson. Thirteenth Lesson. I Vocabulary ^ Impersonal Form, y avoir I Objective, denoting Substance Interrogative Forms . Fourteenth Lesson. — Imperfect and Past Definite Fifteenth Lesson. I Vocabulary Personal Pronouns (V) page 2 3 9 10 11 12 13 14 17 18 20 21 23 24 25, 26 28, 30 31 32 32 35 36 38 39 41 41 42 44 45 45, 46 49 52 53 55 57 58 61 62 63 63 64 67 70 71 75 . 78-81 VI CONTENTS. Sixteenth Lesson.— T he Seventeenth Lesson. Eighteenth Lesson. Nineteenth Lesson. Twentieth Lesson. — Use Twenty-First Lesson. Twenty-Second Lesson. Twenty-Third Lesson. Twenty-Fourth Lesson. - Twenty-Fifth Lesson. es Past Indefinite ( Vocabulary . . i t Use of c’est and ce sont f Definite Article with Names of Countri^ -j En and à with Countries and Citii [ Pronoun it f Vocabulary ^ Tenses after quand and si . of the Imperative .... Vocabulary Expressions of Time . The Verb Reflective and Passive Verbs . Unipersonal Verbs Primitive and Derivative Tenses [ Formation of Tenses . ( Subjunctive Mode ^ The Adjective tout . f Definite Article, with Titles, etc. ^ Use of the Preposition chez . -Use of il, y, a j Vocabulary . t Use of quelque chose ; dont le Conjugation of avoir Names of the Tenses in French Conjugation of être "... Synopsis of avoir and être The Four Conjugations Terminations of the First Conjugation The Verb aimer Remarks on Verbs of First Conjugation List of Regular Verbs of First Conjugation .... Terminations of the Second Conjugation The Verb finir - Regular Verbs, like finir Verbs like sentir and couvrir Sentir, ouvrir and venir Irregular Verbs, like venir and tenir Terminations of the Third Conjugation — The Verb recevoir Terminations of the Fourth Conjugation — The Verb vendre Verbs like paraître and croître Verbs like conduire '. . . Verbs like oindre and plaindre, — Reflective Verbs . Conjugation of s’habiller List of Reflective Verbs Passive Verbs Unipersonal Verbs The Irregular Verbs List and Conjugation of the Irregular and Defective Verbs page 82 85 86 89 89 90 94 95 98-100 . 101 . 102 . 104 . 105 . 106 . 106 107-112 . 113 . 114 . 117 . 117 . 121 . 125 . 126 129-133 . 129 134-137 . 137 . 138 . 138 139-142 . 142 . 143 . 144 145, 146 . 147 . 148 . 149 . 150 . 151 . 154 . 157 . 158 . 159 . 160 . 161 . 162 . 163 . 165 166-176 CONTENTS. Vil Objective Case after Verbs . . . . Verbs requiring à Verbs requiring de Principal Adverbs Formation of Adverbs Principal Prepositions Principal Conjunctions and Interjections . Common Phrases Familiar Dialogues French Exercises for Translation. page . 176 . 178 . 179 . 180 182, 183 . 184 . 185 186-190 190-199 199-208 Part II. Third Lesson. Fourth Lesson. Fifth Lesson. Sixth Lesson. Ninth Lesson. Tenth Lesson. Eleventh Lesson. Relation of English to French — Prefixes. English and French Suffixes Suffixes to Nouns, Adjectives, and Verbs . I" Religion ; Insects, and Fishes Vocabularies. -{ The Human Body; The Country [ Articles for the Use of Ladies First Lesson. — Use of on Second Lesson. — Business Terms— Use of en. I Commercial Terms Use of y and ou Syntax of the Article. Repetition of the Article . f Commercial Terms . 'i Use of falloir and devoir [ Use of avoir besoin de . f Commercial Terms . t Use of vouloir and pouvoir [ Use of n’est-ce pas. Use of faire de, venir de Syntax of the Noun . [ Substantives derived from Verbs Seventh Lesson. — Use of Infinitive and Participle Eighth Lesson. — Use of Infinitive .... Trades .... Unipersonal Verbs Syntax of the Adjective Adjectives, Meaning dependent on Countries .... Si, aussi, trop, tel, demi The Weather Syntax of the Pronoun . Repetition of the Pronouns Use of le, la, les L^se of tel, chaque, and chacun Position 209 210 211 212 213 213 214 218 221 222 225 228 229 229. 230 233 233 237 238 240 243 244 248 251 252 255 258 259 260 263 266 267 268 269 CONTENTS, viii Twelfth Lesson. — Geographical Terms .... 271 Thieteenth Lesson. 1 The House .... 274 1 Syntax of the Verb . 278 f Rule I ! Rule II 278 280 The Subjunctive Mode. J Rule III ... . 281 Rule IV ^ Rules V and VI . 282 283 Concord of Tenses. — Rules I and II ... . 285 The Present Participle . 288 Past Participle, Rule I. . 289 Rule II 290 The Participle. Rule III ... . 291 Past Participle, followed by an Infinitive 293 Past Participle of Reflective Verbs. 294 . Past Participle of an Impersonal Verb. 296 Fourteenth Lesson. — Games 299 ! Musical Instruments . 303 Fifteenth Lesson. \ The Adverb .... 306 t Negation .... 307 Sixteenth Lesson. — Out-door Exercises .... 308 Seventeenth Lesson. — Implements 312 Eighteenth Lesson. j The Theater. 315 Use of que .... 319 Nineteenth Iæsson. | Use of coup 321 Invitations, etc . 323 Twentieth Lesson. | Use of tenir 324 Notes, etc . 327 Twenty-First Lesson. — Diseases and Deformities. 328 Twenty-Second Lesson. —The City 332 Twenty-Third Lesson. — Miscellaneous . ’ . 336 Twenty-Fourth Lesson. | Marriage 339 The Present Participle 340 Twenty-Fifth Lesson. — Virtues and Vices , 343 Miscellaneous Phrases 346-362 Selections.— Sobriété, 362; Affection Conjugale, 362; Opinion âe Jefferson sur le Peuple Français, 363; Le Philosophe Vaincu, 363; Le Page, 364; Manière de Demander un Sou, 364; Prière d’un Enfant, 365; La Fille de Robert, 365; L’étrange Nageur, 366; La Fuite Heureuse, 367; Les Gages d’un Roi, 367; Danger de la Désobéissance, 368-370; Le Voleur de Grand. Chemin, 370; Le Cœur d’une Mère, 370; Scarron,371: Absence d’Esprit de Newton, 371: Ac- tivité et Indolence, 372; Henri IV., 372; Politesse Rustique, 373; Sterne, 374; Anecdote de Tompion, 374 ; Anecdote d’un Grenadier, 375 ; La Chèvre Recon- naissante, 375; Le Chien Fidèle, 376; Le Maréchal Turenne, 377; Gustave Adolphe, 377 ; Le Mordeur Mordu, 378 ; Mourir en Vain, 378 ; L’esprit d ’York- shire, 379; Un Gros Ane, 379; Une Conscience Tendre, 380; Les Colons, 380- 385 ; Noces de Henri IV., 385-389 ; Est-ce un Rêve, 389 ; L’homme au Masque de fer, 392; Histoire d’un Lièvre, 393. DUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. FIRST. Pronunciation. The French alphabet is composed of the following twenty-five letters, which are divided into vowels and consonants : PRONOUNCED. PRONOUNCED. a, ah. n, n. ne. b, bay, he. o, 0. e, say, ce, he. P, pay. pe. d, day., de. q, ku. ke. e, a. r, heir. re. S\ fe- s, ess. se. g, jay, ghe. t, lay. ie. ^ h, ash, he. u, nh. i, e‘ V, vay. ve. j» jeej je- X, eeks. kse. k, kah. ke. y, e grec. 1, ell. le. Z, zed. m, m. me. w is called double The vowels are a, e, i, o, u, y. The compound vowels are ai, eu, ou: ai has two pronuncia- tions, è or é. The pronunciation of u is not like any English vowel. ( 9 ) 10 BUFFETS FBENCH METHOD, Accent. In the French language there are three accents which are placed on the vowels to modify their pronunciation ; but they belong principally to the e. F accent aigu (é), the accute accent; as in été, summer ; vérité, truth -; célébrité, celebrity. F accent grave (è), the grave accent; as in father ; mère, mother ; fidèle, faithful, Faccent circonflexe (ê), the circumflex accent; as in même, even, same ; prêter, to lend ; pâte, paste ; apôtre, apostle. The circumflex acc;ent often represents a letter which has been suppressed, as in pâte, formerly spelled paste ; même, mesme ; forêt, forest ; épître, epistre, epistle ; âge, aage, age, etc. If e he without the accent, it is generally either pronounced short or not at all, and is called e mute. Table, pronounce tahl’ ; porte, door, pronounce port ; venir, to come, pronounce vhiir; besoin, pronounce h’soin, etc. The accent aigu is only used on the e ; the accent grave is also used on a ; the accent circonflexe, or the long accent, occurs in the vowels a, e, i, o, u, and lengthens them — âme, tête, île, côte, fiûte. Besides the three above accents, the French language has the following accentual marks: The tréma (ï, ë), two points which are sometimes placed over a vowel : haïr, to hate ; ambiguë, ambiguous. The cédille (ç), which is sometimes placed under c before a, o, u: efTaça, effaçons, reçut. The apostrophe (’)» which takes the place of a, e, or i; I’amie, I’enfant, s’il, for la amie, le enfant, si il. The trait d^union (-), hyphen, which joins two words: porte- plume, dit-elle, êtes-vous? PR ONTJNCIA TION, 11 Vowels. a is pronounced like the a of rather: ma, my. table, table. arbre, tree. mal, had. madame, madam. carte, card. é is pronounced like ai of retain: été, been. rosée, dew. bonté, goodness. idée, idea. pré, meadow. célébré, celebrated. er, ez, ai are generally pronounced like é : parler (parlé), to speak. vous parlez (parlé), you speak, chanter (chanté), to sing. j’ai, I have. è, ais, ai, ei, ê are pronounced like ea in measure: mère, mother. aile, wing. vaine, vain. tête, head. j’avais, I had. veine, vein. peine, trouble. reine, queen. Ô, au, eau are pronounced like o in no; o like o in not: or, gold. robe, dress. tableau, picture. eau, water. tort, wrong, rose, rose. bientôt, soon. cause, cause. ou is pronounced like oo in cool: fou, fool. trou, hole. bout, end. oi is pronounced like iva in was: moi, me, I. foi, faith. quoi P ivhat f voix, voice. eu, œu are pronounced like u of hurt: heureux, happy. peur, fear. sœur, sister. feu, fire. beurre, butter. bœuf, beef, ox. 1 u is pronounced by contracting the mouth ;♦ it has no cor- responding sound in English, and must be learned from the teacher : murmurer, to murmur. lune, moon. pur, pure. plume, pen. y, i are pronounced alike — as e in be: vivre, to live. utile, useful. rue, street. rhume, cold. style, style. 12 BUFFETS FRENCH METHOD. y is generally pronounced like two French i’s; always so be- tween two vowels: pays, pron. pai«i, country. paysage, “ pai-isage, landscape, envoyer, “ envoi-ier, to send. payer, pron. pai-ier, to pay. croyant, croi-iant, believing. essuyé, “ essui-ié, wiped. Nasal Sounds— Sons Nasal. There are four nasal sounds peculiar to the French language, and represented by m, n, preceded by one or two vowels. an, in, on, un. 1st. 2d. an Are all pronounced much like an (broad) in uiant: ean gant, glove. Jean, John. tentant, tempting. en grand, tall. enfant, child. rampant, creeping. am membre, member. remplir, to fill. em is pronounced like y an in Yankee; as, chien, dog. These are all pronounced without sounding n, like an of the English word anger: 3d. 4th. in im aim ain ein yn ym on om eon un um eun syntaxe, syntax. sympathie, sympathy. feindre, to feign. plaindre, to pity. peindre, to paint. lin, flax. vin, wine. important, important. faim, hunger. pain, bread. bain, bath. Pronounce somewhat like on of the word wrong, a little more broad and nasal: bon, good. ombre, shade. bonbon, sweetmeat. montons, let us go up. mangeons, let us eat. songeons, let us think. Pronounce much like un of the word young: brun, brown. quelqu’un, somebody. humble, humble. à jeun, fasting. parfum, perfume. commun, common. PR ONVNCIA TION. 13 If the m or n of the above combinations is doubled, or occurs between two vowels, there is no nasal sound; as, année, inattendu, etc. The following are for practice on the nasal sounds: combien, how much. comment, how. invention, invention. compenser, to compensate. vengeance, vengeance. imminent, imminent. un jambon, a ham. un enfant, a child. imposition, tax. un an, a year. conséquence, consequence. tentation, temptation. un bon chien, a good dog. un bon gant, a good glove, humblement, humbly. honteusement, shamefully. nous changeons, we change. un grand banc, a large bench. 1 or 11, preceded by i in the middle or at the end of a word, has the liquid sound found in the English word brilliant. Ai, preceding il or ill, has the sound of a in mat. travailler, to work. éventail, fan. corail, coral. oseille, sorel. soleil, sun. seuil, threshold. feuille, leaf. sommeil, sleep. Versailles, Versailles. œil, eye. Diphthongs. When two vowels are pronounced by a single impulse of the voice, as, oi, oin, ien, ia, ié, iè, io, ieu, ua, ué, iu, ian, ion, they are called diphthongs. roi, king ; noir, black; soin, care; coin, corner; bien, good; rien, nothing; diacre, deacon; amitié, friendship; lumière, light; médiocre, middling; milieu, middle; suave, sweet; suivre, to follow ; viande, meat\ nation, nation; passion, passion. 14 BUFFETS FRENCH METHOD, If two vowels be pronounced separately, the latter takes the trema : naïf, artless. aïeul, grandfather, haïr, to hate. héroïne, heroine. Noël, Christmas. païen, pagan. Consonants. A final consonant is generally silent: plomb, lead ; aplomb, perpendicular ; port, harbor; fort, strong ; fusil, gun; goût, taste. B is pronounced as in English : bas, stocking ; bâton, stick. C before e and i is pronounced like s: ceci, this; citron, lemon. C before a, o, u, and before the consonants s, 1, n, r, t, sounds like k, except when the cedilla is added; ç sounds like s. cahier, copy-book. croire, to believe. garçon, boy. couteau, knife, clou, nail. reçu, received. cuisine, kitchen. craindre, to fear, plaça, placed. C final sounds like k: sec, dry ; sac, bag. It is silent in some words: pore, porA:; tabac, tobacco; blanc, white; franc, free; tronc, trunk, Ch is pronounced like sh in English. D has the same sound as in English: David. D final sounds like t when followed immediately by a word commencing with a vowel or h mute, in the union (la liaison) of the two words : un grand homme, pronounce un grantomme ; vend- elle, pronounce ventelle, etc. F is pronounced as in English, fièvre, fever. final is generally sounded: soif, thirst; chef, chief; œuf, egg; bœuf, ox; but in clef, chef-d’œuvre, œufs, bœufs, f is silent. (For neuf, see p. 52.) PR O N UNCI A TIG N 15 G before e and i is soft, and is sounded like j : génie, genius; agir, to act G before a, o, u, and consonants is hard : garçon, hoy ; gorge, throat ; aigu, sharp, grand, great ; gloire, glory, etc. gn is sounded somewhat like n in senior; igno- rance; seigneur, lord; saigner, to bleed; etc. For the liaison, g has the sound of k on a vowel or mute h: sang humain is pronounced sankhumain, etc. H is mute in most French words; as, Phomme, man; l’honneur. honor; l’héroïne, lowing words: the heroine, etc. H is aspirated in the fol- hâbleur halte hareng hâve hideux houss hache hamac hargneux havre hiérarchie houx hagard hameau haricot havresac Hollande huche haie hanche haridelle héler homard huée haillon hangar harnais hennir honte huguenot haine hanneton harpe Henri horde huit haïr hanter harpie héraut hors humer haire harangue hasard hérisson hotte huppe halage haras hâter héron Hottentot hure haie harasser hausser héros houblon hurler halle harceler haut herse houille hussard hallebarde hardes haut-bois heurter houlette hallier hardi hauteur hibou houppe There is no elision before the aspirated h : la haie, not I’haie, etc. There is no liaison before the aspirated h: les héros pronounce lè héros, not lèzhéros, etc. J is pronounced like s in measure: jamais, never ; jour, day, etc. K is pronounced as in English : kilogramme, kilogram. L is sounded at the end of some words ; as, fil, thread ; Brésil, Brazil; Nil, Nile; mil, mille, thousand; profil; ville, town, etc. See p. 13 for the liquid 1, 11. L is silent in baril, barrel; coutil, ticking ; fils, S07i; fusil, gun; outil, tool; persil, parsley, pouls, pulse, etc. M as in English. It is silent in automne, and in the nasal sounds: temps, rompre, etc. N as in English. It is silent in nasal sounds: enfant. 16 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. P is generally sounded as in English. However, it is silent in baptême, baptiser, compte, compter, dompter, exempt, sept. P final is silent : coup, hlow ; drap, doih^ etc. ; except cap, cape^ and proper names. It is not carried to the next word, except in trop and beaucoup. Qu is pronounced like k: quatre, quel, qui. R is like the English r in richy wfith a little greater force. rire, to laugh. rare, scarce. rougeâtre, reddish. trouver, to find. retrouver, to find again. retourner, to return. montre, watch. arbre, tree. Practice br, cr, dr, fre, gr, pr, tr, pourrai, pourra, pourrons, pourrez, pourront; croîtrai, croîtra, croîtrons, croîtrez, croî- trant ; montrerai, montrera, montrerons, montrerez, montre- ront. R is not sounded at the end of the words ending in ier: premier, first; dernier, last ; and at the end of words ending in cher, ger: cocher, coachman; berger, shepherd, etc. R is not sounded at the end of verbs ending in er, unless when followed by a vowel: aimer (aimé), to love; donner (donné), to give, etc. Aimer à chanter, pronounce aiméra chanté, etc. R is sounded at the end of verbs ending in ir, and in monosyllables: finir, choisir, car, cor, pur, voir, cher, fer. S is pronounced like s in sum when beginning the word, or after a consonant, hut like z between two vowels. santé, health. dépense, expense. insulte, insult. observer, to observe. saison (z), season. raison, reason. poison, poison. vision, vision. Sc is pronounced as in English: scène, science, conscience, scandale. Sch is pronounced like sh: schisme, schelling. S final is generally silent: pas, ste}^; mais, hut; jus, juice; progrès, succès, etc.; hut sounded like s in aloès, atlas, blocus, gratis, iris, maïs, moeurs, manners, etc. S, when joined to the initial letter of the next word, is sounded like z on the following vowel or mute h: les amis, lé-zamis; mes enfants, mé-zenfants ; trois hommes, troi-zommes. UNION OF WOEDS. 17 T is pronounced like t in English: toute, all. T has the sound of s in the combinations tial, tiel, tion: partial, essentiel, nation, providentiel, etc. T has this same pronunciation (s) in ineptie, minutie, prophétie, aristocratie, démocratie, etc. But t has its proper sound in garantie, moitié, amitié, chantier, métier, trade. Th always sounds like t: thé, tea; thèse, thesis. V, W, have the same pronunciation, v. X initial is pronounced gz : Xavier, Xénophon. X after an initial e is also pronounced gz : exemple, exil, examiner. X not following an initial e is pronounced ks: Alexandre, maxime, sexe. Z sounds like a soft s: zèle, zeal; douze, twelve. Z final is gen- erally silent: nez, nose; chez, at; allez, go; venez, come; sortez, go out, etc. ; except gaz, gas; Suez (z), Metz (ss). Union of Words — Liaison des Mots. The final consonant of a word is sounded with the initial vowel of the following word, whenever the two words are so connected with each other that there can be no pause between them. Vos enfants sont-ils arrivés, pronounce vo-zenfants son-til- zarrivés. S sounds like z ; d has the sound of t ; g of k ; x of z ; f of V. Ils ont eu deux enfants, pronounce il-zon-teu deu-zenfants. C’est un grand ami de neuf ans, “ cè-tun gran-tami de neu-vans. INous avons deux ou trois amis, “ nou-zavons deu-zou troi-zamis. In words ending in rt, rd, carry on r, not t, d : tort ou raison, pronounce to-rou raison. In words ending in et, carry on c as k, not t: respect à la vieillesse, pronounce respè-ka la vieillesse. The ear, practice, and taste will be the best guides. N. B. — The union of words depends more on euphony than on actual rules. D. F. M.— 2. FIRST LESSON* — Première Leçon. The bread, le pain. The meat, la viande. The eggs, les œufs, m. The wine, le vin. The beer, la bière. The glasses, les verres, w. The sugar, le sucre. The milk, le lait. The water, Teau, /. The knife, le couteau. The spoon, la cuillère. The fork, la fourchette, The Definite Article. The Sing. Plur. Le, m, used before masculine singular words be- ginning with a consonant or aspirated h. La, f, used before feminine singular words be- ginning with a consonant or aspirated h. L% m and f, used before masculine or feminine singular words beginning with a vowel or mute h. Les, m and f, used before masculine or feminine plural words. When a noun is taken in a general sense, it takes the article le, la, F, les, in French. Wine, le vin. Water, Feau, f. Beer, la bière. Eggs, les œufs, m. The article is repeated before every noun, and before every word used as a noun having a separate meaning. The ivine, heer^ and water: Le vin, le bière, et Feau. Let us notice immediately that besides the article, the pro- noun, the preposition, etc., are repeated in French. Study and conjugate, affirmatively and interrogatively, the present indicative of the auxiliary avoir, p. 130. ♦Before committing to memory the words of every lesson, the student must be sure of the correctness of his pronunciation. ( 18 ) THE DEFINITE ARTICLE. 19 Fes, sir. Oui, monsieur. iVo, madam. Non, madame. And. Et. Yes — oui, and also si, si fait. The affirmative answer to a sentence without nega- tion is oui; but with a negation in familiar style, the affirmative answer is generally si or si fait. Do you not love your mother f N’aimez-vous pas votre mère ? I do love her. Si, je l’aime. EXAMPLES. Have you the bread "I Yes, sir, I have the breoA. Has he the meat? Yes, madam., he has the meat. Has she the eggs? She has the eggs. Have you the wine? Yes, we have the wine. Have they the beer? They have the beer and glasses. Have they the sugar? They have the sugar and milk. Have you the knife? I have the knife, fork, and spoon. Avez- vous le pain? Oui, monsieur, j’ai le pain. A-t-il la viande? Oui, madame, il a la viande. A-t-elle les œufs? r Elle a les œufs. Avez- vous le vin? Oui, nous avons le vin. Ont-ils la bière ? Ils ont la bière et les verres. Ont-elles le sucre? Elles ont le sucre et le lait. Avez-vous le couteau? J’ai le couteau, la fourchette, et la cuillère. 1 . Have you the glasses? Yes, I have the glasses. — Has he the bread? He has the bread and the wine. — Has she the sugar ? She has the sugar and water. — Have you the beer ? I have the beer? — Have you the knife and the fork? We have the knife, spoon, fork, and meat. — Have they the milk ? They 20 BUFFETS FRENCH METHOD, have the milk and the sugar. — Have they (/.) the eggs? Yes, they have the eggs and the bread. — Has he the meat ? He has the meat, bread, and wine. — Have you the water ?' I have the water, the sugar, and bread. — Who (qui) has the milk? We have the milk. — Have you also (aussi) the water? Yes, we have the milk and the water. SECOND LESSON — Deuxième Leçon. A plate, une assiette. A bottle, une bouteille. A decanter, une carafe. A dish, un plat. Some {or any) butter, du beurre. “ coffee, du café. Some {or any) tea, du thé. “ chocolate, du chocolat. “ cream, de la crème. cheese, du fromage. “ pepper, du poivre. sait, du sel. Page 130. Review present indicative of avoir in the four forms. Indefinite Article. A, an, [ 1. Un, m. s., used before masculine singular words, or j one. [ 2. Une, /. s., used before feminine singular words. I have a dish, I have a bottle, I have one plate. J’ai un plat, J’ai une bouteille. J’ai une assiette. Not, ne,* . . . pas. Only, hut, ne . . . que, seulement. Place ne before the verb, and pas or que after the verb. I have not a decanter, I have not a dish, I have only a bottle, 1 have but one plate. Je n’ai pas une carafe. Je n’ai pas un plat. fJe n’ai qu’une bouteille. \j’ai seulement une bouteille. Je n’ai qu’une assiette. * Most monosyllabic words ending with e mute reject this letter before a vowel or silent h. PARTITIVES, 21 Partitive Articles. r r 1. Some or any; | Sing. - (also of or ^ from the.) 3. Plur. V- Du, m. used before masculine singular words beginning with a consonant or aspirated h. De la, /, used before feminine singular words beginning with a consonant or aspirated h. De 1% m. and /., used before masculine or feminine singular words beginning with a vowel or silent h. Des, plur. used before masculine or fem- inine plural words. N. B. The above partitive articles follow the same rules, as to the classes of words with which they are used, as have been given for the Definite Article. Some or any, of it, thereof, of them, en. When the partitive nouiV^ is understood, en is used instead of du, de la, de P, des, and is placed before the verb, except in the imperative affirmative. Have you any bread? I have, i. e., I have some. Have you any? We have not {any). Get some. Avez-vous du pain? J’en ai. En avez-vous? Nous n’en avons pas. Procurez-en. (lmp. Affir.) The preposition de is used instead of du, de la, de P, des, whatever be the gender or number of the partitive noun : 1st. In a negative-partitive sentence. 2d. When an adjective precedes the partitive noun. I have no butter. Je n’ai pas de beurre. I have good blitter. J’ai de bon beurre. * A partitive noun is one with which some or any is used. Some or any is, however, frequently understood in English. 22 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD, EXAMPLES, Has she any chocolate? She has some chocolate. She has some. Have we any tea? We have no tea. We have none. Have you no cheese? No, hut we have some cream. Have they any pepper? They have some pepper "and salt. Have they (/.) not a decanter. They have one. They have none. Have you a plate? I have a plate and a dish, I have hut one plate. Have you not also a dish? Who has a dish? I have no dish. A-t-elle du chocolat? Elle a du chocolat. Elle en a. Avons-nous du thé? Nous n’avons pas de thé. Nous n’en avons pas. N’avez-vous pas de fromage ? Non, mais nous avons de la crème. Ont-ils du poivre? Ils ont du poivre et du sel. N’ont-elles pas une carafe ? Elles en ont une. Elles n’en ont pas. Avez-vous une assiette? J’ai une assiette et un plat. Je n’ai qu’une assiette. ( J’ai seulement une assiette. N’avez-vous pas aussi un plat? Qui a un plat ? J e n’ai pas de plat. 2 . Has he not a decanter and a bottle? He has no decanter, hut he has a bottle. — Has she not a plate? She has one, but she has no dish. — Have you not any salt? I have some salt and pepper. — Have they (/.) any butter? They have some butter and cream. — Have they (m.) any cheese? They have some cheese and bread. — Have they (m.) no wine? They have some. — Have they (/.) any eggs? They have none, but they have some milk and cream. — Have you no beer? I have none. — Have you any glasses? I have only one. — Have you a decanter ? I have only one. — Has she any coffee ? She has some coffee and sugar. — Have you a knife? I have one. — Have you a spoon and a fork? I have a spoon, but I have no fork. — Have you no meat? I have none. THE ADJECTIVE. 23 THIRD LESSON — Troisième Leçon. Fine, handsome, ^Beautiful, nice, beau, bel, beUe, /. Pretty, joli, m. jolie, /. ^ , I laid, m. ; vilain, m. ’ \ laide, /. ; vilaine, /. Good, kind, nice, bon, m. bonne,/. Bad, mauvais, m. e, /. iVa«ÿ%, «.icilrd, I “éohant, m. ( méchante, /. Good, (children), sage (wise), m. and /. Tall, great, large, grand, m. e, /. Little, small, petit, m. e, /. m.; petit, m ( courte, /. petite, /. Young, jeune, m. and /. r âgé, m. ; vieux, vieil, m. ’ \ âgée, /. ; vieille, /. and maZ are used with masculim singular nouns beginning with a vowel or silent h. Study and conjugate, affirmatively and interrogatively, the indicative present of être. See page 134. Position of the Adjective — Place de P Adjectif. The adjective in French is generally placed after the noun to which it relates. It is always placed after it when it denotes religion, nationality, color, shape, taste, quality, temperature, the matter of which an object is composed or made; as well as the participles present and past used adjectively; and also many adjectives in al, able, ible, ique, if. The following usually precede the noun: beau, bon, cher (dear), digne (loorthy), jeune, joli, mauvais, mé- chant, meilleur (better), petit, saint (holy), tout (ail), vieux, vilain, laid, etc., i. e., short adjectives in common use. Many adjectives may be placed either before or after the noun. These will be studied farther on. 24 BUFFETS FRENCH METHOD, The adjective, whatever may be its place, agrees in gender and number with the noun which it qualifies. 1 have some- good milk, J’ai de bon lait (de not du, before an adj.) I have some good cream, J’ai de bonne crème (de, not de la, before an adj.) I have some redpaper, J’ai du papier rouge. (Adj. after the noun.) Very, Très. Well, Bien. Very well. Très-bien. To, at. à. It. Ce, or c’, with the verb to be. It is beautiful. C’est beau. Definite Article Contracted with à. These contracted articles follow the same rules as have already been given for the partitive or definite articles. (See Lessons 2 and 3; also Lesson 7.) EXAMPLES. Is he handsome f Est-il beau? He is handsome. 11 est beau. Is it fine ? Est-ce beau? It is very fine. C’est très-beau. Is she pretty ^ Est-elle belle? She is pretty and kind. Elle est jolie et bonne. Are they ugly ? Sont-ils laids? They are very ugly. Ils sont très-laids. Is it badf Est-ce mauvais? No, it is very good. Non, c’est très-bon. Are you naughty? Etes-vous méchantes? (/.) No, we are very good. Non, nous sommes bien sages. Are they tall? Sont-ils grands? (m.) No, they are little. Non, ils sont petits. Are they old? Sont-elles vieilles? (/.) They are very old? Elles sont très-âgées. Is she tall? Est-elle grande? She is tall and young. Elle est grande et jeune. To the or at the. \ 1. Au. S‘ng. .j 2. Ala. L 3. A 1’. Plar. J 4. Aux. THE ADJECTIVE. 25 3. Are you naughty ? (/.) No, I am very good. — Is he ugly ? No, he is handsome and very good. — Is she pretty ? She is ugly and wicked. — Are they (m.) old? They are very old. — Are they (/.) kind? They are very kind. — Are you very good? We are very good. — Have you any good bread? I have some very good bread. — Has he any good wine ? No, but he has some good beer. — Has she a small decanter? She has no decanter, but she has a large bottle. — Have you any good tea? We have very bad tea, but we have some good coffee. — Have they (m.) any old wine? They have none. — Have they (/.) any fine forks (fourchettes)? They have some fine forks and nice little spoons. — Have you any cheese? I have some old cheese. — Is it a good knife ? No, it is a bad knife. — Have you any good milk? I have none. — Have you any small glasses? I have none. — Have you a large dish? I have one; I have only one ; I have none. FOURTH LESSON — Quatrième Leçon. miahle, I . , j ^ . ^ ’V aimable, m. and /. ma, j content, m. e, /. Amiable. Kind, Satisfied, I Pleased, J Displeased, mécontent, m. e, /. Tired, | fatigué, m. e, /. Fatigued, t las, m. lasse, /. Angry (with), fâché, m. e, (contre). Happy, heureux, m. se, /. Unhappy, ) V malheureux, ??i.se Unfortunate,) The X oi adjectives in eux Study and conjugate the four forms. See page 184. D. F. M.-8. Poor, pauvre, )n. and /. paresseux, m. paresseuse, /. Lazy, IndmtTiom, 1 , , . ™ _ v? ’ y laborieux, m. se, /. Laborious, j Clean, propre, m. and /. Dirty, j f- [ malpropre, m. and /. Miserable, misérable, m. and /. Dangerous, dangereux, m. se, /. is changed- into se for the feminine, indicative present of être in the 26 DUFFErS FRENCH METHOD. Of the Gender of Nouns* — Du Genre des Noms. There are but two genders in French ; the masculine and feminine. Nouns naming male beings are masculine; as, homme, man; taureau, huU^ etc. Nouns naming female beings are feminine ; as, femme, woman; jument, mare, etc. Certain nouns assume a feminine form when denoting a female ; as, voisin, neighbor, voisine, lady neighbor. Nouns denoting neither male nor female are of the masculine or feminine genders. The following are of the masculine gender: 1. The names of trees, mountains, metals, seasons, months, days. 2. Nouns ending in al, et, ant, ent. 3. Those ending in ége, age, except cage, image, nage, page, plage, rage, which are feminine. 4. Those ending in isme, asme, iste, ime, aume, ome, ome, are also generally of the masculine gender. 5. And all those ending in one of the following letters: b, c, d, g, h, k, 1, p, q, y, z. The following are of the feminine gender: 1. The names of fruits, flowers, herbs, sciences, virtues, vices — hut there are exceptions. 2. Nouns ending in ance, ence (except silence), esse, eur (except bonheur, déshonneur, honneur, malheur), aison, erie, ise, ion, té, ude, ure, ade, tié, ée, etc. *If these rules are carefully studied, the student will be able to give the gender of a very large number of French nouns. The ear and practice are, however, the most correct guides for the distinction between the genders. Or. On the contrary. Not at all. Also, too. Ou. Au contraire. Pas du tout. Aussi. THE ADJECTIVE. 27 EXAMPLES. h she not very amiable f She is very amiable. Are you pleased f On the contrary j I am displeased. Is he tired? He is not tired, but angry. Are you happy? We are not at all happy. Are they not very unhappy? They are very unfortunate. Are they not poor ? On the contrary, they are very rich. Is she not lazy? No, she is, on the contrary, very industrious. Is it clean? Yes, it is very clean. No, it is very dirty. N’est-elle pas très-aimable? Elle est très-aimable. Etes- vous content? Au contraire, je suis mécontent. Est-il fatigué ? Il n’est pas fatigué, mais fâché. Etes-vous heureux ? Nous ne sommes pas heureux du tout. Ne sont-ils pas bien malheureux? Ils sont très-malheureux. Ne sont-elles pas pauvres? Au contraire, elles sont très- riches. N’est-elle pas paresseuse ? Non, elle est, au contraire, très- laborieuse. Est-ce propre ? Oui, c’est très-propre. Non, c’est très-sale. 4. Are you angry? I am not at all angry. — Is she not very happy? She is, on the contrary, displeased. — Are they {m.) fatigued? They are not (fatigued). — Are they (/.) happy? No, they are very unhappy. — Is he rich? Not at all, he is very poor. — Is she not industrious ? On the contrary, she is lazy. — Are you not pleased? We are displeased. — Is it not dirtj^? It is, on the contrarj^ very clean. — Are they (/.) very amiable? They are not at all amiable. — Are they {m.) angry? They are angry, and they are not at all amiable. — Are you not industrious ? I am, on the contrary, very lazy. — Have you any water? Yes, I have some water. — Have you no wine? I have, some very good old wine. — Have you any beer? I have none. — Have they no good cheese? They have none at all. 28 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. FIFTH LESSON — Cinquième Leçon. Very glad (of ii), bien aise. Inquisitive^ | y curieux, 7ïi. se, f. Curious, J Sweet. mild, 1 , , ^ ’ ’ ^ doux, m. douce, f. Gentle, j Obstinate, entêté, m. e, /. Strange, étrange, m. and /. Astonishing, étonnant, m. e, /. Sorry for, fâché de. New, Wet, mouillé, m. e, /. Necessary, nécessaire, m. and f. I' neuf, m. neuve, /. (just made.) nouveau, m. nouvel, m. [ nouvelle, /. Learned, savant, m. e, /. Dry, sec, m. sèche, f. Dark, sombre, m. and f. Modest, modeste, m. and f. N. B. — The following idiomatic expressions are formed, in French, hy means of substantives, while the English correspond- ing expressions require adjectives; e. g. to be hungry or thirsty, etc., is, in French, to have hunger or thirst, etc. To be hungry. To be thirsty. To be right. To be wrong. To be afraid. To be ashamed. To be sleepy. To be warm. To be cold. To be damp. Avoir faim. Avoir soif. Avoir raison (de) before the inf. Avoir tort. Avoir peur. “ “ Avoir honte. “ “ Avoir sommeil. Avoir chaud, f faire chaud. referring Avoir froid, \ faire froid, j to the Faire humide. [atmosphere. Good morning; good day. How are youf I am very well, thank you; how are youf How is your mother f Did you sleep well last night f To-night, cette nuit. Here, To-day, aujourd’hui. There, Bonjour. r Comment vous portez-vous ? or, (Comment allez-vous? Je me porte très-bien (or, je vais très-bien), merci; et vous? Comment se porte (or, comment va) votre mère ? Avez-vous bien dormi cette nuit ? ici. Good-by, au revoir. , là. Good-night, bonne nuit. ADJECTIVES, 29 EXAMPLES. Are you hungry f I am hungry and thirsty. Is he right f No, he is wrong. Is she afraid f She is not afraid, she is ashamed. Are you not sleepy? We are very sleepy. Is it cold ? It is not cold to-day. Are you warm? I am very warm ; it is very warm. It is damp here. It is damp to-day. How are your parents ? They are pretty well. Avez-vous faim? J’ai faim et soif. A-t-il raison? Non, il a tort. A-t-elle peur? Elle n’ a pas peur, elle a honte. N’avez-vous pas sommeil? Nous avons bien sommeil. Fait-il froid ? Il ne fait pas froid aujourd’hui. Avez-vous chaud ? J’ai bien chaud ; il fait très-chaud. Il fait humide ici. Il fait humide aujourd’hui. Comment se portent (or, vont) vos parents ? Ils se portent (or, ils vont), assez bien ? 5. How are you to-day ? I am pretty well. — Did you sleep well last night? Very well, thank you. — x^re you not hungry? I am very hungry. — Are you thirsty? No, I am not thirsty. — Is she cold? Yes, she is very cold. — Is it cold? It is very cold. — Is it not damp? No, it is dry. — Are they not right? They are right, w^e are wrong. — Are they (/.) afraid? They are afraid. — Are you not sleepy? I am very sleepy. — She is very well. — They (/.) are very well. — Is it cold there? No, but it is cold here. — It is astonishing. — Is she modest? She is gentle and modest. — Are you very glad? No. — Are you obstinate? I am very obstinate. — Is she not inquisitive? She is very inquisitive. — Are they wet? No, they are not wet. — Bread is very necessary. — You are learned. — The water is not clean. -I have some new wine. — How is your father? He is very well, thank you. — I am very glad of it. — Good-night. 30 BUFFETS FRENCH METHOD, Plural of Substantives and Adjectives. General Rule. — A substantive, as well as an adjec- tive, becomes plural by taking an s. the house, the houses. the large house, the large houses. a good child, good children, a black coat, black coats. la maison, les maisons, la grande maison, les grandes maisons. un bon enfant, de bons enfants, un habit noir, des habits noirs. Exceptions. — 1. Words ending in s, x, z, remain unchanged in the plural. the son, the sons, happy son, happy sons, the walnut, the walnuts, the nose, the noses. 2. Words in au, eu, take an the ring, the rings. the picture, the pictures. the tomb, the tombs. the nice game, the nice games. a bad bird, bad birds. 3. The following words in ou but take x instead of s. the jewel, the jewels. the pebble, the pebbles. the cabbage, the cabbages. the louse, the lice. the knee, the knees. the owl, the owls. the plaything, the playthings. le fils, les fils, fils heureux, fils heureux, la noix, les noix, le nez, les nez, X. l’anneau, les anneaux, le tableau, les tableaux, le tombeau, les tombeaux, le beau jeu, les beaux jeux, un mauvais oiseau, de mauvais oiseaux. do not follow the general rule, le bijou, les bijoux, le caillou, les cailloux, le chou, les choux, le pou, les poux, le genou, les genoux, le hibou, les hiboux, le joujou, les joujoux. 4. AVords in al change that termination into aux. PLURALS. 31 the horse, the horses. le cheval, les chevaux. the canal, the canals. le canal, les canaux. the animal, the animals. l’animal, les animaux, etc. Except bal, hall; carnaval, carnival; fatal, fatal; etc., which follow the general rule: bals, carnavals, fatals, navals, etc. 5. Words in ail follow the general rule. a fan, fans. un éventail, des éventails. the detail, the details. le détail, les détails. a rail, rails. . un rail, des rails, etc. Except the following, which change ail to aux; lease, bail, baux. air-hole, soupirail, soupiraux. coral, corail, coraux. - work, travail, travaux. enamel, émail, émaux. 6. Some plurals are formed irregularly : the eye. l’œil, les yeux. cattle. bétail, bestiaux. grandfather, aïeul, aïeux. heaven, sky. ciel, deux. Some nouns have no singular; as, funérailles, fiançailles, etc. Some are used only in the singular ; as, la crainte, la honte, etc. Adjectives and verbs used substantively are employed only in the singular: as, l’agréable, le comique, le possible, l’avoir, le boire, le manger. SIXTH LESSON — Sixième Leçon. The family, The father, le père. The mother, la mère. The son, le fils. The daughter, la fille. The child, l’enfant, 77i. and /. The brother, le frère. The sister, la sœur. la famille. An uncle, un oncle. An aunt, une tante. A nephew, un neveu. A niece, une nièce. A cousin, un cousin, m. A cousin, une cousine, /. A friend, un ami, m. une amie, f. 32 DUFFET^S FREE CH METHOD. Study and conjugate, affirmatively and interrogatively, the indicative present of aimer. See page 139. POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES. Masc. sing. Fern. sing. M. and F. plur. English. My, Thy, His, her, its. Our, Your, Their, My father, mother, brothers. Thy uncle, aunt, cousins. His, her friend, sister, aunts. Our nephew and nieces. Your brother and sisters. Their friend and cousins. These possessive adjectives agree, in French, with the object possessed; not, as in English, with the posses- sor. They are always used in connection with nouns. Mon père, ma mère, mes frères. Ton oncle, ta tante, tes cousins. Son ami, sa sœur, ses tantes. Notre neveu et nos nièces. Votre frère et vos sœurs. Leur ami et leurs cousins. mon. ma. mes. ton. ta. tes. son. sa. ses. notre. notre. nos. votre. votre. vos. leur. leur. leurs. N. B. — Before a feminine singular noun, beginning with a vowel or mute h, mon, ton, son are used instead of ma, ta, sa. My soul, mon âme, instead of ma âme. His friend, f. son amie, instead of sa amie, etc. Him, it, le, m.; her, it, la, him, her, it, T, m. and /.; them, les, m. and /. plur. These personal pronouns, third person, singular and plural, are placed before the verb, except in the imperative affirmative. They stand for the English objective case, or Latin accusative. I see him, or it. I see her, or it. I love him, her, it I see them. See them. Je le vois. Je la vois. Je l’aime. Je les vois. Voyez-les. (lmp. Affir.) To know. Much, very much. Better. Connaitre (p. 157), savoir (p. 174). Beaucoup (before the object). Mieux (before the object). POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES. 33 EXAMPLES. Do you love your father f I love him very much. Does he love his mother f He does love her. Does she love her parents f She does love them. Do you know my sons? I know your sons and daughters. Do they like their niece? They like her very much, she is very kind. Do you like children? Yes, I do like them. Do you know my brother? I know your sister better. Do they like their nephews? Not much. Have they any friends? Yes, but they have also enemies. The father loves his daughters. The mother loves her sons. Aimez-vous votre père ? Je Vaime beaucoup. Aime-t-il sa mère ? Oui, il Taime. Aime-t-elle ses parents? Oui, elle les aime. Connaissez-vous mes fils? Je connais vos fils et vos filles? Aiment-ils leur nièce ? Ils l’aiment beaucoup, elle est très-bonne. Aimez-vous les enfants? Oui, je les aime. Connaissez-vous mon frère ? Je connais mieux votre sœur. Aiment-ils leurs neveux? Pas beaucoup. Ont-elles des amis? Oui, mais elles ont aussi des ennemis. Le père aime ses filles. La mère aime ses fils. CONVERSATION: OR QUESTIONS WHICH THE PUPIL IS TO ANSWER IN FRENCH. Avez-vous dll sucre? N’avez-vous pas de chocolat? Etes- vous fâché? Etes-vous paresseux? Est-elle modeste? Fait-il froid aujourd’hui? Avez-vous chaud? N’avez-vous pas faim? Aimez-vous le lait? Avez-vous soif? Aimez-vous la bière? Comment se porte votre père? Aimez-vous vos parents? Avez- vous bien dormi cette nuit? Comment vous portez-vous au- jourd’hui? N’avez-vous pas mon canif? Aimez-vous le café? A-t-elle son verre? N’avez-vous pas sommeil? 6. My mother is very kind ; she loves her children very much. — Does she love her niece? She loves her niece and nephew. — Do you like your uncle, Paul? I like my uncle and my aunt 34 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. very much. — Have you a son ? I have a son and a daughter. — Do you like our children? I like your children very much; they are very good. — My daughter loves her brother very much. — My son loves his sister and his parents. — Do you like coffee? I like coffee, tea, and chocolate. — Your niece loves her father, uncle, aunt, and cousins (/.) very much. — My uncle is very fond of beer. — Do you know your enemies ? I know them very well. — Have you any friends? Yes, I have some good friends. — Are you hungry ? I am not hungry, but I am thirsty. — Is it cold ? It is not cold to-day. 7. Do you like eggs ? . I like eggs and butter. — Does he like wine? He likes wine and beer. — Does she like meat? Not much. — My sister likes chocolate and sugar. — We are fond of cheese. — My brothers like good wine. My nephe^^ s are very well satisfied. — My children are very fond of potatoes. — Have you not any sugar? I have none. — Do you like milk? Yes, but I like cream better. — Have they no coffee? Yes, they have some. — Have you any good knives? I have no good ones. — Your brothers are very industrious. — They are indus- trious and kind. — My mother loves her uncle and aunt. — Are they old? They are very old. — Have you not a niece? No, but I have nephews. — My sister loves her young child; it is a beautiful child. — I am very well satisfied with my wine. — Do you like our old friends? I like them very much ; they are very agreeable. Important Remark to Teachers. It now becomes most advisable to study the verbs as a separate subject; a certain portion being assigned for each lesson. Learn first the verbs avoir and être; then the ter- minations^ which precede each of the regular conjugations ; and, finally, the formation of tenses. Many of the verbs referred to in this and in the sub- sequent lessons, are conjugated in full; but the acquire- THE POSSESSIVE, 35 ment, of the same can be more easily obtained through the formation of tenses. If the learner masters the reg- ular verbs, and can form a verb, by means of the termin- ations and the formation of tenses,^ the task of memorizing a whole irregular verb, and frequently a whole class of verbs, will require less study than to learn two or three tenses needed for a “ Lesson.” SEVENTH LESSON — Septième Leçon. The hook, le livre. The dictionary, le dictionnaire. The copy-hook, le cahier. The letter paper, le papier à lettre. The envelope, l’enveloppe. /. The letter, la lettre. The pen, la plume. The pen-holder, le porte-plume. The pencil, le crayon. The inkstand, Fencrier. m. The ink, Fencre. /. A sheet of paper, une feuille de papier. Study and conjugate, negatively and interrogatively with the negation, the indicative present of aimer. See p. 139. The possession, in French, corresponding to the Saxon Geni- tive, i. e., expressed in English by means of ’s or s\ is rendered by the preposition de, of or from, in connection with the pos- sessive adjectives (see the table in the preceding lesson), or by means of the contracted articles du, m. de la, /, de F, m. and /. des, m. and /. plural. The hoy^s hook, i. e., the hook of the hoy. My sister's house, i. e., the house of my sister. Your brothers' pens, i. e., the pens of your brothers. To belong (to). To give. Le livre du garçon. La maison de ma sœur. Les plumes de vos frères. Appartenir (see p. 133). Donner. 36 BUFFETS FRENCH METHOD, To lend. To write. To answer. To speak. To see. This or that. These or those. Sing. 1. Ce, m. 2. Get, m. 3. Cette, /. Plur. J 4. Ces, m. and J. Prêter. Ecrire. (See p. 169.) Répondre (à). (See p. 157.) Parler. Voir. (p. 176.) \ These demonstrative adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun. The second masculine form is used with masculine nouns before a vowel or silent h. The adverbs of place, ci {here) and là {there), are suffixed to the noun to point out the difference be- tween this and thaU these and those. This or that hook, This or that silver, This or that lady. These or those men. This man and that man, These children and those children, Ces enfants-ci, et ces enfants-là. This, ce ci, and that, cela, are used absolutely. I have this and that, J’ai ceci et cela. Ce livre. Cet argent. Cette dame. Ces hommes. Cet homme-ci, et cet homme-là. That or those (of). cr- fl. Celui, m. 1 -i O ^ \ 1 i 2. Celle, /. Plur. i 3- Ceux. m. ( 4. Celles, /. . Followed by the preposition de (of). These demonstrative pronouns are usually understood in English, but can not be omitted in French. They agree in gender and number with the noun for which they stand. Have you my hrotheFs, i. e., J that of my brother? 1 We have not your friends\ i. e., ( those of your friends. ( Avez-vous celui, or celle, mon frère? Nous n’avons pas ceux, celles, de vos amis. de or DEMONHTRA TIVES. 37 In the same manner as the adverbs of place ci and là are used above, with the demonstrative adjectives, they can be used with the demonstrative pronouns, conveying then the idea of this one, that one, these (here), those (there). We have this one, and you have that one. You have these, and we have those. Which f Whof * Whose f to whom? Whose pen is this? To whom do you give this jjencilf Too, too much, too many. Him, her, it, them. Nous avons celui-ci, or celle-ci, et vous avez celui-là, or celle-là. Vous avez ceux-ci, or celles-ci, et vous avons ceux-là, or celles-là. Lequel, m. laquelle, /. lesquels, m. jdur. lesquelles,/. p)Jur. Qui? qui est-ce qui? A qui? A qui est cette plume? A qui donnez-vous ce crayon. Trop. Le, la, r, les."- (See Lesson 6.) E X A M P I. s . Whose book is this? Which? This one. It is my friend's. Who has my .dictionary? Your sister has it. Do you not like that copy-book ? Not at all. Who lends you some letter paper ? My friend Robert. You have a letter to write. I have to write to Paul. To whom do these good pens belong ? They are my cousin's. Do you see my pen-holder? I see your brother's. You do not speak to Robert ? No, I am angry with him. Charles gives his inkstand to his brother. A qui est ce livre? Lequel ? Celui-ci. C’est celui de mon ami. Qui a mon dictionnaire? Votre sœur l’a. N’aimez-vous pas ce cahier? Pas du tout. Qui vous prête du papier à lettre ? Mon ami Robert. Vous avez une lettre à écrire. J’ai à écrire à Paul. A qui sont ces bonnes plumes? Elles sont à ma cousine. Voyez-vous mon porte-plume? Je vois celui de votre frère. Vous ne parlez pas à Robert? Non, je suis fâché contre lui. Charles donne son encrier à son frère. '^Placed nefore the verb, exceptîn the imperative afflrmative Isee it, je le, (la,) vois. 38 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. CONVERSATION. N’avez-voiis pas mon cahier? A qui sont ces enveloppes? A. qui prêtez-vous votre dictionnaire? N’avez-vous pas soif? Ne connaissez-vous pas la sœur d’Arthur? Connaissez-vous ces enfants? Ne voyez-vous pas mes beaux crayons? N’avez- vous pas l’encrier de mon fils? Avez-vous l’encrier de Charles? N’êtes-vous pas mouillé? Fait-il humide? Fait-il froid ? Aimez- vous ces plumes? Ne sont-elles pas bonnes? Qui a tort^ Qui a peur? Comment vous portez-vous aujourd’hui? Comment se portent vos enfants? How To ASK Questions in French when the Nominative IS A Noun. When the nominative or subject of the verb in an interroga- tive sentence is a noun, it must be placed before the verb; and a pronoun agreeing with the subject in gender, number, and person, is placed immediately after the verb in simple tenses, or immediately after the auxiliary in compound tenses. Is his brother tall? Son frère est-il grand Does his father love him ? Son père Taime-t-il ? Has your sister danced? Votre sœur a-t-elle dansé? When the third person singular of a verb ends with a vowel, and is immediately followed by a pronoun, a euphonic t is placed between the verb and the pronoun ; as : Does he love him? Has he? L’aime-t-il? A-t-il? etc. With j Has your father? avoir. \ Have not your brothers ? AVith J [s your mother? être. \ Are not my sisters? AVith other verbs. Votre père a-t-il? Vos frères n’ont-ils pas? Votre mère est-elle? Mes sœurs ne sont-elles pas? Does his sister speak ? Sa sœur parle-t-elle ? Do the children write ? Les enfants écrivent-ils ? Do not these little girls Ces petites filles n’aiment-elles love their parents ? pas leurs parents ? FEMININE OF ADJECTIVES, 89 8 . Do you like my pen-holder? No, it is too small. — Do you see my dictionary ? 1 have it. — To whom are you writing this letter? To my mother. — Does she answer your letters? Yes, always. —Has your niece the paper and envelopes? Yes, and she has also the inkstand and pen. — Have you my pencil? No, I have your sister’s. — Have you my brother’s copy-book? I have not your brother’s; I have Robert’s. — Are your sister’s pens good? No, I do not like them. — Whose large book is this? It is Paul’s. — Do you see that child? I do. — Do you know him? He is (c’est) my friend’s son. — 1 do not like that letter paper ; it is very bad. •— Does your sister lend or give her book to my cousin ( /. ) ? X do not know. — Is it not damp to-day? It is damp and cold. — Are you cold? My young sister is cold. 9. Is this pencil your sister’s? No, it is my cousin’s (/.).— Is George’s book dirty? No, George is a good boy; his books are clean, but his cousin’s are very dirty. — To whom do you give chocolate? I give some to my friends. — Whose knife is this? It is my niece’s. — Are your brothers happy ? They are very happy. — Is not your aunt’s daughter angry with your sister? I do not know. — Poor child ! you have no bread. No, sir, I have not any. — Has your little daughter paper, pen, and ink? She has some paper and a pen, but she has no inkstand. — Have you not too much wine? No, not at all. — Do you like wine? A^es, I like good wine. — Have you not too many pen- holders ? I have only one. — Do you not like these eggs ? I like them very much; they are very good. — How are your parents? I thank you, they are pretty well. — Are you not very warm? I am too warm. — Are you thirsty? Very. fJ’ai bien soif). Feminine of Adjectives. The feminine of adjectives is formed by adding a mute c to the masculine * grand, grande ; petit, petite ; fort, forte, strong. 40 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD, Those ending in e mute in the masculine remain unchanged in the feminine : aimable, honnête, sage. Adjectives ending in el, eil, on, ien, as, et, etc., double the final consonant and add e : cruel, cruelle ; pareil, pareille, equal. bon, bonne ; ancien, ancienne, old., ancient. gras, grasse, fat; muet, muette, dumb. Those ending in f change f into ve : neuf, neuve ; vif, vive, quick. Those ending in x change x into se: heureux, heureuse ; jaloux, jalouse, jealous. The feminine of some adjectives is irregularly formed; as: blanc, blanche, white. doux, douce, sweet. franc, franche, frank. faux, fausse, false. public, publique, public. turc, turque, Turkish, etc. Some words ending in eur change it to euse ; and teur to trice ; a few words in eur form their feminine in resse: trompeur, trompeuse, deceiver. inspecteur, inspectrice, inspector. pécheur, pécheresse, sinner. Eemarks. — 1. Let the student notice that the characteristic sign of the feminine is e, and that the feminine plural is always formed by adding s to the feminine singular. 2. Certain nouns are subject to feminine forms (e), according to the sex they denote — ami, friend (m.), amie, friend (/.). 3. The résumé given on p. 41 contains not only the general rides, but also the principal exceptions. REVIEW r AB LES. 41 RÉSUMÉ OF THE GENDER AND NUMBER OF ADJECTIVES. No. Masc. Sing. Fem. Sing. Masc. Plur î Fem. Plur. 1 e. e. es. es. 2' Not ending in e. e. f add s. if mas. es. 3 I El, eil, en, ) ^ et, on, as. ’ Double final con- sonant and add e. 'j sing, does not [ end in s. es. 4 eux. euse. eux. euses. 5 if. ive. ifs. ives. 6 X. se, sse, ce. X. ses, sses, ces. 7 eur." euse,resse,rice. eurs. euses, resses, rices. 8 c hard. que. cs. ques. 9 c mute. che. cs. ches. 10 ou, ol. olle. s. olles. 11 eau. elle. eux. elles. 12 al.f e. aux. es. *This termination is dropped before adding the feminine forms, t A few adjectives in al take s for the masculine plural. Î The masculine plural of adjectives is the same as the masc. plur. of nouns. RÉSUMÉ OF THE DIFFERENT FRENCH ARTICLES. No. French. English. Gender and Number. Use of the Articles. 1 Le, w The, M. Sing. Before mas. sing, words beginning with a consonant or aspirated H. B Before fem. sing, words beginning 2 La, . O The, F. Sing. with a consonant or aspirated H. 3 o’ The. M. and F.Sing. Before mas. or fem. sing, words B beginning with a vowel or silent H. 4 Les, J The, M. and F. Plur. Before plur. words of either gender. V O 5 Du, 1 ^ 2 Of the ^ m o M. Sing. Same as No. 1. 6 De la, P 2 Ci Of the o F. Sing. “ No. 2. . ^ !» o # 7 De F, O S. 3 E2 Of the i-i P M. and F. Sing. “ No. 3. 8 Des, Of the M. and F. Plur. “ No. 4. 9 Au, 1 O To or at the M. Sing. “ No. 1. 10 A la, . O O To or at the F. Sing. “ No. 2. !» a s 11 AF, 1 P O ■ O To or at the M. and F. Sing. “ No. 3. 12 1 Aux, J 1 To or at the M. and F. Plur. “ No. 4. 13 Un, ' 1§’I A, an, one, M. Sing. Before masculine singular words. 14 Une. si A, an. one, F. Sing. Before feminine singular words. • D. F. M.— 4. 42 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. The Comparison of Adjectives. QUALITY COMPARED. Equality. | ^ as, as much. Que, as. Aussi, Autant, r 1. Pas aussi, pas si, ) not as, Inferiority. ^ 2. Pas autant, pas tant. J not as much. 3. Moins, less, ] r. . . ( .. Que, than. buperiority. Plus, more, (or English comparative in er). 1 He is as much loved as his brother. She is as tall as her sister. They are not as much loved as esteemed. They (/.) are less handsome than their friends, (/). My cousins are tcdler (more tall) than we. II est autant aimé que son frère. Elle est aussi grande que sa sœur. Ils ne sont pas autant aimés qu’estimés. Elles sont moins belles que leurs amies. Mes cousins sont plus grands que nous. QUANTITY COMPARED. Equality. | Autant de, | as much, as many, 1 Que, or ] not as much, not as many, h Que de. Inferiority. U ■ l’as autant de, j. J ( 2. Moins de, J legs^ j or r Que de, Superiority. I Plus de, more^ J than. N. B. — Use que as second part when the sentence does not involve two (juantities, and que de when tv)o quantities are actually compared. I have as many horses as your J’ai autant de chevaux que votre father. père. There is but one quantity — horses. They have more courage than you. Ils ont plus de courage que vous. There is but one quantity or amount- -courage. We have more friends than enemies. Nous avons plus d’amis que d’ennemis. COMPARISON. 43 The number of friends is compared to the number of enemies. They have fewer books than pencils. Ils ont moins de livres que de crayons. The number of books is compared to the number of pencils. You have not as much courage as Vous n’avez pas autant de cour- amhition. age que d’ambition. The amount of courage is compared to the amount of ambition. After the que of a comparison, the personal pronouns nomi- native are not used in French. The following are used instead: I, moi. for je. We, nous, for J sanie as the Thou, toi. U tu. You, vous, “ \ nominative. Ile, lui. U il. Thy, 1 eux, “ ils. She, elle. U elle. 1 elles, elles. Ile is taller than I. II est plus grand que moi. She is taller than he. Elle est plus grande que lui. We are taller than they (m). Nous sommes plus grands qu’eux. Superlative. * Place le plus, la plus, les plus before the adjective ; as, I am the tallest of all. Je suis le plus grand de tous. She is the prettiest of the three. C’est la plus jolie des trois. good, bon; better, meilleur (mieux, adv.); the best, le meilleur (le mieux, adv.). bad, mauvais ; worse, pire (pis, adv.) ; the worst, le pire (le pis, adv.). little, petit; less, moindre (moins, adv.); the least, le moindre (le moins). very, très, fort, bien; rather, assez. The more I know him, the more Plus je le connais, plus je l’es- I esteem him, time. The less you speak, the more you Moins vous parlez, plus vous listen, écoutez. More than, plus de (before a number) ; plus de dix, de cent, etc. Less than, moins de ; moins de quinze, etc. 44 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. EIGHTH LESSON — Huitième Leçon. The head, la tête. The hair, les cheveux, m. The ear, I’oreille, /. The nose, le nez. The mouth, la bouche. The face, la figure. The eye, Tceil, les yeux, m. The arm, le bras. The hand, la main. The finger, le doigt. The nails, les ongles, m. The leg, la jambe. The heard, la barbe. The body, le corps. Study and conjugate finir in the indicative present, four forms. See p. 145, as well as sentir (p. 149), ouvrir (p. 149), and tenir (p. 150). Do If Est-ce que je? The student already knows that in conjugating a verb inter- rogatively, the subject pronoun is placed after the verb; as, aimons-nous? etc. However, when a verb in the first person singular of the indicative present ends with two or more con- sonants, as je vends, je dors, je pars, je prends, and also in all verbs of the first conjugation, as well as in the verbs of other conjugations in which the same first person ends in e, as je cueille, j’ouvre, the French make use of the above expression — est-ce que je? i. e., is it that? as: Do I sell? Do I sleep f Do I love? Do I open? Est-ce que je vends? Est-ce que je dors ? Est-ce que j’aime? Est-ce que j’ouvre? etc. The same est-ce que may be used with every tense and per- son in familiar style, but the other form is preferable. Do you u’orA;.^ Travaillez- vous? or Est-ce que vous travaillez? Does he sell? Vend-il? or Est-ce qu’il vend? Do they open? Ouvrent-ils? or Est-ce qu’ils ouvrent? Would that gentleman leave? Ce monsieur partirait-il? or Est-ce que ce monsieur partirait? RE LA Tl ] E PR ONO UNS. 45 In speaking of the parts of the body or the qualities of the mind, the French use the article le, la, les, etc., instead of the possessive adjective or the indefinite article ; the possession being other word in the sentence- My feet are cold. Her hands are warm. He has cut his nails, m To have the or a headache. To have a sore eye. To have a pain in one's side. I have a headache. She has the toothache. He has sore eyes. She has pains in her arms. already expressed by some J’ai froid aux pieds. Elle a chaud aux mains. Il s’est coupé les ongles. Avoir mal à la tête. Avoir mal à l’œil. Avoir mal au côté. J’ai mal à la tête. Elle a mal aux dents. Il a mal aux yeux. Elle a mal aux bras. What is the matter with him.^ Qu’a-t-il. qu’a-t-elle, 1 lit. what have with her y ivith youf etc. qu’avez-vous? etc. | you? etc. I have a bad cold. J’ai un gros rhume. Relative Pronouns. Who, 1 Whom, 1 That, r qui. That, I qui, que. Which, J Which, J ( Who is there? qui est là? The flower that, or which, is in the garden, la fleur qui est dans le jardin. Objective -interroga- 1 Whom do you see? qui voyez-vous? tive applying to persons. J Of whom do you speak ? de qui parlez- vous ? 'j The lawyer whom I heard, l’avocat que j’ai Objective (not in- ] intendu, terrogative), to per- 'pjig Jxx)lc which, or that, I read, le livre que sons and things. j 46 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. Variotts Forms of Relative Pronouns. 1. Qui, who, that, which, mas. and fern., sing, and plur. ; stand- ing in the nom. for persons or things. Who is there f Qui est là? 2. Qui, whom, mas. and fern., sing, and plur.; standing in the objective for persons, in interrogative sentences, with or with- out preposition. Whom do you seef Qui voyez-vous? 3. Que, whom, that, which, mas. and fern., sing, and plur.; stand- ing for persons or things in the objective case. The man whom I see. L’homme que je vois. 4. Quoi, what, used absolutely and relatively ; also interroga- tively with a preposition, in the sense of what thing etc. Of what are you thinking f A quoi pensez-vous? 5. Dont, of whom, of which, whose, and fern., sing, and plur.; for persons or things, never used absolutely; preferable to de qui, du quel, etc. The hook of which I speak. Le livre dont je parle. 6. Lequel, which one, which, mas. sing. ; standing for mas. sing, nouns. Which one do you seef Lequel voyez-vous? 7. Laquelle, which one, which, fern. sing. ; standing for fern. sing, nouns. W> ich one do you give me f Laquelle me donnez-vous ? 8. Lesquels, which ones, which, mas. plur.; standing for mas. plur. nouns. Which ones are y ours f Lesquels sont à vous? 9. Lesquelles, which ones, which, fern, plur.; standing for fern, plur. nouns. Which ones are minef Lesquelles sont à moi? 10. Duquel, of which one, of which, mas. sing. ; standing for mas. sing, nouns. Of which one does he speak f Duquel parle-t-il? 11. De laquelle, of which one, of which, feni. sing. ; standing for fern. sing, nouns. Of which one is he fond f Laquelle aime-t-il ? 12. Desquels, of which ones, of ndiich, mas. plur. ; standing for mas. plur. nouns. Of which ones does she complain f Desquels se plaint-elle ? 13. Desquelles, of which ones, of which, fern. plur. ; standing for fern. plur. nouns. Of which ones do they speak f Desquelles par- lent-ils ? 14. Auquel, to which one, to which, mas. sing. ; standing for mas. sing, nouns. To which one does she give itf Auquel le donne-t-elle? 15. A laquelle, to which one, to which, fern. sing. ; standing for fern. sing, nouns. To which one does he write f A laquelle écrit-il ? 16. Auxquels, to u'hich ones, to which, mas. plur. ; standing for mas. plur. nouns. To which ones do we give it f Auxquels le don- nons-nous ? RELATIVES. 47 17. Auxquelles, to which ones, to which, fern. plur. ; standing for fein. plur. nouns. To which ones shall I write f Auxquelles écrirai-je ? To cut. Couper. To walk. Marcher. To work. Travailler. To have a mind, to desire. Avoir envie de. To intend to. Avoir l’intention de, compter. To have time to. Avoir le temps de. To he in a hurry. Etre pressé. He who, the one who, the one which, etc., are rendered in French by means of the demonstrative pronouns (see Sov^ enth Lesson) and the relatives qui and que. The one who, he who, she who, the one which. The one whom, he whom, she whom, the one. They who, those who, those which. They whom, those whom, those which. EXAM Are your feet warm f Yes, hut my hands are cold. Good morning, sir; what is the matter with youf I have a. violent headache. You work too much. I am in a hurry. I have pains in my legs. You walk too much. And I have a had cold. Is this handsome child yours? Yes, the one who has long hair. He has a beautiful mouth and a pretty nose. His mother intends to cut his hair. Has he not sore eyes ? He has sore eyes and ears. What is the matter with your aryns ? Celui qui, celle qui. Celui que, celle que. Ceux qui, celles qui. Ceux que, celles que. P L ES. Avez-vous chaud aux pieds ? Oui, mais j’ai froid aux mains. Bonjour, monsieur ; qu’avez-vous donc ? J’ai un violent mal de tête. Vous travaillez trop. Je suis pressé. Moi, j’ai mal aux jambes. Vous marchez trop. Et j’ai un mauvais rhume. Ce bel enfant est-il à vous? Oui, celui qui a de longs cheveux. Il a une belle bouche et un joli nez. Sa mère a l’intention de lui couper les cheveux. IX’a-t-il pas mal aux yeux? Il a mal aux yeux et aux oreilles. Qu’avez-vous aux bras? 48 DUFFET^S FRENCH METHOD. Nothing. Rien. I have a mind to walk. J’ai envie de marcher. I have not time to cut your nails. Je n’ai pas le temps de vous couper les ongles. I have the one my father does not J’ai celui que mon père n’aime not like. pas. CONVERSATION. Qu’avez- vous ? Avez-vous chaud aux pieds? A qui est cet encrier ? Cette plume est-elle à vous ? Connaissez-vous ma sœur? Connaissez-vous son amie? Aimez-vous le vin? Fait-il bien froid aujourd’hui? Ecrivez-vous beaucoup ? Avez- vous mal à la tête? Etes- vous fatigué? Marchez -vous beaucoup ? N’avez- vous pas le dictionnaire de mon frère ? Qui a le livre de ma nièce? A qui sont ces livres? Qu’avez-vous? 10 . Are not your feet cold ? No; it is not cold. — Have you time to cut my hair? Not to-day. — Do you intend to work to-day? I intend to work much (hard) ; I am in a hurry. — Do you walk much ? I walk too much ; I am very tired. — How is your mother? My mother has a headache. — And how is your sister? My sister has a bad cold, and she has sore eyes. — -You have a cousin (/.) who is very pretty; she has beautiful eyes and nice, small hands. — The one wko has a pain in her foot? Tlie one whom your mother loves very much. — Yes, she is my cousin Catharine; she is very pretty and very good. — Your brother has a fine beard. I do not like it so long. — My uncle has a violent toothache. — My brother’s friend has pains in his arms. — I noticed (j’ai remarqué) your sister’s pretty little hands. 11 . To whom does this beautiful pen-holder belong? Which? That one. To my uncle (Paul). — Whose books are these? Which? These. They are my nephew’s. — Do you not answer TABLE CONVERSATION. 49 your friend’s letter? Not to-day ; my hands are cold, and I have a headache. — Do you not speak to your friend’s aunt? Not at all ; I am very angry with her nephew, who is very obstinate. — Do you not lend your dictionary to your brother? I do not like to lend my dictionary, which is new. — Is it not too warm here? Yes, I am too warm. — Do you like the family of your friend Arthur? Very much; his father and mother are very amiable. — Have you not my knife? No, I have not a knife. — Are not my sisters here ? No, they are with their mother. — That child is very dirty; to whom does he belong? He is the son of that woman whom your little sister does not like. — Do you intend to see that family to-day? No, I have not time. — Have you not a mind to give your young brother this pen- holder? Not at alf -Is the man whose book I have, here? The man whose book you have, is not here. — Which one? The one of whom I speak. NINTH LESSON — Neuvième Leçon. The breakfast, le déjeuner. The dinner, le diner. The appetite, l’appétit, m. The soup, la soupe. The broth, le bouillon. Some mutton, du mouton. Some veal, du veau. . Some beef, du bœuf. Fowl, de la volaille. A leg of mutton, un gigot de mouton. The dessert^ le dessert. A peach, une pêche. ^An apple, une pomme. A pear, une poire. An orange, une orange. Study and conjugate the present indicative of pouvoir, in the four forms. (See p. 172.) To be able. Pouvoir. (See p. 172.) The verb pouvoir expresses: — 1. Ability', 2. Possibility, or per- mission. D. F. M. —5. 50 BUFFET US FRENCH METHOD, Ability. I can^ je puis, or je peux, etc., Witli the intinitive I could, je pouvais, etc., “ ‘‘• I am able, je puis, etc., “ I was able, je pouvais, etc., “ “ “ Etc. Possibility or Permission. I may, je puis, with the intinitive. I might, 1 I could pourrais, (conditional) ... si ... if. You can speak English, He may die to-day. She is not able to do that. I could come if I saw him. He was not able to say it. To breakfast. To take. To dine. To eat. To drink. Whatf With. With us, with you, him. With pleasure. Vous pouvez parler anglais. Il peut mourir aujourd’hui. Elle ne peut pas faire cela. Je pourrais venir si je le voyais. Il ne pouvait le dire. Déjeuner. Prendre (see p. 172). Dîner. Manger (see p. 142). Boire (see p. 167). Qu’est-ce que ? que ? Avec. Avec nous, avec vous, lui, etc. Avec plaisir. EXAMPLES. Can you breakfast with us f Thank you, 1 can not to-day. But you can drink a glass of winef No, I am not thirsty, thank you. Bo you not like winef I only drink water. Can not you dine vnth usf Yes, with pleasure. Bo you like mutton f Pouvez-vous déjeuner avec nous ? Merci, j e ne peux pas auj ourd’hui. Mais vous pouvez boire un verre de vin? Non je, n’ai pas soif, merci. N’aimez-vous pas le vin? Je ne bois que de l’eau. Ne pouvez-vous pas diner avec nous? Oui, avec plaisir. Aimez-vous le mouton ? TABLE CONVERSATION. 51 Yes^ I like it very much. You do not eat. Oui, je Taime beaucoup. Vous ne mangez pas. Je n’ai pas d’appétit aujourd’hui. Ne prenez- vous pas une pêche? Pourrait-il venir, si j’écrivais ? I have no appetite to-day. Will you not take a peach f Might he come if I wrote f Was he not able to come yesterday f Ne pouvait-il vepir hier ? Pouvez-vous déjeuner avec nous aujourd’hui? Puis-je prendre votre plume et votre encrier? Ne pouvez-vous pas diner avec nous? Que buvez-vous? N’aimez- vous pas la volaille? Ne mangez-vous pas de mouton? Pouvez-vous parler anglais? Ne pouvez-vous pas me donner un crayon ? N’êtes-vous pas en- rhumé? Avez- vous froid ici? Ne fait-il pas chaud aujourd’hui? Avez-vous bon appétit? Marchez-vous beaucoup? Votre fils travaille-t-il beaucoup? Avez-vous le temps de parler à mon cousin ? Avez-vous l’intention de voir cette famille ? Ne pouvez- vous pas répondre à la lettre de votre oncle? Qu’avez- vous donc? ^ My aunt breakfasts with us to-day. — I dine (or, I shall dine) with my cousin (/.). — Does not your father drink wine? No, he drinks beer. — Can you not eat that apple ? I do not like apples. — Can not your aunt drink beer? She does not like beer. — Can your little daughter eat peaches? We have a great many. — What does she drink? Wine with water. — Have you a peach or a pear? I have a peach. — Do you not take any cheese? No, thank you; I do not like cheese. — Can you give a pen to that child (or, can you give that child a pen)? I have not any. — Can he write? Yes, he writes pretty well. — Can he write a letter? He can write only short letters. — May I take your inkstand? You may (take it). — May I give an apple to your little sister (or, may I give your little sister an apple) ? You are very kind, sir; my sister likes apples very much (or, is very fond of apples). — What do you give my nephew^? A pencil and a pen-holder. — Can you not cut this bread ? I can not cut it with my knife. CONVERSATION. 12 . 52 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, 13. Do you not intend to breakfast with your aunt? I can not breakfast with my aunt to-day; I have to work. — You write too much. I am in a hurry. — Is your father better? Thank you, he is much better. — Can he walk? Not at all. — To whom does this nice little knife belong? It is my young sister’s. --Can you lend my uncle some letter paper? I have none, but my father has some, and he will be very glad to give him some paper and envelopes. — Is not your uncle my aunt’s cousin ? I do not know. — Is this inkstand yours or your sister’s? It is my sister’s. — Do you know my friend Kobe rt’s brothers? I do not know them at all. — Can you eat that beef? No, I am not hungry. Study and conjugate, in the four forms, the present indicative of recevoir, p. 151. See vouloir, to wish, will, to he willing, p. 176. Vouloir, followed by a noun, does not require avoir before the noun : Will you have some winef Voulez-vous du vin? Will you have some soupf Voulez-vous de la soupe? TENTH LESSON — Dixième Leçon. A hat, un chapeau. A coat, un habit. A vest, un gilet. A pair of trousers, un pantalon, A necktie, une cravate. A shirt, une chemise. A handkerchief, un mouchoir, An umbrella, un parapluie. Gloves, des gants m. Boots, bottes, bottines /. Socks, des chaussettes /. Stockings, des bas m. Slippers, des pantoufles /. A watch, une montre. POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS, 53 Possessive Pronouns. — Pronoms Possessifs. N. B. — The plural forms of these pronouns require the plural article les (the), and the addition of s to both the masculine and feminine singular. No. French. English. Gender AND Number. Remarks. 1 ' 1 ^ 1 Le mien, mine. Mas. sing. Representing mas. sing, nouns. 2 Le tien. thine. Mas. sing. See No. 1. 3 j I Le sien. his, its. Mas. sing. See No. 1. 4 ' La mienne, mine. Fern. sing. Representing fern. sing, nouns. 5 La tienne, thine. Fern. sing. See No. 4. 6 J J La sienne, her, its. Fern. sing. See No. 4. 7 ' Le nôtre. ours. Mas. sing. See No. 1. 8 1 Le vôtre. yours. Mas. sing. See No. 1. 9 J 1 Le leur. theirs. Mas. sing. See No. 1. 10 ^ 1 La nôtre. ours. Fern. sing. See No. 4. n i ■ 1 La vôtre. yours. Fern. sing. See No. 4. 12 j J La leur. theirs. Fern. sing. See No. 4. The emphatic forms, mij own, etc., are also expressed as above. The personal pronouns moi, me ; toi, thee; lui, him, it; elle, her, it; nous, us; vous, you; eux, (???..) them; elles, (/.) them, are also used with the preposition à, to, it, to express possession. It is his, C’est le sien, or c’est à lui. It is mine. C’est le mien, or c’est à moi. To wear. To put on. To buy. Porter {clothes). Mettre (p. 171). Acheter. Kemark. — The personal pronouns will he explained and classi- fied in the fifteenth lesson. We give here below those forms only which are needed for the exercises of this lesson. Direct Object.— (Objecti ve case. ^ Latin Dative.) I 1. Me, me. 2. Te, thee. \ Le, m. I him, 3. 1 La, /. [ her, t L’, m. and /. j it, 1. Nous, us. 2. Vous, you, 3. Les, them, m. and /. plural. 54 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. Indirect Object.— (Latin Dative.) 1. Me, to me. 2. Te, to thee. 3. Lui, m. and f. 1 J to it. 1. Nous, to us. 2. Vous, to you. 3. Leur, to them. These pronouns, whether direct or indirect, are placed before the verb, except in the imperative affirmative. I see him, je le vois. I give him , — i. e., to him, je lui donne. N. B. — Me and te (direct and indirect) become moi and toi in the imperative affirmative. Love me, aimez-moi. Give me, donnez-moi. Indirect Object.-- (After a preposi- tion other than to or at.) Moi, me. Toi, thee. J Lui, m. him,, it. j Elle, /. her it. Nous, us. Vous, you. [ Eux, m, i Elles, /. . 1 them. These pronouns are always placed ‘ after the verb, the preposition being translated. ' 1 . 2 . 3. ■ 1 . 2 . 3. He comes with me, il vient avec moi. She went away without them {m.), elle s’en alia sans eux. Remark. — A few verbs require that the preposition à, {to, at) be translated. In such cases, these last pronouns are used, in- stead of those representing the dative. He comes to me, il vient à moi. Which? what? (before a noun). Quel m. quelle, /. quels, vn. plu. quelles, f. plu. Where ? Où ? Often. Souvent. POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS. 55 The forms quel, etc., are always used with nouns, and agree in gender and number with the noun they limit or determine. Which man f Quel homme ? What house f Quelle maison ? In such expressions as ‘^What a life!” the indefinite article a is not translated in French. What a boy! Quel garçon! What a life ! Quelle vie ! EXAMPLES. Will you lend me your umbrella f Have you not yours? Your father has mine. Will you have my brother's ? No, his is too small. What hat do you put on? I put on my old hat. Do you often wear this coat? No, not often. Does he wish to give us some gloves ? He does wish to. What do you give to this child ? I give him a vest and a necktie. Where is my handkerchief ? I don't know ; will you have one of mine? Yes, if you please. Wlwse socks are these ? They are my brother's. And these stockings? They are mine. What a man! Voulez- vous me prêter votre parapluie ? N’avez-vous pas le vôtre ? Votre père a le mien. Voulez-vous celui de mon frère? Non, le sien est trop petit. Quel chapeau mettez-vous? Je mets mon vieux chapeau. Portez-vous souvent cet habit ? Non, pas souvent. Veut-il nous donner des gants? Il veut vous en donner. Que donnez-vous à cet enfant? Je lui donne un gilet et une cravate. Où est mon mouchoir de poche ? Je ne sais pas ; en voulez- vous un des miens? Oui, s’il vous plait. A qui sont ces chaussettes? Elles sont à mes frères. Et ces bas ? Ce sont les miens. Quel homme ! 56 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. CONVERSATION. N’avez-vous pas mon chapeau? Ne portez-vous pas des gants? Voulez- vous me prêter vos pantoufles? Ce parapluie est-il à vous ou à moi? Quel habit mettez-vous aujourd’hui? Où sont mes hottes? Où est mon mouchoir de poche? Voulez-vous m’en prêter un ? Que désirez-vous, or voulez-vous acheter ? Que désirez-vous, or que voulez-vous manger ? Me donnez-vous cette cravate? Etes-vous pressé? A qui voulez- vous parler? A qui est ce gilet? Donnez-vous des pommes à mes enfants? Avez- vous froid aux pieds? Ne pouvez-vous pas nous donner des oranges? Comment se portent vos amis Charles et Robert? ‘N’êtes-vous pas content? 14 . What coat do you put on ? I put on my old coat. — Do you know where my hoots are? I do not know at all where they are. — Whose umbrella is this? Is it not yours? No, mine is larger. Is it not your sister’s? I do not know. — Do you not put on your gloves? I do not like to put on gloves. — Where is your handkerchief? I do not know, I havn’t it. — I see you put on your brother’s necktie. I put on his because I do not know where mine is. — Will you put on a clean shirt? Mine is not soiled. — Where are my daughter’s boots? Hasn’t she them? She hasn’t them. — Will you see where they are? Yes, madam. — Does your son wear boots? Yes, he often puts on his father’s. — How is your daughter? Pretty well, thank you. — Will you give her these peaches? I know she likes them. You are very kind. — Does she like pears? Very much. 15 . Have you a new pair of trousers, Charles? Yes, sir, I have new trousers and a fine vest. — Do you often put them on? Very often. — Will you give me my coat, Robert? Where is it, sir? In my room. — Whose stockings are these? They belong to my little sister. — Do you like our coffee? I like it very much; it is very good. — Have not your sisters their books? USE OF ADJECTIVES. 57 They have not theirs, they have ours. — Where are theirs? Their friends have them. — Will not your sister write her letter? She does not wish to write it. — Have you given her paper, ink, a pen, and an envelope? Yes, but the pens are bad, and she wishes to buy good ones. — What do you wish to give (to) your children? I will give them some books. — What do you wish to buy me? I will buy you a fine watch. — Will you lend me your dictionary? I haven’t it; Arthur has it. — What is the matter witli you, Charles? I have a toothache. You are too young to have a toothache. — Have you bad teeth? Very bad. — Is your water good ? It is very bad here. — What a book ! Do you wish it? Yo, thank you; I have mine. ELEVENTH LESSON — Onzième Leçon. A man, un homme. A woman, une femme. The wife, réponse, la femme. 2 he husband, le mari. The hoy, le garçon. The girl, la fille. The young lady, la demoiselle. The young man, le jeune homme. The lady, la dame. The gentleman, le monsieur. The neighbor, le voisin. The grocer, l’épicier, m. The baker, le boulanger. . The servant, le domestique, m., la domestique, /., la ser- vante, /. Study and conjugate the present indicative of vendre, in the four forms, p. 154. Imperfect and past definite of avoir, p. 130. New, neuf, m., neuve, /., recently made, not yet old. r nouveau, nouvel, m.. New, i n ’ [ nouvelle, /., recent in origin, not before known, - new-fashioned, fresh, recently ob- tained, beginning. * Nouveau before a consonant or aspirated h; un nouveau cheval, un nouveau hameau, hamlet. Nouvel before a vowel or mute h: un nouvel ami, un nouvel héritier. Nouveaux in the plural in both cases. 58 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD, Your son has new clothes. You have a new house. Tim work is neiv {recently pub- lished), cdthough it is not new {fresh). Have you a new friend f You have a new {different) coat. He has made a new discovery. We have some new wine. I have three new friends. We expect fresh soldiers. Votre fils a des habits neufs. Vous avez une maison neuve. Cet ouvrage est nouveau, bien qu’il ne soit pas neuf. Avez-vous un nouvel ami? Vous avez un nouvel habit. Il a fait une nouvelle découverte. Nous avons du vin nouveau. J’ai trois nouveaux amis (or amis nouveaux). Nous attendons de nouveaux soldats. The meaning of several adjectives differs according to their position; the actual meaning being usually conveyed when the adjective is placed after the noun. A great man. A tall man. A single child. A child alone. Young Peter. Peter the younger. How old are youf I am seventeen. How old is your son? He 'is fourteen and a half. The eldest, the elder, the senior. Un grand homme. Un homme grand. Un seul enfant. Un enfant seul. Le jeune Pierre. Pierre le jeune. Quel âge avez-vous? J’ai dix-sept ans. Quel âge a votre fils? Il a quatorze ans et demi. L’ainé. Notice that the verb avoir is used, in French, to denote age, while the verb to he is used in English. Of age, majeur. Already, déjà. Never, ever, ne (before the verb) Not yet, pas encore. .... jamais (after the verb). Always, toujours, jamais. COMPARISON 59 EXAMPLES. This young man is as tall as you. He is taller than I. Is he older than his sister f Yes, his sister is the youngest of the family. Is their father rich f He is the richest man in the town. Is that gentleman's house as large as yours f It is not so large as ours. But his is finer than ours. Is that lady as kind as her sister f She is the best woman I know. Her sister is very pretty. Yes, but she is still more modest than pretty. Have you as many good pens as bad ones f I have mere bad ones than good ones. How old is that woman? She is old; she is already eighty years old. She is always well (in good health). She never drinks wine. Ce jeune homme est aussi grand que vous. Il est plus grand que moi. Est-il plus âgé que sa sœur? Oui, sa sœur est la plus jeune de la famille. Leur père est-il riche ? C’est l’homme le plus riche de la ville. La maison de ce monsieur est-elle aussi grande que la vôtre ? Elle est moins grande que la nôtre. Mais la sienne est plus belle que la nôtre. Cette dame est-elle aussi bonne que sa sœur? C’est la meilleure femme que je connaisse. Sa sœur est très-belle. Oui, mais elle est encore plus modeste que belle. Avez- vous autant de bonnes que de mauvaises plumes? J’en ai plus de mauvaises que de bonnes. Quel âge a cette femme ? Elle est vieille, elle a déjà quatre-vingts ans. Elle se porte toujours bien. Elle ne boit jamais de vin. CONVERSATION: N’aviez- vous pas une tante? Cet homme n’avait-il pas un fils? N’aviez-vous pas de meilleur vin? N’aviez-vous pas autant 60 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. de chemises que moi? Où est le mari de cette femme? Ne con- naissez-vous pas le frère de cette demoiselle? Qui est le mon- sieur qui est avec votre voisin? Pouvez-vous déjà parler anglais? Quel âge a votre fils ainé? N’est-il pas plus jeune que ma fille? Oette dame est-elle l’amie de votre tante? Ce jeune homme est-il majeur? Parlez-vous toujours anglais? Aimez-vous à écrire des lettres? Qu’avez-vous aux mains? N’avez-vous pas une robe neuve? N’avez-vous pas sommeil? Que désirez-vous boire? Voulez-vous du thé? Au revoir. 16 . Had not that young lady a brother? She had no brother, but she had a sister. — Is that young man as kind as his father? I do not know ; I do not know him well, but his brother Charles, my friend, is a very good young man. — Do you know that man? I do; he is my cousin’s husband. — Is he not much richer than his wife? He is. — Is that woman as old as your mother? She is not so old. — Has your grocer (d’) as bad cofiee as ours? Our grocer has (de) very good coffee. — How are you to-day, my friend? Very well; and you? Pretty well. — Have you a book to lend me? I have a book, but I do not lend it to you; I give it to you. You are the kindest man I know. — Do you know K. the younger? I do, 17 . Has your uncle as many enemies as we? My uncle has no enemies, he has only friends. — Is he as rich as your father? He is not so rich. — Is your house as large as your neighbor’s? Ours is not so large as our neighbor’s, but it is finer. — Have you more clothes than your brother? He has as many as I. — Is your sister’s watch as fine as her mother’s? My mother’s is pretty, my sister’s is prettier, but mine is the prettiest. — To whom does that pretty, small house belong? It is my aunt’s. — Are the plates, butter, tea, cream, and sugar upon the table? Yes, madam. — Very well. — Will you lend me a knife? I have none. — Will your sister lend me hers? She has none either (non plus). — AVill you have an apple, my child? Thank you, madam, I am not hungry. — How old are you? I am six years old, madam. — Are you very good? Mamma (maman) is satisfied with me. That is very good. NUMBERS. 61 Numbers. — Nombres. I, un. 31, trente et un. 2, deux. 32, trente-deux, etc. 3, trois. 40, quarante. 4, quatre (katre). 41, quarante et un. 5, cinq (k). 42, quarante-deux, etc. 6, six (siss). 50, cinquante. 7, sept (sett). 51, cinquante et un. 8, huit (witt). 52, cinquante-deux, etc. 9, neuf (ff). 60, soixante (soissante). 10, dix (diss). 61, soixante et un. 11, onze. 62, soixante-deux, etc. 12, douze. 70, soixante-dix. 13, treize. 71, soixante et onze. 14, quatorze. 72, soixante-douze, etc. 15, quinze. 80, quatre-vingt. 16, seize. 81, quatre-vingt-un (gt mute). 17, dix-sept (dis-sett). 82, quatre-vingt-deux, etc. 18, dix-huit (diz-witt). 90, quatre-vingt-dix. 19, dix-neuf (diz-neuff). 91, quatre-vingt-onze, etc. 20, vingt (gt mute). 100, cent (t is mute). 21, vingt et un. T3 101, cent un (not et un). 22 vingt-deux. 120, cent vingt. 23, vingt-trois. 3 O 240, deux cent quarante, etc. 24, vingt- quatre. OQ OD 1,000, mille. 25, vingt-cinq. +3 2,000, deux mille. 26, vingt-six. S 1,000,000, un million. 27, vingt-sept. ' ' 5 2,000,000, deux millions. 28, vingt-huit. M 1 1,000,000,000, un billion, or un milliard. 29, vingt-neuf. ! tdo 5,000,000,000, cinq milliards. 30, trente. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17, 18, 19 have the final consonant mute when the following word begins with a consonant or h aspirated ; as, 5 francs, 6 francs, etc., are pronounced cin francs, si francs, sè francs, hui francs, neu francs, di francs, diss-sè, diz-ui, diz-neu francs. But before a vowel or h mute (as before amis, friends) they are pronounced as follows : cinkamis, sizamis, sétamis, ui- tamis, neuvamis, dizamis, diss-sètamis, diz-uitamis, diz-neuvamis ; i. e., X is sounded z, f is sounded v before a vowel or mute h. 62 BUFFETS FRENCH METHOD. Cent takes an s when preceded by a number by which it is multiplied; as, deux cents livres; but cent is undeclined when followed by another number: deux cent cinq francs. Cent is also undeclined in expressing a date : Tan huit cent. Vingt follows the same rules as cent: quatre-vingts livres, quatre-vingt-cinq francs. Mille, as well as the other cardinal numbers, never takes s; as, deux, trois mille hommes, etc. It is spelled mil in expressing the date of the year: Tan mil huit cent soixante-douze. Mille, a mile, being a substantive, takes an s in the plural: quatre milles, four miles. Ordinal Numbers. — Nombres Ordinaux. 1«, 2d, 1®*’, premier, m., première, /., also 1^, primo, premièrement, J 2®, deuxième; also 2°, seconde, secondement. 2^, second, m., seconde, /., (when no 3^ fol- io w^s it.) 3d, 3®, troisième ; also 3®, tertio, troisièmement. 4th, 4®, quatrième; “ 4°, quarto, quatrièmement. 5‘h, 5®, cinquième; “ 5®, quinto, cinqièmement. etc., th corresponding to ième or o. 20‘h, 20®, vingtième.' 50»', 50®, cinquantième. 100‘h, 100®, centième. 1,000‘h, 1,000®, millième. 1,000,000‘h, 1,000,000®, millionième, etc. Ordinal numbers are declined, quatre cinquièmes, etc. one half, un demi, la moitié. f, trois quarts. J, one third, \ui tiers. f, huit neuvièmes, f , two thirds, deux tiers. dix-neuf centièmes. The cardinal numbers are used in French for the date of the month, and for expressing the order of kings except the first: DAYS, MONTHS, ETC. 63 Paris, the 2bth of May, 1872. The 17th of June. Charles XII. Charles the Twelfth. Paris, le 25 Mai, 1872. — No- tice that the cardinal num- ber is used for the date of the month, — Exception, Le 1^^, the first. Le 17 Juin. J Charles douze. — Notice that [ ^Jhe^' is not translated. Double, double ; treble, triple ; fourfold, quadruple ; fivefold, quin- tuple, etc January, Janvier. February, Février. March, Mars. April, Avril. May, Mai. June, J uin. A leap year, une année bissextile. A dozen, une douzaine. Ttvo, three . . . dozen, deux, trois douzaines. July, Juillet. August, Août ( pronounced ou) . September, Septembre. October, Octobre. November, Novembre. December, Décembre. About ten, une dizaine. A fortnight, une quinzaine. About fifteen, une quinzaine. About a hundred, une centaine. TWELFTH LESSON — Douzième Leçon. The grandfather. The grandmother. The grandson. The granddaughter. The ancestors, forefathers. The father-in-law. The mother-in-law. The son-in-law. The daughter-in-law. Le grand-père, l’aïeul. La grand’mère, l’aïeule. Le petit-fils. ^La petite-fille. Les ancêtres, les aïeux. Le beau-père. La belle-mère. Le gendre, le beau-fils, La belle-fille, la bru. 64 DUFFET^S FFENCH METHOD. The hr other -in-law. The sister-in-laiv. The step-father. The step-mother. The godfather j the godmother. The godson, the god-daughter. Le beau-frère. La belle-sœur. Le beau-père. La belle-mère. Le parrain, la marraine. Le filleul, la filleule. Study and conjugate être, (p. 134) in the imperfect and past definite, in the four forms. To he there, Y avoir (Impersonal). There is, there are. There is not, there are not. Is there f are there f Is there notf are there not? There was, there were. There was not, there were not. Was there? were there? Was there not? ivere there not? There will he, etc. Once. Twice. Three times.' Four times. Several times. Once a day. Twice a week. Three times a month. Several times a year. So much a day. Neither . . . nor. I have neither hook, nor pencil, nor slate. Still. How much? how many? II y a. II n’y a pas. Y a-t-il? N’y a-t-il pas? II y avait, il y eut. Il n’y avait pas, il n’y eut pas. Y avait-il? y eut-il? IST’y avait-il pas? n’y eut-il pas? Il y aurai etc. Une fois. Deux fois. Trois fois. Quatre fois. Plusieurs fois. Une fois par jour. Deux fois par semaine. Trois fois par mois. Plusieurs fois par an. Tant par jour. Ne . . . ni . . . ni. (Place ne be- fore the verb, and ni before every noun, adjective, or participle.) Je n’ai ni livre, ni crayon, ni ardoise. Encore. Combien (de, before a noun). RELA TIONSHIPS. 65 EXAMPLES. How many grandchildren has your grandfather f There are fourteen of us. How many granddaughters are there f There are five granddaughters and nine grandsons. Is your grandfather still alive f Yes, and my grandmiother, also. How ma,ny hrothers4n-law have you? I have no brother-in-law, but I ham two sisters-in-law. Where is your godfather f I donH know; I donH see him often. Which lesson do you know ? I know the eighth and ninth lessons. Do you know the first seven lesso.isf Tolerably well. To whom are you writing? I am writing to my sister ; I write to her twice a week. She writes to us three or four times a week. Have you not three sisters? I have five. That little girl knows neither the halves, nor the thirds, nor the fourths. Combien votre grand-père a-t-il de petits-enfants? (or, com- bien de petits-enfants a votre grand-père ? ) Nous sommes quatorze. Combien y a-t-il de petites-filles? Il y a cinq petites-filles et neuf petits-fils. Avez-vous encore votre grand- père ? Oui, et ma grand’mère, aussi. Combien de beaux-frères avez- vous ? Je n’ai pas de beau-frère, mais j’ai deux belles-sœurs. Où est votre parrain? Je ne sais pas; je ne le vois pas souvent. Quelle leçon savez- vous? Je sais la huitième et la neuvième. Savez-vous les sept premières leçons ? Assez bien; passablement bien. A qui écrivez-vous? J’écris à ma sœur; je lui écris deux fois par semaine. Elle nous écrit trois ou quatre fois par semaine. N’avez-vous pas trois sœurs? J’en ai cinq. Cette petite fille ne connaît ni les demis, ni les tiers, ni les quarts. CONVERSATION. Combien yotre grand’mère a-t-elle de petits fils? N’a-t-elle pas aussi des petites-filles? Votre grand-père était-il beaucoup D. F. M. — 6. 66 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. plus âgé que sa femme ? Quel âge a votre grand-mère ? Com- bien de cousins avez-vous? Combien de fois par semaine voyez- vous votre beau-frère? Votre petit frère était-il aussi fatigué que vous ? N’étiez-vous pas fâché contre le fils de votre voisin ? Combien de leçons prenez-vous par semaine? Combien y a-t-il de livres? Sont-ils tous à votre père? Etes-vous l’ainé de la famille? Quel âge a le plus jeune? Combien y avait-il de bouteilles? Quelle viande voulez-vous, or désirez-vous? 18 . Do you usually know your lessons? Yes, sir. — How many children has your sister ? She (en) has four. — Then you are four times an uncle. More than that; I have eight nephews and nieces. * — Do you like your nephews better than your nieces ? On the contrary, I like my nieces better than my nephews ; they are better than they. — Do you love your grandmother better than your grandfather? I love them both (tous les deux) very much ; they are so kind. — Is your grandfather still alive ? No, but my great-grandmother (arrière-grand’mère) is still alive. — Are your brother-in-law’s parents still alive ? His father is still alive, and he has a step-mother. — Were you not fatigued? I was very much fatigued; more than my husband. — Do you know my mother-in-law ? I know her very well ; the more I see her the more I like her; she is so kind. — She is the best woman I know. — Do you often write to your parents ? I write to them three or four times a month. — Write the following numbers in French: 18, 29, 31, 47, 58, 63, 82, 96, 108, 353, 1080, 2975, 3421871. 19 . Is your ink as bad as mine? Yours can not be worse than mine. — Is Robert’s paper as good as mine? It is better than yours ; it is the best paper that I ever saw. — Does your sister know her lessons better than you do? She always knows them much better. — How many inkstands have you? I (en) have only one. — Will you lend it to me? My ink is very bad. — I have a letter to w’rite. — To whom will you write ? I will write to my brother. — Does he answer you? He always answers PLACE OF THE OBJECT, 67 me. — Does he write better than yon? Yes, much better. — How many children are there in that family? There (en) are seven or eight. — Will you have the half of this bottle of wine? No, thank you, I do not like wine. — Do you wish to have some water ? I am not thirsty. — How many thirds are there in an integer? (un entier)? There (en) are three ; a little child knows that. — How old is your godson? He is thirteen. — Is he as tall as your son ? He is taller ; he is two years older than my son. — Is this new book yours? No, it is Paul’s. THIRTEENTH LESSON — Treizième Leçon. A marble table A gold watch. A watch-key. A silver snvff-box. A silk dress. A silver fork and spoon. A cloth coat. A crystal inkstand. A dining-room. A wine-bottle. A mustard-pot. Une table de marbre. Une montre d’or. Une clef de montre. Une tabatière d’argent. Une robe de soie. Un couvert d’argent. Un habit de drap. Un encrier de cristal. Une salle à manger. Une bouteille à vin. Un pot à moutarde. In French, the name of an object precedes the name of the substance of which it is formed or which it con- tains. The preposition de is placed between them. The name of an object precedes the noun represent- ing its use, produce, etc. The preposition à generally connects the two nouns. (See examples above.) Study and conjugate the imperfect and past definite of aimer, p. 139, finir, p. 145, recevoir, p. 152, and vendre, p. 155, and of pouvoir, p. 172. 68 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. { Penser à [to reflect on, to bear in To think of \ niind, to have some thoughts). 1 Vender de [to form one’s opinion I about, to think well of, etc.). To receive. Recevoir. To break. Casser [reg.). To learn. Apprendre. To go. Aller. That. Que, (conj.) always expressed after the verb). One, ones, (of them, of it, ihereof, etc.) En. Yesterday, Hier. Formerly, Autrefois. When, Quand, lorsque. EXAM Did you know [that) I had a gold watch f I knew [that) you had a watch, but I thought it was a silver one. Had not your father a silver snuff- box f Formerly he had a, beautiful one. Yesterday my mother received a silver fork and spoon. My sister wishes to buy a silk dress. Whose fine crystal inkstand is this? It was formerly my grandfather’ s. Did you learn your lessons wellf Did you often go to see your parents ? Did you receive any books? Did you not often break the plates f What do you think of that ? He wore a cloth veM. She broke her crystal inkstand. I did not like their dining-room. Where is the mustard-pot f P L E S . Saviez- vous que j’avais une mon- tre d’or ? Je savais que vous aviez une montre, mais je pensais que c’était une montre d’argent. Votre père n’avait-il pas une tabatière d’argent? Autrefois il en avait une belle. Hier ma mère a reçu un couvert d’argent. Ma sœur désire acheter une robe de soie. A qui est ce bel encrier de cristal? Il était autrefois à mon grand- père. Appreniez-vous bien vos leçons ? Alliez-vous souvent voir vos pa- rents ? Receviez-vous des livres? He cassiez-vous pas souvent les assiettes ? Que pensez-vous de cela ? Il portait un gilet de drap. Elle cassa son encrier de cristal. J e n’aimais pas leur salle à manger. Où est le pot à moutarde? PLACE OF THE OBJECT. 69 CONVERSATION. Quand avez-vous cassé votre montre d’or? Où avez-vous acheté cette tabatière d’argent? Combien aviez-vous de bouteil- les à vin? Qu’avez-vous appris hier? Avez-vous pu prendre votre leçon hier? Ne pensiez-vous pas à nous? Quand êtes- vous allé voir votre parrain? Où étaient autrefois vos ancêtres? Quand avez-vous reçu ces beaux couverts d’argent? N’aviez- vous pas plusieurs moutardiers ? Qui a cassé mon couteau hier ? N’aviez-vous pas plusieurs habits de drap? Ne saviez-vous pas que j’avais une montre d’argent? Où puis-je acheter une clef de montre? N’avez-vous pas plusieurs filleuls? Où sont les cahiers de mes sœurs? 20 . Did you often think of me when you were so unfortunate? I often thought of you and of my uncle. — Could you not write to us ? I had neither pen nor paper, and I could not buy any. — When did you go to see your family ? Three times a year. — Did you never go to see your brother-in-law ? I could not ; lie was angry with me. — Is not your dining-room larger than ours? I think yours is smaller than ours. — How many lessons did you take a week ? I took five lessons a week. — Did you learn them well? Not always. — Did you receive many books? I received some often enough. — Formerly you had a silver pen-holder; where is it? My sister has it (or, it is my sister who has it). — What vest do you give the servant? I give him an old vest. 21 . Do you often eat fowl? We (en) eat some twice or three times a week. — Do you eat many potatoes? Yes, we (en) always have some with our meat. — What do you drink ? We drink wine and water. — Do you often take chocolate? No, we do not like chocolate much. — Will you breakfast with us? I can offer you a leg of mutton: I know you like it very much. You are very kind, but I can not; I am to breakfast with my friend Charles. — How are your sisters? I thank you, my sisters are very well. — Do you know how many cousins I have? I know (that) you (en) have a great many. I (en) have twenty-two. — 70 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, Were there not wine-bottles in the dining-room? There (en) were more than ten. — Where are they? I do not know; the servant (en) often breaks some. — Did your grandfather come and see you? He came to see us several times a year. An Important Eemark. — To ask questions when the subject is a noun preceded by an interrogative, always begin with that Quand votre sœur doit-elle venir (or, quand est-ce que votre sœur doit venir) ? Où demeure votre oncle (or, où votre oncle demeure-t-il) ? Pourquoi Madame S. ne vient- elle pas ? Par où M. T. est-il venu? interrogative. With quand, j \ When is y our sister [ to come f With où. j \ Where does your [ uncle live f With 1 \ Why does not Mrs. pourquoi. | [ S. comef With r What way did Mr, par où. [ T, come f ' Which or what house has Mr. With F. bought f ■ quel, quelle. Which or what books does your sister read f With que. 1 \ What did your [ parents say f f How much does Quelle maison M. tée ? P. a-t-il ache- With combien. Mr, P, pay a year f How many houses has your uncle f Quels livres votre sœur lit-elle (or, quels livres lit votre sœur) ? Qu’ont dit vos parents (or, qu’est- ce que vos parents ont dit)? Combien M. P. paie-t-il par an? Combien votre oncle a-t-il de maisons (or, combien de mai- sons a votre oncle ? or, com- bien de maisons votre oncle a-t-il? or, combien est-ce que votre oncle a de maisons) ? Est-ce que might be placed after any of the interrogatives; Où est-ce que votre oncle demeure ? Pourquoi est-ce que Madame S. ne vient pas ? Quels livres est-ce que votre sœur lit ? etc. 71 In English, the present and the imperfect of the in- dicative have three forms, whereas, in French, they have only one form each ; as : I writCy I am writing , I do write, j’écris. I wrote, I was writing, I did write, j’écrivais, etc. The Imperfect and the Past Definite. The imperfect describes a past action. It shows the actions and positions with regard to their duration. It represents an action in the course of its duration. It is used of every period of the past. It is used to express repeated or customary actions ; then it may often be rendered by used to, would. It represents the English past tense formed of to he, and the present participle, was doing, etc. I was going out when your sister Je came. When I was in Paris I got up late, breakfasted at twelve, lualked in the afternoon, dined at six, and went to the theater every night. sortais quand votre sœur vint. Quand j’étais à Paris je me levais tard, je déjeunais à midi, je me promenais l’après-midi, je dînais à six heures, et j’al- lais au théâtre tous les soirs. 72 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. N. B. — In the foregoing illustration ^^used to," is understood with the English past tense: got up" i. e., “J used to get up" etc. Charles the Fifth spoke several Charles- Quint parlait plusieurs languages. langues. My gra^ndfather was very tall. Mon grand-père était très-grand. The pluperfect marks an event not only past in itself, hut as past with regard to another past event. As its auxiliary is the imperfect of avoir or être, it partakes of the signification of that tense. I had finished when you came. J’avais fini quand vous vîntes. The past definite relates a past action without regarding its duration. It is a narrative, historical tense. The idea of ‘‘ did," is usually understood in English, unless ‘Mid" belongs to an interrogative sentence, when it then means “used to," and requires the imperfect. As soon as I arrived in Paris, I took a cab and went to the Grand Hotel; the day after, I visited a part of the city, etc. Napoleon died on the bth of May, 1821. Aussitôt que j’arrivai à Paris, je pris une voiture et j’allai au Grand Hôtol; le lende- main, je visitai une partie de la ville, etc. Napoléon mourut le 5 Mai, 1821. N. B. — Notice that “ I arrived," “I took," “went," “visited," “died," actually mean “did arrive," “did take," etc. The passé antérieur expresses what took place immediately before another event which is also past (expressed in the past definite). It is generally accompanied by quand, dès que, à peine, après que, aussitôt que. My brother left as soon as he had breakfasted. To enter, to go into. To mend. To tear. To come. To meet. Mon frère partit aussitôt qu’il eut déjeuné. Entrer (dans). Raccommoder. Déchirer. Venir (p. 133). Rencontrer. IMPERFECT AND PAST DEFINITE. 73 Every day. Every other day. Every third day. Of course. Now, at present. Above all, especially. Nearly, almost, about. EXAM Do you wear cotton socks f Now I wear thread socks. Does your sister like silk dresses f Of course she does. Does she like light colors f She does; above all green, blue, and ivhite. Where are you going? I am going to buy some yellow paper. What are you mending? I am mending my brother's black vest Does he often tear his coats ? Almost every day. Do you often go into that house? Every third or fourth day. Were you coming here yesterday when I met you ? No, I was going to see my god- father. Did you not wish to buy red stockings ? No, I ivished to buy white ones. Coxdd you speak that language? Not at all. D. F. M.— 7. Tous les jours. Tous les deux jours. Tous les trois jours, etc. Bien entendu; naturellement. Maintenant, à présent. Surtout. A peu près. P L ES. Portez-vous des bas de coton ? Maintenant je porte des bas de fil. Votre sœur aime-t-elle les robes de soie ? Naturellement elle les aime. Aime-t-elle les couleurs claires ? Oui, surtout le vert, le bleu, et le blanc. Où allez-vous? Je vais acheter du papier jaune. Que raccommodez- vous ? Je a rccommodele gilet noir de mon frère. Déchire-t-il souvent ses habits ? A peu près tous les jours. Entrez-vous souvent dans cette maison ? Tous les trois ou quatre jours. Veniez- vous ici hier quand je vous ai rencontré ? Non, j’allais voir mon parrain. Ne vouliez- vous pas acheter des bas rouges? Non, je voulais en acheter des blancs. Pouviez-vous parler cette lan- gue? Pas du tout. 74 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. CONVERSATION. Qui vient ? N’est-ce pas l’amie de votre sœur qui vous donne de si bonnes pêches ? Où allez-vous ? Que raccommodez-vous ? Où allait votre frère quand je l’ai rencontré? N’y allez-vous pas tous les trois jours ? Qu’écrivez-vous ? Ecrivez-vous souvent à votre famille? Votre mère répond-elle a vos lettres? A qui est ce papier bleu? A qui sont ces chaussettes rouges? Qui vous a donné ce mauvais crayon noir? N’avez-vous pas ma cravate verte ? Cette demoiselle n’aime-t-elle pas les couleurs foncées? Que déchirez-vous? Est-ce là de la laine? Aimez- vous les chaussettes de fil ? A qui est ce parapluie brun ? Ce fil est-il à vous ou à votre mère? 22 . Have you a white vest? No, I do not like light colors; I always wear black coats. — Your sister likes light colors; she often wears green or blue silk dresses. She has also dark silk dresses. — You always wear this gray hat ; have you not a black one? Yes, I (en) have a black one. — You have a beautiful dining-room. It is nice, but yours is nicer and larger. — Do you take a lesson every day ? I (en) take one every other day, and I write my lessons and exercises the other days. — What are you learning now? I am learning English. — Do you speak it already? I can speak it pretty well. — Your father speaks English? Formerly he knew it pretty well. — AVhere was your son going yesterday? He w^as going to see his brother-in-law. 23. Did you not know my grandfather? Yes, my father was his best friend. — Were they not cousins? No, but they wœre great friends. — How many houses are there in this town? There (en) are five thousand four hundred and eighty-five. — It is a large town. It is not so large as ours. — Do you wish to see my sister’s fine books? How many has she? She (en) has more than a hundred. — She (en) has more than I have. — Do you like these gray coats? No, I do not like them at all. — COMPOUND TENSES. 75 Whose red socks are these? They are my brother’s; he likes red very much. — Do you often go to see your father-in-law? We go to see him every fifth or sixth day. — What w^ere you mending when I entered ? I was mending my brother’s black cloth trousers, — Where were you going when I met you? I was going to buy some thread and silk. — Do you like silk dresses ? Of course I do, especially violet silk dresses. FIFTEENTH LESSON — Quinzième Leçon. The house, la maison. The room, la chambre. The window, la fenêtre. The door, la porte. The table, la table. The chair, la chaise. The arm-chair, le fauteuil. The sofa, le canapé. The bed, le lit. The chest of drawers, the bureau, la commode. The carpet, le tapis. The fire, le feu. The u'ood, le bois. The coed or coals, le charbon. Study and conjugate the compound tenses, past indefinite, pluperfect, and passé antérieur of avoir (p. 131), être (p. 135), aimer (p. 140), finir (p. 145), recevoir (p. 152), vendre (p. 155). To shut. To open. To burn. Much, a great deal of, a good deal of, many, a great many. My neighbor has a great deal of money. We have a great many friends. Too much, too many. Enough. A little. Fermer. Ouvrir (p. 149). Brûler. Beaucoup (de, before a noun), Mon voisin a beaucoup d’ar- gent (never très-beaucoup) Nous avons beaucoup d’amis. Trop (de, before a noun). Assez. “ “ Un peu. “ 76 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. But little, only a little, not much, scarcely any, hut few, not many. No more. Almost, nearly, scarcely. Another. In, into. EXAM Have you had wood enough f I have had too much coal, but I have not had wood enough. Have you not given an arm-chair to Cf I have given him an arm-chair and two chairs. We have spoken to Mrs. B. Have you shut the windows? Has Charles written his letter? Has that child breakfasted? You had given me too much wine. Had Robert put on another coat ? You have bought too many shirts. I have bought four good ones. We have not burned much wood. Have you received a little wine ? I have received scarcely any. Have you drunk of that tea? No, 1 was not thirsty. My sister has been afraid. Your daughter has not eaten. Has he a great many books ? He has a great many (of them). Has he enough (of them) ? He has too many (of them). ] We . . . guère, (ne, before the \ verb, and guère after the j verb). Ne .. . plus. (Same rule as for ne . . . guère.) Presque. Un autre, m., une autre, /. Dans. PL ES. Avez-vous eu assez de bois? J’ai eu trop de charbon, mais je n’ai pas eu assez de bois. N’avez-vous pas donné un fau- teuil à C. ? Je lui ai donné un fauteuil et deux chaises. Nous avons parlé à Madame B. Avez- vous fermé les fenêtres? Charles a-t-il écrit sa lettre? Cet enfant a-t-il déjeuné? Vous m’aviez donné trop de vin. Robert avait-il mis un autre habit ? Vous avez acheté trop de che- mises. J’en ai acheté quatre bonnes. Nous n’avons guère brûlé de bois. Avez- vous reçu un peu de vin ? Je n’en ai presque pas reçu. Avez-vous bu de ce thé? Non, je n’avais pas soif. Ma sœur a eu peur. Votre fille n’a pas mangé. A-t-il beaucoup de livres? Il en a beaucoup. En a-t-il assez? Il en a trop. COMPOUND TENSES, 77 CONVERSATION. Votre maison est-elle aussi grande que la nôtre? Y a-t-il beaucoup de grandes chambres? N’avez-vous pas acheté un canapé neuf ? Avez-vous raccommodé le tapis ? Le domestique n’a-t-il pas ouvert les fenêtres de ma chambre ? N’avez-vous pas acheté trop de fauteuils? Mon chapeau de soie n’est-il pas dans votre chambre ? N’avez-vous pas une commode ? Avez-vous assez de charbon? Avez-vous parlé à ce monsieur? Avez-vous fermé la porte? Votre frère a-t-il un peu d’encre à me donner? N’avez-vous pas déchiré la robe de soie de votre mère? Votre tante n’a-t-elle pas répondu à votre lettre? Comment se porte- t-elle? Qui est entré dans ma chambre? Pouvez-vous me don- ner un peu de sucre? 24 . How many rooms are there in this house? There (en) are twenty-four. — Are they as large as yours? Some are larger and some smaller than mine. — Is it not your cousin’s house ? It is his wife’s. — Is it a new house? You see that it is almost new. — Are not the windows too small? They are as large as those of your house. — You have very fine arm-chairs; how many (en) have you? I (en) have six, and ten chairs. — Where is your sofa? It is now in my room; I will (en) buy another. — You have a beautiful green carpet; is it new? Yes, I bought it with the arm-chairs and chairs. — Have you enough wood? We burn scarcely any wood ; we burn coal. — Have you much coal ? 25 . Has your son answered you yet? Yes, he usually answers (à) our letters as soon as he receives them. — Will you lend your watch to your brother? I don’t much like to lend my watch. — What will you give (to) your servant? I will give him my old coats. — What lesson are you learning now ? I am learning the eleventh lesson. — Do you know it ? I shall very soon (know it). — Who was first to-day? I know that I was the twenty -fourth. -- But that is not at all good ; you have been 78 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. lazy. I have always been lazy. — Your young sister is more studious (studieuse) than you, and she is much younger than you. — I do not like English; I do not wish to learn it. The baker’s son speaks it now better than you. — He is older than I (am). He is; but you take a lesson every day, and he takes one only every other day. — Will you lend me some paper? You see I have but little. — Where can I buy some? I am going to (en) give you five or six sheets. — Have you a pen-holder? I can not write with this one. I have only that one. — There is not much ink in your inkstand. PERSONAL PRONOUNS. Person AND Number Nominative. Direct Ob.tect. Indirect Object. Object of a Preposition. Fr. Eng. Fr. Eng. Fr. Eng. Fr. Eng. 1 1 2 1 œ q f d’ ^ crq 3/.J ■ 1 1 2 [ ^ 3 S 3/.J je. tu. f il. ^ elle, nous, vous, f ils. i elles. I. thou. he, U. she, U. we. you. they, they. me. te. fie, F. ila, r. nous, vous. j les. f les. me. thee. him, it. her, it. us. you. them, them. me. te. f lui. ilui. nous, vous, f leur. 1 leur. to me. to thee, to him, to it. to her, to it. to us. to you. to them, to them. moi. toi. (lui. i elle, nous, vous. ( eux- f elles. me. thee. him, it. her, it. us. you. them, them. The Nominative^ ^ is the nominative case or subject. The ^Htreci object’^ is the English objective case, the accus- ative in Latin. The ^Hndirect OhjecV^ is the case calling, in English, for the prepositions “to” or — it is the dative in Latin. The Object of a Preposition^^ is the case calling for any other preposition than “to” or “a^,” — the genitive or ablative in Latin. SE and SOI. SE (accusative or dative) is used in reflective verbs for one’s seÿ*, himself^ herself, itself, themselves, each other, one another; to one^s self, to himself, etc. It is the reflective pronoun, third persons, singular and plural. PERSONAL PRONOUNS, 79 He is too fond of himself, il s’aime trop. They strike one another, ils se donnent des coups, — i. e., They give blows to one another. SOI, himself, herself, itself, etc., is of both genders and numbers, and is applied to persons and things. It is used in general and indeterminate sentences, having commonly an indefinite pronoun for the nominative. We have often need of one more humble than ourselves, on a souvent besoin d’un plus petit que soi. Place of the Personal Pronouns Nominative. 1. These pronouns are placed before the verb in affirmative and negative sentences. I speak, je parle. They do not see, ils ne voient pas. 2. They are placed after the verb in interrogative and interroga- tivd^ -negative sentences. Have 1 seen that man f ai-je vu cet homme? Has he not seen my children f n’a-t-il pas vu mes enfants? Place of the Personal Pronouns, Direct and Indirect Object. These pronouns are placed before the verb, except in the Imperative-affirmative, — when they are placed after the verb. Before the Verb. He sees me, il me voit. She loves them, elle les aime. She gives me, elle me donne. ' Ind b‘ We give them, nous leur donnons, j Direct obj. 1 - After the Verb. (Imperative-affirm- ative. See her to day, voyez-la aujourd’hui. | Love them always, aimez-les toujours, j Give us your books, donnez-nous vos livres. 1 Give them my compliments, faites-leur mes j- compliments. I * If the form est-ce-que is used, the nominative pronoun is placed before the verb. 80 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD, Place of the Personal Pronoun, Object of a Preposition. These pronouns are always placed after the verb, the preposi- tions used with them being translated. Some few verbs require the preposition à {to or at, of the dative case) to be also trans- lated. In such cases the pronoun as object of a preposition, is used instead of the pronoun dative. He went with me to the theater, il alla avec moi au théâtre. He goes ivith her every day, il va avec elle tous les jours. They speak for them, ils parlent pour eux, or elles. He fell against her, il tomba contre elle. He comes to him for money, il vient à lui pour de l’argent. He 'still thinks of them, il pense encore à eux. Use of moi and toi as Direct or Indirect Object. The forms moi and toi are used instead of me and te, whether direct or indirect, when placed after the verb, i. e,, in the imper- ative-affirmative. See me this afternoon, voyez-moi cette après-midi. Give me all your money, donnez-moi tout votre argent. Personal Pronouns En and Y. The pronouns en {some, or any, of it, thereof, of them, etc.), and y {to or at it, thereat, at them, of it, — also the adverb of place, y, there, ) follow the same rules as have been given for the pronouns when used as direct object or indirect object. I have some {of it), j’en ai. Have you any {of them,)? en avez- vous? Get some to-day, ayez-en aujourd’hui. I think of it now, j’y pense maintenant. Think of it often, j’y pense souvent. Go there at once, allez-y de suite. He went there yesterday, il y alla hier. PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 81 Respective places of the Pronouns, Direct and Indirect Object. « When two personal pronouns, — one direct and the other in- direct, — occur in the same sentence, they are both placed be- fore the verb, except in the imperative affirmative. In order to ascertain their respective places observe the person of the indirect, as is shown below. 1. He gives it to me. — The indirect is not of the 3d. person. 2. They give it to him. — The indirect is of the 3d. person. If the indirect is not of the third person, singular or plural, the order is the opposite to the English, i. e., the indirect before the direct He gives it to me, il me le donne. If the indirect is of the third person, singular or plural, the order is the same as in English, i. e., the direct before the indirect He gives it to him, il le lui donne. When these pronouns are placed after the verb, (in the im- perative affirmative,) the order is always the same as in English, i. e., the direct before the indirect. Give it to me, donnez-le-moi. Give it to him, donnez-le-lui. The pronouns en and y (also y, there, adverb) always follow all other pronouns, whether before or after the verb. Speak to her of it, parlez-lui-en. Do not speak to her of it, ne lui en parlez pas, I will send it to you there, je vous Py enverrai. He has spoken to me about it, il m’en a parlé. 82 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. SIXTEENTH LESSON — Seizième Leçon. The market j Le marché. The church. L’église, /. The college. Le collège. The school. L’école, /. The museum. Le musée. The art museum. Le musée des arts. The law school. L’école de droit. The park. Le parc. The station, the depot. La gare. The railway. Le chemin de fer. The medical college. L’école de médecine. The boulevards. Les boulevards, m. The University of Michigan. L’Université de Michigan. Study and conjugate the past indefinite of répondre (p. 157), aller (p. 166), écrire (p. 169). Past Indefinite. This tense expresses an action entirely completed, but performed at a time of which some part is not yet elapsed; as to-day^ this week. this mouthy this year^ etc. Important Remark. — This tense is more frequently used in French than in English. In the familiar style, in all ordinary circumstances, it may be and is used instead of the past definite, i. e., when ^^did^^ is expressed or understood in English. Yesterday I ivrote two letters. Hier j’ai écrit deux lettres. We finished this morning. ISTous avons fini ce matin. She answered on the 16th instant. Elle a répondu le 16 courant. You spoke to her last week. Vous lui avez parlé la semaine dernière. I have written several letters. J’ai écrit plusieurs lettres. We have finished our lessons. NTous avons fini nos leçons. Last year I saw the queen Vic- L’année dernière j’ai vu la reine toria. Victoria. PAST INDEFINITE. 83 To go to church. To go to school. To visit. To accompany. To travel. To remain, to stay. Long, a long time. From time to time. Sometimes. Before. After. Aller à l’église. Aller à l’école. Visiter. Accompagner. Voyager, Rester (with être). ^ Longtemps. De temps en temps. Quelquefois. Avant (prep.), devant (adv.), avant que (conj.). Après, après que. EXAMPLES. Who has gone to market f My aunt {has gone there). Have you visited our church f I visited it yesterday ; it is large. Who accompanied you? Mr. Paul accompanied me. Has your father traveled much? He traveled ivhen he ivas young. Have you been to the museum? I have been there occasionally. Have you met my sisters ? I saw them at church. Did you remain long at school? I remained there for three hours. Who spoke first? I spoke- before you did. Did you come before I did? No, I came after you. Did you dance much yesterday? About half an hour. When I ivas in Paris, I used to go to the law school. Qui est allé au marché? Ma tante y est allée. Avez-vous visité notre église? J e l’ai visitée hier ; elle est grande. Qui vous a accompagné? M. Paul m’a accompagné. Votre père a-t-il beaucoup voy- agé? Il a voyagé quand il était jeune. Avez- vous été au musée ? J’y ai été quelquefois. Avez-vous rencontré mes sœurs? Je les ai vues à l’église. Etes-vous resté longtemps à l’école ? J’y suis resté trois heures. Qui a parlé le premier? J’ai parlé avant vous. Etes-vous venu avant moi? Non, je suis venu après vous. Avez-vous beaucoup dansé hier? Environ une demi-heure. Quand j’étais à Paris, j’allais de temps en temps à l’école de droit. 84 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD, CONVERSATION. Etes- vous allé a Téglise hier? Vos petits frères vont-ils à Técole tous les jours? Ce garçon aime-t-il son collège? Qu’apprend-il? Avez-vous déjà visité le musée? Nos amis ne sont-ils pas allés au musée? Y a-t-il un parc dans la ville? Vos amis sont-ils à TUniversité de Michigan? Voulez-vous venir avec moi à la gare? Avez-vous beaucoup voyagé? Allez-vous de temps en temps au collège? Etes- vous venu avant Charles? Etes-vous venu longtemps avant lui? 26 . Is your little boy at school? Yes, he is there now; he goes there twice' a day. — Does he learn well? He is a little lazy; but he is so young. — Who has gone to the station with your sister-in-law? My husband has accompanied her there. — She did not remain long with you. She remained only three days with us. —Do you sometimes go to the college? I go there from time to time. — You are right. — Have you shut the door of your room? I always shut it when I think of it. — Where did you meet my servant? I met him on the boulevard. — Which museufn did you visit yesterday? I visited the Art Museum. — Will you accompany me to the market? With pleasure; what do you wish to buy? I wish to buy a silver snuff-box. — You (en) have one already. Yes, but it is bro- ken. —Do you often travel? I travel two or three times a year. — Do you sometimes go to the park? I have been there only once. - Do you like it? Not much. — Will you lend me your pen-knife? I can not lend it to you; my sister has it. 27 . Who has torn these envelopes? It is that little boy who has torn them. — Have you a (du) fire in your room? Not to-day; it is not cold. — I am not warm. It is astonishing; it is warm to-day. — Do you burn wood or coal? We always burn coal. — (En) Do you burn much of it? We (en) burn five or six thou- sand kilogrammes a year. — Is it not damp to-day? Yes, it is damp and mild. — Whose umbrella is this? It is my father’s. - COINS. 85 It is torn; do you see? Yes, it is an old umbrella. — Will you lend me yours? I (en) have not one. — Are there many apples this year? No, there are not a great many apples, but there are a good many pears. — Have you known your grand- father? No, but I have seen my grandmother. — How much does this man receive a day? He receives five francs a day. It is not much. — How many children has he? He (en) has four or five. — Is not the young man who is with him his son? No, he is our neighbor’s son. — Does he work with him? I think he always works with him; I always see them together (ensemble). — Will you give me your old pen? I can lend it to you, but I do not wish to give it fo you. SEVENTEENTH LESSON — Dix-septième Leçon. Study and conjugate, in the four forms, the future of avoir (p. 131), and être (p. 135). L’or (metal). L’argent (métal). De l’argent. De la monnaie. Des sous. Une pièce de. Une pièce de vingt francs. Une livre sterling. Une couronne. Un schelling. Un penny, deux sous. Un sou. Un demi-sou. Un cent. Une guinée. Un dollar, une piastre. \ Money. t î Change. ( Pence, coppers. A piece. A twenty-franc piece. A pound sterling. A crown. A shilling. A penny. A halfpenny. A farthing. A cent. A guinea. A dollar. * General sense. t Partitive sense. 86 DVFFET^S FRENCH METHOD. After c’est, or ce sont, expressed or understood, use the personal pronouns in the objective with a preposi- tion, i. e.^ moi, toi, lui, elle, nous, vous, eux, elles, in- stead of the nominative case, as in English, and say: C’est moi qui ai. C’est toi qui as. C’est lui qui a. C’est elle qui a. C’est nous qui avons. C’est vous qui avez. Ce sont eux qui ont. Ce sont elles qui ont. C’est vous qui avez raison. Ce sont eux qui doivent aller. Use moi, etc., when the verb is understood. Who said that? I. Qui a dit cela? Moi. It is thou, and not he. C’est toi, et non pas lui. Neither he nor I. IsTi lui ni moi. It is I who have. It is thou ivho hast. It is he ivho has. It is she who has. It is we who have. It is you who have. It is they who have. It is they who have. It is you ivho are right. It is they who are to go. For the sake of emphasis, as well as when there is more than one subject to the verb, also use moi, etc. I am an Englishman. We are fatigued. He do such a thing! He and I depart. They and you are invited. There. Here. Some more, any more. A little more, a few more. Much more, many more. Not much more, not many more. Some, a feiu. A few, some (pronoun). Few, not much, not many. Several. To-morrow. For. Moi, je suis anglais. Nous, nous sommes fatigués. Lui, faire une pareille chose! Lui et moi nous partons. Eux et vous (vous) êtes invités. Là, y. I Là and ici, when the Ici, y. \ place is pointed out. Encore. Encore un peu. Encore beaucoup. Ne . . . plus guère de. Quelques (before a plural noun). Quelques-uns, m., unes, /. Peu de. Plusieurs. Demain. Car. THE PRONOUN. 87 ^ EXAMPLES. Have you any gold? Noy hut I shall have some to-morrow. Shall you have muchf I shall have a thousand francs in gold. Has your brother much more money (or, much money left). He has not much more. Have you a few 7nore five franc pieces f I have a, few more. Will not Mr. V. he here to-morrow f I think he will {be here). Shall you not he glad to see him? I shall, for he is very amiable. There will he very few ladies. There will he several children. There idll he some young men. How many shillings are there in a pound sterling f There are twenty shillings in a pound, and twelve pence in a shilling. Have you change for twenty francs f No, I have only sous. How many francs ai^e there m a dollar f Avez- vous de l’or? Non, mais j’en aurai demain. En aurez-vous beaucoup? J’aurai mille francs en or. Votre frère a-t-il encore beau- coup d’argent? Il n’en a plus guère. Avez-vous encore quelques pièces de cinq francs? J’en ai encore quelques-unes. M. V. ne sera-t-il pas ici demain? Je pense qu’il y sera (or, je pense que oui). Ne serez-vous pas bien aise de le voir? Oui, car il est très-aimable. Il y aura très-peu de dames. Il y aura plusieurs enfants. Il y aura quelques jeunes gens. Combien y a-t-il de schellings dans une livre sterling? Il y a vingt schellings dans une livre (<£), et douze pence dans un schelling. Avez-vous 20 francs de monnaie (or, avez-vous la monnaie de vingt francs) ? Non, je n’ai que des sous. Combien de francs y a-t-il dans un dollar? CONVERSATION. Avez- vous de l’or? Combien y a-t-il de francs dans une guinée? Et combien y a-t-il de schellings? N’avez- vous plus de couronnes? Avez-vous#encore beaucoup de pièces de vingt 88 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD, francs? Qu’aurai-je de cette dame? Quand vos fils désirent-ils m’accompagner au musée? Serez-vous longtemps ici ? L’épicier a-t-il encore beaucoup de ce bon café ? Que comptez-vous faire demain? Quand serez-vous majeur? Avez-vous la monnaie de vingt francs? Avez-vous de l’argent? Quand en aurez-vous? Pouvez-vous me donner des sous? N’avez-vous pas encore quelques dollars? Est-ce votre père qui vous donne tant d’argent? 28 . Have you many twenty-franc pieces in gold? I (en) have not any more. — Have you any five-franc pieces in silver? I (en) have not many. — Have you any small change? No, I have only paper-money and coppers. — Is there much gold here? There is a great deal. — How many francs are there in a pound sterling? There are twenty -five francs in a pound sterling. — What is a shilling? It is the twentieth part of a pound, or twelve pence. — Is the crown bigger than the five- franc piece in silver? Yes, for there are five shillings in a crown, and four in the five-franc piece. — Your sister has a good deal of money. — She has gold pieces and a good many silver ones. — Her godmother, Avho loves her very much, often gives her money. — Did your cousin give you this beautiful book? No, my uncle gave it to me. — Have you written (écrit) this letter? I have not written it; it was my brother. 29 . Will you have wood and coal enough? We shall have wood enough, but we shall not have coal enough, for we burn much more coal than wood. — Will your father have enough money to buy your neighbor’s house? Yes, my father has a great deal of money. — Will you have as many houses as your uncle? We (en) already have more than he, but his are larger than ours. — Will your cousins be as rich as you? They will be richer than I, for they are only two, and we are five. —You will soon be as tall as your brother. I am already almost as tall as he is. — Have you still much money? No, I«(en) have not much more. iV.l TIONALITIES. 89 but to-morrow I (en) shall have a good deal; I shall have two hundred dollars. — Your father gives you too much money. No, for I have several things to buy ; a hat, boots, neckties, a dic- tionary, and several books. — Shall you be here to-morrow? I think I shall be here before you. — I almost always come before you. Yesterday you came after me. — It was the first time. — You and I are always the first arrived (arrivés). EIGHTEENTH LESSON — Dix-huitième Leçon. France. La France. England. L’Angleterre. To or in France. En France. To or in England. En Angleterre. To, in, at Paris. A Paris. To, in, at London. A Londres. A Frenchman. Un Français. A French lady. Une (dame) française. An Englishman. Un Anglais. An English lady. Une (dame) anglaise. Frenchmen. Englishmen. Des Français, | partitive. Des Anglais, j The English. Les Anglais. The French. Les Français. French. Le français {the language). English. L’anglais. The names of countries are preceded, in French, by the defi- nite article. The preposition en is used before the names of countries, to translate to or in, into, in which case the article is omitted. The preposition à is ijsed before the names of cities, to trans- late to, at, or in. Study and conjugate the future of aimer, finir, recevoir, vendre, in the four forms. D. F. M. —8. 90 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. C’est, il est, it is, he is, etc. C’était, il était, it was, he was, etc. Translate it by il (an impersonal pronoun): 1st. With a unipersonal verb. It is cold. It will rain. II fait froid. Il pleuvra. Impersonal. 2d. When an adjective followed by de or que, comes after the verb être. It is necessary to study. II est nécessaire d’étudier. It is important that I should go. II est important que j’aille. 3d. When speaking of time. It is late, it is ten o'clock. It was nine o'clock. Translate it by ee or e’: II est tard, il est dix heures. Il était neuf heures. 1st. When it stands for that, that thing, cela, in which case the adjective is not followed by de, que. It is necessary, important. C’est nécessaire, c’est important. It is natural, it is true. C’est naturel, c’est vrai. 2d. When the verb être is followed by a noun having before it le, la, un, une, mon, ton, son, être is followed by celui, celle, l’autre, etc. It is my uncle's house. It is mine, not his. It is a beautiful house. It was my sister's. etc.; and also when the verb etc., I’un or l’autre, ni l’un, ni C’est la maison de mon oncle. C’est 1% mienne, ce n’est pas la sienne. C’est une belle maison. C’était celle de ma sœur (or, elle était à ma sœur). IMPERSONAL PRONOUNS. 91 He, she, they, and these are expressed by ce when the verb être is followed by an article, a possessive, a demonstrative: He is a friend of mine. She was my best friend. These are my books. She is a German lady. They are Americans. They are yours. C’est un de mes amis. C’était ma meilleure amie. Ce sont mes livres. C’est une dame allemande. Ce sont des Américains. Ce sont les vôtres (or, ils sont à vous). But he, she, they, are translated by il, elle, ils, elles when the verb être is followed by a noun which has neither an article, nor a possessive, nor a demonstrative before it. He is a Frenchman. II est Français (or, c’est un Français). She is an artist. Elle est artiste (or, c’est une artiste). They are foreigners. Ils sont étrangers (or, ce sont des étrangers). It is translated by il, elle, when an adjective referring to a masculine or feminine noun in the singular comes after est, était. Speaking of a hat: It is new, beautiful. Speaking of a house: It is large, high. II est neuf, il est beau, etc. Elle est grande, elle est haute. To know f Connaître, to know {by the senses), to be acquainted with, I to know a place, to have the knowledge of. Savoir, to know, to know how, to know where, to know I what, to know something. I know your father. I know what you mean. To begin, to commence. To understand. Je connais votre père. J e sais co que vous voulez dire. Commencer. Comprendre (p. 168). 92 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, Howf Why? Because. Soon, very soon. Together. Perhaps, , So much, so many. Comment? Pourquoi ? Parce que. Bientôt. Ensemble. Peut-être. Tant (de before a noun). EXAMPLES. When shall you go to France? Quand irez- vous en France? I shall, perhaps, go there soon, J’y irai peut-être bientôt. Have you begun to study French? Avez-vous commencé à étudier, le français? I shall begin next week. Je commencerai la semaine pro- chaine. Shall you go to Paris? Irez- vous à Paris? I shall, perhaps, go to Orleans. J’irai peut-être à Orléans. Does that Englishman speak Get Anglais parle-t-il le fran- French ? He does, but he has a bad accent. Does that French lady speak En- glish well? She speaks it as ivell as an En- glish lady. Do you know many Englishmen? I know a few Englishmen in London. Will you go together? I think we shall. Will your friends come ? They will not come at all. Shall you soon understand? I begin to understand a little. How do I speak? You begin to speak pretty ivell. çais ? or français ? Oui, mais il a un mauvais accent. Cette Française parle-t-elle bien l’anglais? or anglais? Elle le parle aussi bien qu’une Anglaise. Connaissez-vous beaucoup d’An- glais? Je connais quelques Anglais à Londres. Irez-vous ensemble ? Je pense que oui. Vos amis viendront-ils? Ils ne viendront pas du tout. Comprendrez-vous bientôt ? Je commence à comprendre un peu. Comment est-ce que je parle? Vous commencez à parler assez bien. THE PRONOUN. 93 CONVERSATION. Votre fille peut-elle parler anglais? Cet Anglais comprend-il le français? Pourquoi ne me répondez-vous pas en anglais? Ne pouvez-vous pas comprendre cette demoiselle anglaise ? Con- naissez-vous plusieurs Anglais qui parlent bon français? Quand irez-vous en France? Resterez-vous long'temps à Paris? Votre fils saura-t-il bientôt le français? Y a-t-il beaucoup d’Anglais à Paris? Pouvez- vous comprendre les Français quand ils parlent ensemble? Quand commencerez-vous à écrire vos lettres? Quand votre mère viendra-t-elle vous voir? Pourquoi n’allez- vous pas à l’Université de Michigan? Qui est cette dame? 30. Are there many Englishmen in Paris? There (en) are always a great many. ^ — Are there more Englishmen in Paris than Frenchmen in London? I don’t know, but there are a great many Englishmen in Paris. — Can you speak French? I begin to speak it pretty well. — Do you know the verbs? I already know how to conjugate several tenses (temps) of a great many verbs. — Shall you go to France? Perhaps. — Has not your brother been there? Yes, he has been in Paris. — Do you often speak French? I only speak French with my teacher (professeur), one hour every day. — Do you read (p. 149) French books? I do; but I do not yet know French enough to understand what I read, — Is that gentleman English? No, he is a Frenchman, but he speaks English as well as an Englishman. — There are few Frenchmen who have a good English accent. My father has a very good accent. — Why do you not speak with that lady? Because I do not understand her, and she does not un- derstand me. — You see that it is necessary to know how to speak several languages. 81. When will you go to Versailles? Perhaps I shall go to- morrow. — Why do you not go there to-day? Because I have several letters to write. — To whom have you to write ? To 1113 ^ 94 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. aunt, my brother, and to a friend who is in France. — When shall you go to Paris? Very soon; to-morrow, perhaps. — Shall you soon be able to speak French? I begin to speak and un- derstand it pretty well. — Did you learn it in England? Yes, a little. — Do you like France? I like it better than England. — Are you acquainted with many Frenchmen now? I am, hut I shall soon have more friends in Paris, because I have several French families to visit; to-day I shall go and see (j’irai voir) the family B. — When will you take your lesson? I do not know it yet; I am going to learn it. — Do you understand me very well when I speak French to you? I do, because you speak very distinctly (distinctement). — Do you like the French language? I do; but I shall like it better when I can speak and understand it better. — Will you remain long in France? *I intend to remain eight months in Paris, and four months at Versailles. NINETEENTH LESSON — Dix-neuvième Leçon. The horse, le cheval. The dog, le chien. Faithful, fidèle. The cat, le chat. The ox, le bœuf. The ass, ] The donkey, \ ^ The mule, le mulet. The cow, la vache. The calf, le veau. The bird, I’oiseau, m. The cage, la cage. 1 I The carriage, The coach. The coachman. The driver, The farmer, le fermier. The cart, la charrette. la voiture. le cocher. Study and conjugate avoir, être, aimer, finir, recevoir, vendre, in the conditional present and past, and the same verbs in the futur antérieur. After quand, lorsque (when), aussitôt que (as soon as), * We will no longer give the genders of adjectives. REMARKS ON THE FUTURE, . 95 etc., the future is used, in French, instead of the pres- ent, as in English, when we have to express a future action or state. When you have finished, come (i. e., when you will have finished). As soon as he knows how to read (i. e., he will know), he will have these hooks. When you come (i. e., when you shall have come), he will be here. When he is here. After si (if), do not use French; but the present or sense. If I can do that, I will do it. If he could write, it would he better. Still, when si stands for ditional are used. I don't knoiv whether she will come. I should like to know whether it will rain. I did not know whether you would go. If I had, or had I; if he had, or had he; if we had, etc. I should like to know. He would like to come. He will come and take it. Go and look for my son. In these and similar phrases To go out. To depart, to leave. To sell. Quand vous aurez fini, venez. Aussitôt qa’il saura lire, il aura ces livres. Quand vous viendrez, il sera ici. Lorsqu’il sera ici. a future or conditional in imperfect, according to the Si je puis faire cela, je le ferai. S’il pouvait écrire, ce serait mieux. whether^ the future and con- Je ne sais pas si elle viendra. Je voudrais savoir s’il pleuvra. Je ne savais pas si vous iriez. Si j’avais ; s’il avait ; si nous avions, etc. Je voudrais, je désirerais savoir. Il voudrait bien venir, il désire- rait venir. Il viendra le prendre. Allez chercher mon fils. and is not expressed in French. Sortir (p. 129). Partir, (être), (p. 129). Vendre, 96 BUFFET \S FRENCH METHOD. EXAMPLES. Shall you buy a horse f I should like to buy one, but I have not money enough. I should like to sell my dog. You are wrong; dogs are such faithful creatures. My wife is very fond of cats. My farmer has beautiful oxen. He has asses and mules also. Has he many cows? He has ten cows and five calves^ My daughter has four nice birds. Will you go out this afternoon? I should like to go out. Should you remain here if your mother were here? I think I should. Had you remained here, I should not have gone out. I shall have finished when you come. As soon as you have received your money, come and see me. I do not know yet whether we shall leave to-morrow. I should have been afraid, had you not been with me. Achèterez-vous un cheval? Je voudrais en acheter un, mais je n’ai pas assez d’argent. J e voudrais bien vendre mon chien. Vous avez tort; les chiens sont si fidèles. Ma femme aime beaucoup les chats. Mon fermier a de beaux bœufs. Il a aussi des ânes et des mulets. A-t-il beaucoup de vaches? Il a dix vaches et cinq veaux. Ma fille a quatre beaux oiseaux. Sortirez-vous cette après-midi? Je voudrais bien sortir. Resteriez-vous ici si votre mère y était? Je pense que oui. Si vous étiez resté ici, je ne serais pas sorti. J’aurai fini quand vous viendrez. Aussitôt que vous aurez reçu votre argent, venez me voir.’ Je ne sais pas encore si nous partirons demain. J’aurais eu peur, si vous n’aviez pas été avec moi. CONVERSATION. Avez-vous acheté un cheval? Qu’achèteriez-vous si vous aviez beaucoup d’argent? Votre père vous donnerait-il de l’argent si vous vouliez acheter une montre? Qu’est-ce que votre fermier voudrait vendre? A-t-il beaucoup de bœufs et de veaux à vendre? Quand voudriez-vous partir? Si j’écrivais à Charles, USU OF THE FUTURE. 97 me répondrait-il ? Si je parlais français à cette dame, me com- prendrait elle ? Sortiriez-vous, si j’allais avec vous? Seriez-vous sorti s’il n’avait pas fait froid ? Combien y a-t-il d’oiseaux dans cette cage? A qui sont-ils? Je ne vois pas votre chien, où est-il? Pouvez-vous voir aussi loin que moi? Aimeriez- vous avoir de l’argent anglais? 32. If you had money, would you buy that gentleman’s horse? Perhaps I should buy it. — Should you like to have a dog like (comme) mine? No, I like mine better than yours. — Dogs are very faithful animals; more faithful than cats. — My wife is very fond of cats; she has four, and would not give hers for an empire. — When will you go to Liverpool ? I shall go as soon as I know how to speak English. — You would learn En- glish better were you in England. — I don’t know whether I should learn it better; I speak it a good deal every day. — Would not your farmer sell one of his horses? Yesj he would sell two, should you wish to buy them. I should like (en) to buy one. — When will you go out? I shall go out as soon as I know my lesson. — When will you come and see my father? To-morrow, perhaps. — Would you leave to-day if my brother started with you? It would not be possible for me to start to-day; I can not leave before next Saturday. Will you remain long in London? I shall remain there three or four weeks. — When shall you set out? Very soon. — Is Paris as large as London? London is much larger than Paris, but Paris is more beautiful than London ; the English themselves (eux-mêmes) say so (le disent). — Haven’t you eight birds in your cage? I (en) have only six. — Do not these books tbelong to your sister? No, they are mine. — To whom do these beautiful horses belong? They are my farmer’s. — Will you lend me your sister’s inkstand? Take it. — Shall you soon have a carriage and a horse? We intend to buy a carriage; we already D. F. M.— 0. 98 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. have two horses; I bought them yesterday. I did not know that. — Will you buy a large carriage? I can’t say. — I should like to know whether you will always be lazy, Eobert. No, sir, I shall be studious and good; you will see. — That is very well; when will you begin? I shall begin to-morrow morn- ing. — Should you not be glad if you knew your lessons before Charles? Yes, to-morrow I will try (tâcherai) to know them before him. TWENTIETH LESSON — Vingtième Leçon. , The morning. The evening. This morning. This evening. Last night. Next year. Last month. The day after. The day before^ the eve. The day. The month. The year. A year. Le matin, la matinée {duration). Le soir, la soirée. “ Ce matin. Ce soir. La nuit dernière. L’année prochaine. Le mois dernier. Le lendemain. La veille. Le jour. Le mois. L’année, / {duration). Un an. Study and conjugate the imperative of avoir, être, aimer, finir, recevoir, vendre. To he so kind as to. 1 To be kind enough to. J Please; pray, do. To study. Of whom f from whom f Of what f on whose behalf f Avoir la bonté de. Veuillez. (Imperative of the verb vouloir, to be willing.) Etudier. De qui? de la part de qui? De quoi? IMPERATIVE. 99 In the morning. In the evening. In the afternoon. The day after to-morrow. The day before yesterday. This day week. To-morrow fortnight. Then. Le matin. Le soir. L’après-midi. Après-demain. Avant-hier. D’aujourd’hui en huit. De demain en quinze. Alors. EXAMPLES. Be so kind as to come and see me this evening. Let him drink, if he is thirsty. Let them study the twentieth lesson. Let us go to Mrs. B.^s this after- noon. Do not receive any thing from that man. Say nothing about that lady. Please give me some water. Do not go out this morning. Do not let them, eat, now. Let me have this book before twelve. Do not let us speak to Paul. Do not walk so much. Let him he more studious to-mor- row. Do not let her sing so much. Let those children come in the morning. Whom were you speaking of dur- ing the evening f From whom have you received this nice box. What are you speaking off Ayez la bonté de venir me voir ce soir. Qu’il boive, s’il a soif. Qu’ils étudient la vingtième leçon. Allons chez madame B. cette après-midi. We recevez rien de cet homme. Ne dites rien de cette dame. Veuillez me donner de l’eau, s’il vous plaît. Ne sortez pas ce matin. Qu’ils ne mangent pas mainte- nant. Que j’aie ce livre avant midi. Ne parlons pas à Paul. Ne marchez pas tant. Qu’il soit plus studieux demain. Qu’elle ne chante pas tant. Que ces enfants viennent le matin. De qui parliez- vous pendant la soirée ? De qui avez-vous reçu cette belle boite ? De quoi parlez- vous ? 100 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. I write in the morning, and go out J’écris le matin et je sors le in the evening. soir. The day before yesterday teas the Avant-hier c’était le dix., tenth. To-morrow three lueeks will be my De demain en trois semaines ce birthday. sera mon jour de naissance. CONVERSATION. Où avez-vous été ce matin? Etudiez-vous beaucoup le matin? Ne sortez-vous pas l’après-midi? Auriez-vous la bonté de me donner un verre d’eau? Prêtez-moi deux francs, voulez-vous? De qui avez- vous reçu ce beau porte-plume d’argent? Où comptez-vous voyager l’hiver prochain? Voulez-vous venir nous voir ce soir? Où êtes-vous allé avant-hier? N’avez-vous pas mal au doigt? Qu’étudiez-vous maintenant? Voulez-vous me donner du pain et du beurre? N’avez-vous pas soif? Voulez- vous avoir la bonté de fermer cette porte? Qu’a votre grand’ mère ? 34 . AVould you be so kind as to come and see me to-morrow? In the morning or in the evening? In the afternoon, if you please. — To-morrow afternoon I shall give lessons. Then come in the evening. With pleasure. — I should like to speak to you about my son, who wishes to learn French. — Has he already studied it? A little. — Does he like to study? No, he is very lazy, and I am not satisfied with him ; he does not study at all. — He is wrong; if he will study well, he can learn English in five or six months. — Be so kind as to lend me your pencil, if you please. I have none; take this pen. — Please give me a sheet of paper. Thank you. — Will you go to Munich this year? If I do not go this year, I shall next year. — Go there next month ; my son will go with you. I will see. — Does your son write to you often? He writes to me every month. — Does he often come to see you? No, but we go to see him; his father will go and see him day after to-morrow. — Of whom are you speaking? Of the Englishman (whom) you saw here yester- day. — Give me a pear, if you please. — Lend your dictionary to that lady. With pleasure. EXPRESSIONS OF TIME. 101 35 . Is not Mr. G. wrong to sell his house? Perhaps. -Has he another ? He (en) had another, hut he has sold it also. — I have not wine enough ; give me (en) a little more, if you please. — Don’t you wish to have a little more meat? No, thank you, I (en) have enough. — Do you take coffee? No, never ; I like tea better than coffee. — You are wrong, I think, for coffee is better than tea. — Take some cheese. I never eat cheese. — Have you much more of this good old wine? I (en) have not much more ; from fifteen to twenty bottles. — We shall not have much wine this year; much less than last year. — Do you work in the evening? I do, because I go out in the after- noon. — Do you never go out in the morning? No, I study, write, and read in the morning. — You are right. — From whom have you received this beautiful gold watch ? I received it from my grandmother. It is a beautiful watch. — Sell me your horse, will you? I like it too much to (pour) sell it. — AVhere were you last month? I was in Lyons. — Are you not too warm? I am never too warm. TWENTY-FIRST LESSON — Vingt et unième Leçon. Midnight J minuit, m. To wind up, remonter. By my watch, à ma montre. To lose, (perdre), retarder. midi, m. The dial, le cadran. The hands, les aiguilles,/. Twelve hours. To gain, to go too fast. To keep good time. Half an hour. A quarter of an hour. Douze heures. Avancer. Aller bien. Une demi-heure. Un quart d’heure. 102 BUFFET^ S FEENCH METHOD. Study and conjugate the present subjunctive of avoir, être, aimer, finir, etc. Notice, in the following examples, that the word iov o’clock, time, (heure) is never omitted in French. At what o’clock? What o’clock is it? It is ten o’clock. It is half past ten. It is a quarter past ten. It is a quarter to ten. It is twenty minutes past ten. It is twenty minutes to ten. It is twenty minutes to eleven. By my watch it is twenty-seven minutes past ten. Your watch loses; hy mine it is hventy-five minutes to eleven. My watch always keeps good time. To want, to need, to he in need of. To arrive, to come, to happen. Early. Earlier. Sooner. Rather. Late. Later, hy and hy. Too late. Too early, too soon. A quelle heure ? Quelle heure est-il? Il est dix heures. Il est dix heures et demie. Il est dix heures et quart. Il est dix heures moins un quart. Il est dix heures vingt {minutes). Il est dix heures moins vingt ‘‘ Il est dix heures quarante “ A ma montre, il est dix heures vingt-sept. V otre montre retarde ; à la mienne il est onze heures moins vingt-cinq. Ma montre va toujours bien. Avoir besoin de. Arriver (with être). De bonne heure, tôt. De meilleure heure plus tôt. Plus tôt. Plutôt. Tard, en retard. Plus tard. Trop tard. Trop tôt, de trop bonne heure. EXAMPLES. What o’clock is it hy your watch ? Quelle heure est-il à votre montre ? Il is a quarter past nine. Il est neuf heures et quart. Your dock is a quarter of an hour Votre pendule avance d’un quart too fast. d’heure. EXPRESSIONS OF TIME. 103 Will you come early to-morrow f I will come earlier than to-day. You are very late. I intended to come sooner. It is late; you will not have time to finish your lesson. Do you wind up your watch in the evening? Not always. You need a watch. I shall buy one later. .You come too soon. It is a quarter to twelve. It is already so late. Come to-morrow at three. Not before three? Come, rather, at half past two. Viendrez-vous de bonne heure demain ? Je viendrai de meilleure heure qu’auj ourd’hui. Vous êtes bien en retard. J’avais envie de venir plus tôt. Il est tard ; vous n’aurez pas le temps de finir votre leçon. Remontez-vous votre montre le soir? Pas toujours. Vous avez besoin d’une montre. J’en achèterai une plus tard. Vous venez trop tôt. Il est midi moins un quart. Il est déjà si tard. Venez demain à trois heures. Pas avant trois heures? Venez plutôt à deux heures et demie. CONVERSATION. N’avez-vous pas besoin d’une pendule dans votre chambre? Quelle heure est-il? Pourquoi n’êtes-vous pas venu plus tôt? N’avez-vous pas été en retard? Quelle heure est-il à votre montre? Ne retarde-t-elle pas? Pourquoi venez-vous toujours tard? De quoi votre sœur a-t-elle besoin? Viendrez-vous de meilleure heure demain ? Commencez-vous à ét\idier avec plaisir? Pouvez- Vous dire l’heure? Votre pendule va-t-elle bien? Savez-vous la remonter? Quand la remontez-vous? De quoi avez-vous besoin Charles ? Ne partez-vous pas ce soir ? A quelle heure? 36. The hands of your watch are too small. They are gold. — Does your watch keep good time? It is ten minutes too fast. Then it is twenty-five minutes past two. — It is time to learn my lesson. — How many pages have you to learn ? One ; and I 104 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. have two exercises to write. — At what o’clock do you take your lesson? At one o’clock. — You have time enough; you will have finished at twelve. — I am afraid of being late.' You are right. — Will you have time to go out to-day? Yes, I in- tend to go and see my godfather; he wishes to see me. — At what time will you go? At four o’clock. — That is very late. I have not time to go sooner. — When will you have finished your exercise? Very soon. — Has your brother a clock in his room ? No ; he wants to have one, because he never knows the hour, and is always late. — Where have you been so early this morning? I was in need of ink, and I went to buy some. — Did you go out earlier than I did ? At what o’clock did you go out? I went out at a quarter to eight. I went out at half past seven. 37. What do you want? I want some money. — You always need money. Y^ou do not (en) give me enough. — You buy too many books. Had I more rnoney, I would buy many more. — What are you reading now? A book of my sister’s. — Have you not enough of your owm ? No; will you lend me some? With jfieasure. — Why does that boy always come too late? He has not time to come sooner ; he goes to work early in the morning. — I should like to write a letter to my uncle, who is in Germany, but I have no time to-day. — What o’clock is it by your w^atch ? It is sixteen minutes past one. Already so late! — Where are you going? I am going to buy some silver spoons and forks. — Will you be here early? As soon as possible. — Will your husband go to England? He will, by and by; he has not time now. — Have you ever been at Oxford? No, but I shall go as soon as I know English. — How many hours a day do you study? I study four hours. The Verb. The verb agrees with its subject (sujet), whether the subject precedes or follows the verb. The past participle of active verbs, conjugated with THE VERB. 105 avoir, agrees with the accusative or direct object, when that accusative precedes the participle ; but remains unchanged when the object comes after the participle. The houses I have seen. Lés maisons que j’ai vues. I have admired them. Je les ai admirées. We have admired the houses. Nous avous admiré les maisons. If the verb is conjugated with être, the past parti- ciple agrees with the nominative. My sister has come. Ma sœur est venue. Her brothers have not left. Ses frères ne sont pas partis. The rules for the past participle will be found in Part II. Reflective verbs are essentially reflective ( i, e, , can not be other than reflective) or accidentally reflective (i, e,, occasionally so used.) Reflective verbs are conjugated in their simple tenses, like the regular verbs of the conjugation to which they belong (see p. 159). Two pronouns are used in their conjugation : Je me, I myself, Tu te, thou, thyself. II se, he himself. Elle se, she herself. Nous nous, we ourselves. Vous vous, you yourself, yourselves. Ils se, I themselves. Elies se, j In their compound tenses they take être ; as : Je me suis habillé. I have dressed myself. Passive verbs, — An active verb may become passive by adding its past participle to every tense of the auxiliary être. The participle agrees in gender and 106 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD, number with the subject of the verb to which it re- lates. (See p. 162.) Nous sommes aimés, or aimées. We are loved. Unipersonal verbs are conjugated according to the model of the conjugation to which they belong. These verbs are used only in the third person singular (see p. 163). They take avoir in their compound tenses. Many verbs are frequently used impersonally; they are conjugated with être in their compound tenses, as: II est arrivé un accident. An accident has happened. Important Remark. — The following formation of tenses should be studied very carefully, as it will enable the student to con- jugate a large portion of all the verbs of the language, with but few difficulties to overcome. — It applies to all the regular verbs, and to a large number of irregular verbs. Primitive and Derivative Tenses. Five of the simple tenses avQ called primitive, because they are used to form the other tenses. All the other tenses of a verb are called derivative, because they are formed from the primitive tenses. The primitive tenses are : 1. The Present Infinitive. 2. The Present Participle. 3. The Past Participle. 4. The Present Indicative. 5. The Past Definite. Terminations of the Primitive Tenses of the Regular Verbs. N. B. — The terminations we give below are those that belong to the greater number of the verbs of the language. For the present, the verbs we call regular, are those conjugated like donner, punir, concevoir, and rendre. (See farther on, the verbs aimer, finir, recevoir, and vendre.) 2d Co) FORMATION OF THE TENSES. 107 Present Infinitive. Present Participle. b Present Indici- TIVE. Past Definite. PL f e, f ons. ai. âmes. 1st Conj. ER, ant, é. i es. ] ez, as. âtes. 1 e. [ ent. a. èrent. r is. r issons. [ is. ( îmes. 2d Con j. IR, issant. i, ] is. ■{ issez, i is> -i îtes. 1 it. '[ issent, 1 it. [ irent. 3d Conj. [or OIK, evant, ant. n. f ois, ] ois, loit. f evons, ■{ evez, [ oivent r us, j US, 1 ^t. r urnes, 'j ûtes. [ urent. f s. f ons. r is. r îmes. 4th Conj. RE, ant. i i ez. i is, j îtes. 1 — [ ent. [ it, [ irent. FORMATION OF THE TENSES — FORMATION DES TEMPS. First Primitive Tense: Present Infinitive. The Present Infinitive forms tiüo tenses: the Future and the Conditional Present. 1. In the 1st and 2d conjugations it forms the Future by add- ing ai, as, a, ons ez, ont, to the terminations of the Infinitive: Donn-er. Pun-ir. Future. Future. Je donner-ai. Je punir-ai. Tu donner-as. Tu punir-as. Il donner-a. I shall punir-a. I shall pun- Nous donner-ons. givCy etc. Kous punir-ons, ish, etc. Vous donner-ez. Vous punir-ez. Ils donner-ont. Ils punir-ont. 108 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. 2. It forms the Conditional by adding ais, ais, ait, ions, iez, aient, to the terminations of the Infinitive : CÔ f ^ J ”3 Donn-er. Conditional. Je donner-ais, Tu donner-ais, II donner-ait, Nous donner-ions. Vous donner-iez. Ils donner-aient. I should give, etc. Pun-ir. Conditional. Je punir-ais, Tu punir-ais, II punir-ait. Nous punir-ions. Vous punir-iez. Ils punir-aient. 1 I should punish, etc. 3. In the 3d conjugation it forms the Future by changing evoir into evrai, evras, evra, evrons, evrez, evront but more frequently by changing oir into rai, ras, ra, etc. O Conc-evoir. Future. Je conc-evrai, Tu conc-evras, II conc-evra. Nous conc-evrons, Vous conc-evrez, Ils conc-evront. Mouv-oir. Future. Je mouv-rai, Tu mouv-ras, I shall con- II mouv-ra, ceive, etc. Nous mouv-rons, Vous mouv-rez. Ils mouv-ront. I shall move, etc. 4. It forms the Conditional by changing evoir into evrais, e vrais, evrait, evrions, evriez, evraientC'” or oir into rais, rais, rait, etc. Conc-evoir. Conditional. Je conc-evrais, Tu conc-evrais, II conc-evrait. Nous conc-evrions. Vous conc-evriez. Ils conc-evraient. I should conceive, etc. Mouv-oir. Conditional. Je mouv-rais, Tu mouv-rais, II mouv-rait, N ous mouv-rions. Vous mouv-riez. Ils mouv-raient. I should move, etc. 5. In the 4th conjugation it forms the Future by changing re * Only seven verbs of the third conjugation follow this rule ; i. e., apercevoir, con- cevoir, décevoir, devoir, percevoir, recevoir, redevoir. PRIMITIVE TENSES. 109 into rai, ras, ra, rons, rez, ront, and the Conditional by changing re into rais, rais, rait, rions, riez, raient. I should render^ etc. Second Primitive Tense : Present Participle. The Present Participle forms two tenses and a half tense: the Imperfect Indicative, the Present Subjunctive, and the plural of tne Present Indicative.'^ 1. It forms the Imperfect Indicative by changing ant, for the four conjugations, into ais, ais, ait, ions, iez, aient: Rend-re. Rend-re. .5 1 Future. Conditional. 1 Je rend-rai. Je rend-rais, 1 Tu rend-ras, Tu rend-rais, 1 â' 11 rend-ra. I shall 11 rend-rait, [ 1 Nous rend-rons. render i etc. Nous rend-rions. o Vous rend-rez. Vous rend-riez. Ils rend-ront. Ils rend-raient, j e Present Participle. Donn-ant. Imperfect Indicative. Je donn-ais, Tu donn-ais, 111 donn-ait, I gave, INous donn-ions, etc. Vous donn-iez, [ Ills donn-aient. Present Participle. Concev-ant. Imperfect Indicative. Je concev-ais, Tu concev-ais, II concev-ait, NTous concev-ions. Vous concev-iez. Ils concev-aient. .S' a I con- ^ ceived, etc. § Present Participle. Puniss-ant. Imperfect Indicative. Je puniss-ais, Tu puniss-ais, II puniss-ait, , I pun- Nous puniss-ions, ished,Qic. Vous puniss-iez. Ils puniss-aient. Present Participle. Rend-ant. Imperfect Indicative. Je rend-ais, Tu rend-ais, II rend-ait, , I ren- INous rend-ions, dered,Q\.o. Vous rend-iez, [ Ils rend-aient, j * Though the Present Indicative is one of the primitive tenses, we will form its plural in order to simplify the study of the Irregular Verbs. Third Conjugation. First Conjugation. no BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. 2. It forms the Present Subjunctive by changing ant, for the first, second, and fourth conjugations, into e, es, e, ions, iez, ent ; and for the third conjugation by changing evant into oive, oives, oive, evions, eviez, oivent: Present Participle. Donn-ant. Present Subjunctive. Que j e donn-e, ' Que tu donn-es. Qu’il donn-e. Que nous donn-ions. Que vous donn-iez. Qu’ils donn-ent. I î' Present Participle. Puniss-ant. Present Subjunctive. Que je puniss-e. Que tu puniss-es. Qu’il puniss-e. Que nous puniss-ions. Que vous puniss-iez. Qu’ils puniss-ent. H "S Present Participle. Conc-evant. Present Subjunctive. Que je conç-oive. Que tu conç-oives. Qu’il conç-oive. Que nous conc-evions. Que vous conc-eviez. Qu’ils conç-oivent. K, S Present Participle. Rend-ant. Present Subjunctive. Que je rend-e. Que tu rend-es. Qu’il rend-e. Que nous rend-ions. Que vous rend-iez. Qu’ils rend-ent. 3. It forms the plural of the Present Indicative by changing, for the first, second, and fourth conjugations, ant into ons, ez, ent; and for the third conjugation evez, oivent: First Conjugation. Present Participle. Donn-ant. Plur. of the Pres. Indicative. Nous donn-ons, we give. Vous donn-ez, you give. Ils donn-ent, they give. by changing evant into evons. Second Conjugation. Present Participle. Puniss-ant. Plur. of the Pres. Indicative. N ous puniss-ons, we punish. Vous puniss-ez, you punish. Ils puniss-ent, they punish. PRIMITIVE TENSES, 111 Third Conjugation. Present Participle. Concev-ant. Plur. of the Pres. Indicative. Nous conc-evons, we conceive. Vous conc-evez, you conceive. Ils conç-oivent, they conceive. Fourth Conjugation. Present Participle. Rend-ant. Plur. of the Pres. Indicative, Nous rend-ons, we render. Vous rend-ez, you render. Ils rend-ent, they render. Third Primitive Tense : Past Participle. The Past Participle forms all the compound tenses with the help of the auxiliary verbs avoir and être: First Conjugation. Past Indefinite. J’ai donné, I have given. Third Conjugation. Future Anterior. J’aurai conçu, I shall have received. Second Conjugation. Pluperfect. J’avais puni, I had punished. Fourth Conjugation. Conditional Past. J’aurais vend\x,I should he rendered. Fourth Primitive Tense : Present Indicative. The Present Indicative forms one tense : that of the Imperative. It forms the Imperative by suppressing the pronouns, also the 1st and 3d persons singular, and First Conjugation. Imperative. Donne,"' give thou. Donnons, let us give. Donnez, give ye or you. * For the first conjugation, the s of the dicative) is also suppressed. the 3d person plural: Second Conjugation. Imperative. Punis, punish thou. Punissons, let us punish. Punissez, punish ye or you. lination es (2d person singular Present In- 112 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. Third Conjugation. Imperative. Conçois, conceive thou. Concevons, let us conceive. Concevez, conceive ye or you. Fourth Conjugation. Imperative. Rends, render thou. Rendons, let us render. Rendez, render ye or you. Fifth Primitive Tense : Past Definite. The Past Definite forms one tense : the Imperfect Sub- junctive. It forms the Imperfect Subjunctive by adding se, ses (the 3d' person singular changes s into t'"'), sions, siez, sent, to the 2d person singular: TPast Definite, 2d Per. Sing. Tu donnas. Imperfect Subjunctive. I Que je donnas-se, ? 1 Que tu donnas-ses. Qu’il donnâ-t. Que nous donnas-sions. Que vous donnas-siez, , Qu’ils donnas-sent, J O Past Definite, 2d Per. Sing. Tu punis. Imperfect Subjunctive. Que je punis-se. Que tu punis-ses. Qu’il punî-t. Que nous punis-sions, Que vous punis-siez. Qu’ils punis-sent, ^ -i Past Definite 2d Per. Sing Tu conçus. Imperfect Subjunctive. Que je conçus-se. Que tu conçus-ses. Qu’il conçû-t, i Que nous conçus-sions, Que vous conçus-siez. Qu’ils conçus-sent. S ^ s P ^ Past Definite, 2d Per. Sing. Tu rendis. Imperfect Subjunctive. Que je rendis-se. Que tu rendis-ses. Qu’il rendî-t. Que nous rendis-sions. Que vous rendis-siez. Qu’ils rendis-sent. Remark. — Before attempting to learn the irregular verbs, the student should know thoroughly the terminations of the four conju- gations, the formation of tenses, the two auxiliaries, and the use of these auxiliaries. The vowel preceding the t should always have a circumflex accent. SUBJUNCTIVE MODE. 113 TWENTY-SECOND LESSON— Vingt-deuxième Leçon. The week, la semaine. Sunday, dimanche. Monday, lundi. Tuesday, mardi. Wednesday, mercredi. Thursday, jeudi. Friday, vendredi. Saturday, samedi. Spring, le printemps. Summer, l’été, yn. Autumn, l’automne, m. Winter, l’hiver, m. The theater, le théâtre. Dancing, la danse. The hall, le bal. The concert, le concert. Study and conjugate the imperfect subjunctive of avoir, être, aimer, etc. Study and conjugate the verb pouvoir, to he able. The subjunctive mode is very frequently used in French. We shall study its use in the Second Part. Let us only notice for the present that the French subjunctive is expressed in English : 1st. By the present indicative mode; as: Though he is thirsty, he does not drink. Is it possible that you can not do that f 2d. By the future: Do you think he will come to-day f I donH think he will set out this evening f 3d. By the conditional: I wish you would write to me. I wish you would go there. Quoi qu’il ait soil, il ne boit pas. Est-il possible que vous ne puis- siez pas faire cela ? Pensez-vous qu’il vienne au- jourd’hui? Je ne crois pas qu’il parte ce soir. Je désire que vous m’écriviez. Je désire que vous y alliez. * The names of the days of the week are masculine. D. F. M. — 10. 114 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. 4th. By the infinitive mode: Js it necessary for me to write f Faut-il que j écrive? Was it necessary for them to come f Fallait-il qu’ils vinssent ? To dance. Danser. To skate. Patiner. To find. Trouver. To say again. Redire. On, upon. Sur. Only. Seulement. Still, yet, again. Encore. In time. A temps. f Tout, mas. sing. ; toute, fern. sing. ' * ‘ * I Tous, mas. plur. ; toutes, fern. plur. The singular forms of tout, m., toute, /., with the definite article le or la, mean the whole; the plural forms, with the plural article les, mean every: The whole day, tout le jour. Every day, tout les jours. EXAMPLES. Could you lend me a thousand francs f For how long? For a few days only. When will you he able to go out with me? I shall not he able to go out before twelve. Have you been able to read that letter f I have not. Have you not been able to find your pencil? No; I donH know at all where it can be. May I take your brother^? Pourriez-vous me prêter mille francs ? Pour combien de temps? Pour quelques jours seulement. Quand pourrez-vous sortir avec moi ? Je ne pourrai pas sortir avant midi. Avez- vous pu lire cette lettre? Je n’ai pas pu la lire. N’avez-vous pas pu trouver votre crayon ? Non; je ne sais pas du tout où il peut être. Puis-je prendre celui de votre frère ? THE SUBJUNCTIVE, 115 Certainly. Did you skate last winter? No, I can not skate. Do you like dancing? I do; only I dance very badly. Have you all your books upon your table? I have not all of them. I shall go to the theater on Satur- day next. Go early, to be there in time. Have you still your headache? Come again to-morroiv. I study the whole day. We walk every day. Certainement. Avez- vous patiné Thiver dernier? Non, je ne sais pas patiner. Aimez-vous la danse? Oui ; seulement j e danse très-mal. Avez-vous tous vos livres sur votre table Je ne les ai pas tous. J’irai au théâtre samedi pro- chain. Allez de bonne heure pour arriver à temps. Avez-Vous encore mal à la tête ? Revenez demain. J’étudie tout le jour. Nous marchons tous les jours. CONVERSATION. Ne pourriez-vous pas commencer d’étudier lundi prochain? Ne désirez-vous pas prendre une leçon tous les jours? Quel jour est-ce aujourd’hui? N’aimez-vous pas rapprendre le fran- çais? Savez-vous patiner? Où pouvez- vous patiner? Avec qui allez- vous au parc pour patiner ? Savez-vous danser ? Dansez- vous souvent? Quand comptez- vous aller au théâtre? Vos enfants vont-ils au théâtre ? Quelle saison {season) aimez-vous le mieux? Où comptez-vous aller l’été prochain? N’avez-vous pas encore vu mon beau petit chien? N’est-il pas très-joli? Allez- vous à Paris tous les ans? 38. Could you give me a lesson on Thursday next? At what time? At three o’clock in the afternoon, if you can. I can not, I shall not have time. If you could come at ten o’clock in the (du) morning, I could give it to you at that time. We shall see. — Do you often go to the theater ? Two or three times 116 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. a month. — Do you like to go to the theater? Very much; if I were (étais) rich, I should go oftener than I do (je ne le fais). — At what hour do you come out of the theater? At half past eleven, and very often at midnight. It is too late. — How many times have you been there this week? I have been once. — What do you drink when you come out of the theater? I drink one or two glasses of beer. — Are you very fond of beer? No, I only (en) drink some when I am thirsty; I like wine better. — Is your godfather’s son still at Liverpool? No, he is in London now. — Would you he kind enough to see whether my dictionary is on my daughter’s table? I will lend you mine. You are very kind; I thank you. — What day is it to- day? Let me see; yesterday was Wednesday, then to-day is Thursday. — Do you write the whole day? No, I write every day. 39. Have you been able to read my letter? I read it with much difficulty (difficulté). — Do you often receive letters? I receive some almost every day. — Do you answer them (à) all? If I did not (n’y) answer them, my friends would write me no more. — How many servants have you? We (en) have three. — (En) Are you satisfied with them? I (en) am pretty well sat- isfied with them. — You are very lucky (heureux); I have not yet been able to (en) find a good one. — What day do you give your hall? On Tuesday next. — Will your cousins (/.) be able to come early? What for? I should like to see Mary (Marie); I wish to speak to her about a gentleman who will be at your ball. — Of Paul, perhaps. lean not tell you his name to-day; I will tell you on Wednesday or Thursday next. — Are not my gloves upon your chest of drawers? I have not seen them. — Will you come and skate with me? Where do you go to skate? To the Park. It is too far away. — Can you skate? Pretty well. — What time is it by your watch? A quarter to eleven; but my watch is ten minutes too fast. — Where will you be next autumn? I do not know yet where I shall go. — If my father goes to Italy, I shall go with him. — Your uncle arrives in time for dinner. NAMES AND TITLES. 117 TWENTY-THIRD LESSON — Vingt-troisième Leçon. Mr. A.j Monsieur A. Mrs. B., Madame B. Miss D., Mademoiselle D. That lady, cette dame. Those ladies, ces dames. Those gentlemen. Those young ladies. The misses K. Professor L. Lieutenant M. General C., le général C. Colonel E., le colonel E. Captain F., le capitaine F. Baron G., le baron G. • Doctor H., le docteur H. Ces messieurs. Ces demoiselles. Les demoiselles K. Le professeur L. Le lieutenant M. N. B. — Notice, in the examples above, that the definite article is used with names of titles and dignities, followed by the person’s name. Study and conjugate the past definite and pluperfect of the subjunctive of avoir, être, aimer, etc. At home, à la maison. Chez moi, chez lui, chez elle, chez nous, chez vous, chez eux, chez elles, i. e., with pronouns indirect object of a preposition. The preposition chez, placed before a noun or pronoun, an- swers to the English, at the house of, at home, with, among, etc. At Mr. house, chez monsieur A. At my house, chez moi. Among the animals, chez les animaux. I am going home. J e vais chez moi, or, à la maison. She returns home. Elle retourne chez elle, or, à la maison. They remain at home to-day. Ils restent chez eux, or, à la maison aujourd’hui. 118 DUFFET^S FRENCH METHOD. At my^ at his, at our . . , house. To my, to his, to our . . . house. Come to my house. They are at our house. Let us go to their house. Are they not at your house? To or at the house of. To, at Mr. A^ s, Mrs. s. I am going to Mrs. B' s. I live at Mr. s. To whose house? 1 At whose house ? J To whose house are you going? I am going to Mrs. s. At whose house are you? I am at my aunfs house. I Chez moi, chez lui, chez nous . . . Venez chez moi. Ils sont chez nous. Allons chez eux. Ne sont-ils pas chez vous? Chez. Chez M. A., ches madame B. Je vais chez madame B. Je demeure chez M. D. Chez qui ? (i. e., at the house of whom ?) Chez qui allez- vous? Je vais chez madame C. Chez qui êtes-vous? Je suis chez ma tante. Chez moi, chez nous, chez, vous, etc. are invariable compound nouns, when preceded by the definite or indefinite articles, pos- sessive or demonstrative adjectives. Have you a home? My home. His home. To live. To send. Avez vous un chez-vous? Mon chez moi. Son chez lui, etc. Demeurer. Envoyer (p. 125). When speaking ceremoniously, the French say: Your mother. Madame votre mère. Your father. Monsieur votre père, etc. These forms, however, are never used when speaking of one’s own relatives. My mother, ma mère, not madame ma mère. USE OF CHEZ, 119 EXAMPLES. At whose house do you live? I live at Mrs. R ’ s. To whose house are you sending that hoy ? I am sending him to my neighbor's. To whom do you want to go? I want to go to Colonel L.'s. Does he live far off? Not very far. When will you come to my house? As soon as I can. Are the Messrs. G. at home? They are not at home; they have gone to Mr. H.'s. Do you still live at Mr. D.'s? NOj I live at his brother's. You remained a long time in his house. I remained there eighteen months. Does your aunt often come to your house ? She comes sometimes. Is Mrs. T. at home? No, but Miss T. is {at home). My children are at home. Chez qui demeurez-vous ? Je demeure chez Madame R. Chez qui envoyez-vous ce gar- çon ? Je l’envoie chez mon voisin. Chez qui avez- vous besoin d’al- ler? J’ai besoin d’aller chez le colonel L. Demeure-t-il loin? Pas très-loin. Quand viendrez-vous chez moi ? Aussitôt que je le pourrai. Les Messieurs G. sont-ils chez eux ? Ils ne sont pas chez eux ; ils sont allés chez M. H. Demeurez-vous toujours chez M. D. ? Non, je demeure chez son frère? Vous êtes resté longtemps chez lui? J’y suis resté dix-huit mois, Votre tante vient-elle souvent chez vous? Elle y vient quelquefois. Madame T. est-elle chez elle? Xon, mais mademoiselle T. y est. Mes enfants sont à la maison (not chez eux). CONVERSATION. Où demeure M. B. ? Savez-vous où demeure madame C. ? Mademoiselle S. sait-elle aussi bien danser que sa cousine ? Ces messieurs ne sont-ils pas Anglais? Que pensez-vous de ces dames? Les demoiselles Smith ne sont-elles pas très-aimables? Ces demoiselles ne sont-elles pas les amies de vos sœurs? Ne 120 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. sont-ce pas les filles du général M.? Le capitaine G. vient-il vous voir de temps en temps? Où envoyez-vous Arthur? Ecrivez-vous quelquefois au professeur H. ? Savez-vous où de- meure le colonel E. ? Aimez-vous le docteur L. ? Le lieutenant Y. sait-il danser ? Qu’a le baron S. ? 40 . Does your daughter still live at her grandmother’s? Yes; her grandmother loves her so much that she will not let her come back home. — At whose house were you yesterday even- ing? We were at Mrs. C.’s. — Was Captain F. there also? He was, and his friend, Colonel T., too. — When will you come to our house? We could go on Sunday next. — Come early, if you can. — We shall go at eight o’clock in the evening. — Do you know^ whether Doctor B. is at home? He often goes out; I do not know whether he is at home now. — Who lives at Professor G.’s? An Englishman who has come to France to learn French. — To whose house are you sending your son ? I am sending him to his grandfather’s, — Has that man a home of his own ? No ; he sometimes lives at our house, and sometimes at my son-in-law’s. — Is Mr. X. still among the Indians? I do not know ; he does not write to his family. — Is not that gentle- man Mr. R.’s son-in-law? I do not know; it is the first time I have seen him (le vois). — See, he is going to Mr. E.’s. He may go into Mr. E.’s, and yet not be his son-in-law. 41 . Are you not cold? Yes, I am. — Come to our house and warm yourself. I shall go with pleasure, for I am very cold. — Come, I have a good fire in my room. — Are you not hungry? No, not at all. — Where is your son Robert? He is at a friend’s in England. - - Does he learn English? He does, and he already speaks it nearly as well as an Englishman. — Drink a cup of tea. With pleasure. - At whose house do you buy this tea? At our grocer’s. It is very good. —Do you work much? I want to work; my children can not work yet; they are too young. — How is Mrs. V.? I thank you, she is very well.-- ARTICLES OF THE TOILET. 121 Why does she not come to see my wife? She would be very glad to go sometimes to your house, but she can not; she has not time. Then my wife will go and see her. — Have you much more English money? I have three pounds, five shillings, and two pence more (left). — At whose house did you dine yester- day? I dined at my friend. Colonel S.’s. — Were there many people? No; there were only Captain B. and I. — Do you see Baron K. sometimes? I see him from time to time at Mrs. de K.’s. — He is quite old; how old is he? Seventy-two. TWENTY-FOURTH LESSON — Vingt-quatrième Leçon. When speaking of an action, a state or condition be- gun in the past, but still continuing, the French use the present indicative, while the past indefinite is used in English. D. F. M. 11, The drawing-room. The bed-room. The dressing-table. The water-jug. The basin. The brush. The soap. The comb. The towel. The hair -brush. The tooth-brush. The ear-pick. The pomatum. Le salon. La chambre à coucher. La table de toilette. Le pot à eau. La cuvette. La brosse. Le savon. Le peigne. L’essuie-mains, m. La brosse à cheveux, La brosse à dents. Le cure-oreilles. La pommade. Study and conjugate the verb aller, p. 166 . Il y a (to express time). 122 BUFFET'S FRENCH MEIHOT), How long have you been in Paris f I have been here a fortnight. I have been learning French two months. I have had this hat ten days. My father has been dead five years, I have been suffering these fifteen hours. Depuis, since., may often que, but never il y a and I have been here a fortnight. I have been learning French two months. Combien de temps y a-t-il que vous êtes à Pans? Il y a quinze jours que j’y suis. Il y a deux mois que j’apprends le français. Il y a dix jours que j’ai ce chapeau. Il y a cinq ans que mon père est mort. Il y a quinze heures que je souffre. be used instead of il y a, depuis together. Je suis ici depuis quinze jours. J’apprends le français depuis deux mois. However, when the action or state no longer con- tinues, the past is used in French. It had been raining four days. I had been in Paris a month. It was five years since I had seen her. II y avait quatre jours qu’il pleuvait, or, Il pleuvait depuis quatre jours. Il y avait un mois que j’étais à Paris, or, J’étais à Paris depuis un mois. Il y avait cinq ans que je ne l’avais vue, or, Je ne l’avais pas vue depuis cinq ans. Il y Ago is always translated verb is used in the past. I came to Paris thirty years ago. My father died ten years ago. Mr. K. was here half an hour ago. a, ago. by il y a, and the French Je vins or je suis venu à Paris il y a trente ans. Mon père mourut il y a dix ans. M. K. était ici il y a une demi- heure, or. Il y a une demi- heure que M. K. était ici. USU OF THE PRESENT AND PAST. 123 II y a is also used for distance, in the sense of ^^how favr How far is it from P. to L. f It is fifty miles from P. to L. To say, to tell. To hear. To listen to. To hear of. To sing. To look for. All that. Whom? Combien y a-t-il de P. à L. ? or, Quelle distance y a-t-il? etc. II y a 50 milles de P. à L„ (i. e., there are fifty miles.) Dire à (p. 169). Entendre. Ecouter (without a preposition). Entendre parler de. Chanter. Chercher. Tout ce que. Qui? EXAMPLES. Could you tell me where my brush is ? It was on your dressing table afeiu minutes ago. I want a comb and a tooth-brush. Lend me your soap and pomatum, if you please. Who is singing in the drawing- room ? It is my daughter. It is long ' since I have heard any one sing so well. She has been taking lessons only four months. Have you heard of Miss P ? Yes, and I heard her sing two days ago. I think your daughter will sing better than Miss P. Pourriez-vous me dire où est ma brosse ? Elle était sur votre table de toi- lette il y a quelques minutes. J’ai besoin d’un peigne et d’une brosse à dents. Prêtez-moi votre savon et votre pommade, s’il vous plait. Qui chante au salon ? C’est ma fille. Il y a longtemps que je n’avais entendu si bien chanter. Il n’y a que quatre mois qu’elle prend des leçons. Avez-vous entendu parler de mademoiselle P? Oui, et je l’ai entendu chanter il y a deux jours. Je crois que votre demoiselle chantera mieux que ma- demoiselle P. 124 BUFFET^ S F BENCH METHOD, To whom are you listening with so much attention f I am listening to that beautiful voice. My daughter listens to what we tell her. We have been living here eight years. I am tired; I have been working these ten hours. How long have you been writing? Three hours. Qui écoutez-vous avec tant d’attention ? J’écoute cette belle voix. Ma fille écoute ce que nous lui disons. Il y a huit ans que nous de- meurons ici. J e suis fatigué ; il y a dix heures que je travaille. Combien de temps y a-t-il que vous écrivez? Il y a trois heures. CONVERSATION. Combien y a-t-il que vous avez cette table de toilette ? Com- bien (de temps) y a-t-il que vous êtes dans cette maison? Quand êtes-vous venu à Paris? Combien y a-t-il que vous étudiez le français? Combien y avait-il que vous n’aviez vu mon père? Combien de temps y avait-il qu’il pleuvait? Com- bien y a-t-il de New York à Ann Arbor? Quand avez-vous vu le général M. pour {for) la première fois? Combien y a-t-il que vous avez mal aux dents? Combien y a-t-il que votre mère est morte? Que dit cet homme? Que vous a dit mon ami il y a deux jours? Qui avez-vous vu hier soir? Ecoutez- vous tout ce que votre sœur aînée vous dit? 42. For "whom are you looking? I am looking for my servant. — Perhaps he has gone out. He never goes out in the evening. — I saw him half an hour ago. — Have you had this dressing- table long ? I have had it more than twelve years. — How long have you had the arm-chairs which are in your drawing-room ? I bought them five years ago. They are beautiful. — Have your parents been dead long? My mother has been dead twelve years, and my father died fifteen years ago. — Have you heard of the Englishman w^ho lives at Mr. H.’s? Yes, I am slightly acquainted with him. — He wdll come to our house this even- ing, and will sing. — I should like to hear him. Come at nine HOUSEHOLD ARTICLES. 125 o’clock, and you will. — Your bedroom is very small; why do you not take a larger one? Because I like mine; I have been living in it more than seven years. What do you say? I say you are my best friend. — We have long been friends. It is more than thirty years. — What are you looking for? I am looking for my pen-holder; have you not seen it? I saw it on your desk (bureau, pupitre) five min- utes ago. I do not at all know where it is. — Are there robbers in your house? I don’t think so. — Will you travel next sum- mer? I have no time to travel. — Do you never travel? Not often; three years ago I went to France. — Do you know the gentlemen who were at Mrs. C.’s? They are her husband’s friends ; I had never seen them before. — Is it far from Ann Arbor to New York? It is eight hundred kilometres. — Do you understand all that you read in French? I understand almost all. — What does that man want? I know what he wants; he needs money; he is always thirsty, and never has any money. TWENTY-FIFTH LESSON — Vingt-cinquième Leçon. 43. The bedstead. The mattress. The sheet. The pillow. The spring-mattress. The pillow-case. The bedroom stand. The candlestick. The wax candle. The head of the bed. The bolster. The blanket. The matches. Iron {of iron). Le bois de lit. Le matelas. Le drap. L’oreiller, m. Le sommier. La taie d’oreiller. La table de nuit. Le chandelier. La bougie. Le chevet du lit. Le traversin. La couverture. Les allumettes, /. De fer. 126 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. Any body, any one. 1 Somebody j some one, f Nobody, no one, not any body. Have you seen any body? I have seen somebody. I have not seen any one. Something, anything. Nothing, not anything. Every thing. Quelqu’un. Personne (ne before thé verb). Avez- vous vu quelqu’un ? J’ai vu quelqu’un. Je n’ai vu personne. Quelque chose. Rien (ne before the verb). Tout. After quelque chose, rien, que, and quoi, put de be- fore the adjective which follows. Have you anything good? I have something good. I have nothing good. Somewhere, anyivhere. Nowhere, not anywhere. To die. Elsewhere. Ailleurs. Of whom, of which. Whose. Avez- vous quelque chose de bon ? J’ai quelque chose de bon. Je n’ai rien de bon. Quelque part. JSTulle part. Mourir (p. 171). Every-where. Partout. Dont. Dont le, dont la, dont les. If dont le, etc., refer to the subject of the verb, both dont and le are placed before the subject; but if they refer to its object, dont alone precedes the verb, and le, la, or les is before the objective and after the verb. The child whose parents are dead. The man whose horse you have bought. Every body. Many people. Hovjever, still. During, for. L’enfant dont les parents sont morts. L’homme dont vous avez acheté le cheval. Tout le monde (literally, all the Beaucoup de monde. [world). Cependant, pourtant. Pendant. This is, these are, here is, here are. Voici, i. e., vois (see,) ci, (here.) That is, those are, there is, there are. Voilà, i. e., vois (see,) là, (there.) MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES. 127 EXAM Do gou wish to go anywhere f I wish to go somewhere. I do not wish to go anywhere. I have been every-where. What have you seen remarkable f Nothing; but I have seen a great many people. These are the Frenchmen of whom I have spoken to you. There is the gentleman whose son is dead. Here is a girl whose parents you know. My bed is comfortable; I have two mattresses and a spring-mat- tress. Will you have a pillow f No, thank you, I have a comfort- able bolster. Is one blanket sufficient for youf . Please let me have another, as well as some wax candles and matches. Have you met any onef I met few people; still I went far. Is this the house of which you have spoken to mef No, it is the next one. PL ES. Voulez- vous aller quelque part? Je veux aller quelque part. Je ne veux aller nulle part. J’ai été partout. Qu’avez-vous vu de remarqua- ble? Rien ; mais j’ai vu beaucoup de monde. Voilà or voici les Français dont je vous ai parlé. Voilà le monsieur dont le fils est mort. Voici une fille dont vous con- naissez les parents. Mon lit est bon or comfortable ; j’ai deux matelas et un som- mier. Voulez-vous un oreiller? Non, merci, j’ai un bon tra- versin. Avez-vous assez d’une couver- ture ? Veuillez m’en faire mettre une autre, ainsi que des bougies et des allumettes. Avez-vous rencontré quelqu’un? J’ai rencontré peu de monde ; cependant j’ai été loin. Est-ce là la maison dont vous m’avez parlé? Non, c’est celle d’ à côté. CONVERSATION. Avez-vous quelque chose à me dire? Avez-vous bien dormi la nuit derniere or cette nuit? Votre lit est-il comfortable? Avez- vous assez de couvertures? N’avez- vous besoin de rien? Etes-vous allé quelque part hier après-midi? Connaissez-vous la dame dont la fille chante si bien ? Connaissez-vous beaucoup 128 BUFFETS FRENCH METHOD, de monde à New York? Combien de temps y êtes-vous resté? Que pensez-vous de ce livre? Avez-vous acheté un ch^indelier? A qui parliez-vous hier matin quand je vous ai rencontré? Chez qui voulez- vous aller ce soir? Serez-vous chez vous cette après-midi à deux heures? 44. This bedstead is very nice; is it new? The bedstead, spring- mattress, and the other mattresses are new, for I bought them three weeks ago. — The blankets are too small. Yes, my mother will buy some others. — Could you tell me whether any body came to my brother’s to-day? I have seen nobody. — Were there many people at Mrs. K.’s ball? My sister told me that there was a great number of people, and especially some pretty ladies. — There is the lady whose husband died a few days ago. Every body says that he. was the most honest man in the town. — Has your friend visited all the town? He says he has been every-where. — Have you been anywhere to-day? I have not been anywhere; I remained at home ‘because I had to write. — Did any body sing yesterday evening? Miss P. sang several times. — She sings well, then? She does. 45. Do you understand all that that lady says? She speaks French too badly; very often I do not listen to her. — When will you send me your two little girls? I will send them to you on Tuesday next. — May I see them now? They have gone out with a friend. — How old is the elder? She will be ten years old next month. — How many children have you? I have four now. — How long has your father been dead? He has been dead three years. —How old was he? He was not old; he was sixty -three. — Do you send your children to school? No; a professor comes to give them lessons. — What day is it to-day ? It is Saturday. — Could you not go to the museum ? We could meet there between two and three o’clock. — We will go, if it is not too hot. Good-bye. AVOIR. 129 Avoir — To have. Conjugation of the auxiliary avoir, in the four forms— affirmative, interrogative, negative, and interrogative and neg- ative. (See synopsis of avoir, p. 137.) The Infinitive mode is “ Present, “ Past, “ Participle, Indicative mode, “ Present, ‘‘ Imperfect, Past Definite, ‘‘ Past Indefinite, ‘‘ Pluperfect, ‘‘ Past Anterior, Future, Future Anterior, ‘‘ Conditional Mode, Past, “ Imperative mode. Subjunctive mode, “ Imperfect, “ Pas^, ‘‘ Pluperfect, called in French, u u it u u u (( (( u u U il il U u il Il II Il il il II Il u Il II Il II Il II Il II Il II Il il Il il l’Infinitif, le Présent, le Passé, le Participe, le mode Indicatif, le Présent. l’Imparfait, le Passé Défini, le Passé Indéfini, le Plus-que-parfait, le Passé Antérieur, le Futur. le Futur Antérieur, le Conditionnel Présent, le “ Passé. l’Impératif. le Subjonctif Présent. l’Imparfait. le Prétérit, or le Passé, le Plus-que-parfait. Primitive Tenses of Avoir. 1. Present Infinitive. 2. Present Participle. 3. Past Participle. 4. Present Indicative. 5. Past Definite. Avoir, to have; ayant, having ; eu, (m.), eue, (/.), eus, {m. plur.j, eues, (f. plur.) had; y ai, etc., I have; j’eus, etc., I had. Compounds: — Avoir eu, to have had; ayant eu, hav- ing had. 130 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. Note. — Throughout these tables the pronouns of the third person may be changed. Instead of il a, he has^ and ils ont, they have {m.), the pupil may recite elle a, she haSy or on a, one has. and elles ont, they have (/). Indicatif Présent. j’ai, I have. tu as, thou hast. il a, he has. nous avons, we have. vous avez, you have. ils ont, they have. je n’ai pas, I have not. tu n’as pas, etc. il n’a pas nous n’avons pas vous n’avez pas ils n’ont pas j’avais, I had. tu avais, etc. il avait nous avions vous aviez ils avaient je n’avais pas, I had not. tu n’avais pas, etc. il n’avait pas nous n’avions pas vous n’aviez pas ils n’avaient pas ai-je? have If as tu? hast thouf a-t-il? has hef avons-nous ? have we f avez- vous? have youf ont-ils? have they? n’ai-je pas? have I notf n’as-tu pas ? etc. n’a-t-il pas? n’avons-nous pas? n’avez-vous pas? n’ont-ils pas? avions-nous ? aviez- vous ? avaient-ils ? n’avais-je pas? had I notf n’avais-tu pas? etc. n’avait-il pas? n’avions-nous pas? n’aviez-vous pas? n’avaient-ils pas? Imparfait. avais-je? had If avais-tu? etc. avait-il ? Passé Défini. j’eus, I had. tu eus, etc. il eut eus-je? had \f eus- tu? etc. eut-il ? A VOIR, 131 nous eûmes vous eûtes ils eurent je n’eus pas, I had not. tu n’eus pas, etc. il n’eut pas nous n’eûmes pas vous n’eûtes pas ils n’eurent pas eûmes-nous ? eûtes- vous ? eurent-ils ? n’eus-je pas? had I notf n’eus-tu pas ? etc. n’eut-il pas? n’eûmes-nous pas? n’eûtes- vous pas? n’eurent-ils pas? Passé Indéfini. j’ai eu, I have had, etc. ai-je eu? have I had, etc. je n’ai pas eu, I have not had. n’ai-je pas eu? have I not hadf Plus-que-parfait. j’avais eu, I had had, etc. avais-je eu? had I had? etc. je n’avais pas eu, Ihad not had. n’avais-je pas eu? had I not had? Passé Antérieur. j’eus eu, I had had, etc. eus-je eu? had Ihad, etc. je n’eus pas eu, I had not had. n’eus-je pas eu? had I not had? Futur. j’aurai, I shall have, tu auras, etc. il aura nous aurons vous aurez ils auront je n’aurai pas, I shall not have. tu n’auras pas, etc. il n’aura pas nous n’aurons pas vous n’aurez pas ils n’auront pas aurai-je? shall I have? auras-tu ? etc. aura-t-il ? aurons-nous ? aurez- vous ? auront-ils ? n’aurai-je pas? shall I not have? n’auras-tu pas ? etc. n’aura-t-il pas? n’aurons-nous pas? n’aurez- vous pas? n’auront-ils pas? 132 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. Futur Antérieur. j’aurai eu, I shall have had, etc, aurai-je eu? shall I have had? etc. je n’aurai pas eu, I shall not have n’aurai-je pas eu? shall I not have had, etc. had? etc. Conditionnel Présent. j’aurais, I should have. tu aurais etc. il aurait nous aurions VOUS auriez ils auraient aurais-je? should I have? aurais- tu ? etc. aurait-il ? aurions-nous ? auriez- vous ? auraient-ils ? je n’aurais pas, I should not have, tu n’aurais pas etc. il n’aurait pas nous n’aurions pas vous n’auriez pas ils n’auraient pas n’aurais-je pas? should I not have? n’aurais-tu pas? etc. n’aurait-il pas ? n’aurions-nous pas ? n’auriez-vous pas ? n’auraient-ils pas? Conditionnel Passé. j’aurais eu, 1 t- , 7,7 7 , I should have had, i etc. 3 ’eusse eu j tu eusses eu il eût eu aurais-je eu? or, eussé"je eu? eusses-tu eu ? eût-il eu? should I have had ? etc. nous eussions eu vous eussiez eu ils eussent eu je n’aurais pas éu, 1 I should not or, i- have had, je n’eusse pas eu, j etc. tu n’eusses pas eu il n’eût pas eu eussions-nous eu? eussiez-vous eu ? eussent-ils eu? n’aurais-je pas eu? 1 should I not or, have had ? n’eussé-je pas eu? j etc. n’eusses-tu pas eu ? n’eût-il pas eu? AVOIR. 133 nous n’eussions pas eu vous n’eussiez pas eu ils n’eussent pas eu n’eussions-nous pas eu P n’eussiez- vous pas eu? n’eussent-ils pas eu? Impératif. aie. have {thou). ayons, let us have. ayez, have {ye). n’aie pas, do not have. n’ayons pas, do not let us have. n’ayez pas, do not have. Subjonctif Présent. que j’aie, that I may have. que tu aies etc. qu’il ait que nous ayons que vous ayez qu’ils aient que je n’aie pas, that I may not que tu n’aies pas etc. \_have. quil n’ait pas que nous n’ayons pas que vous n’ayez pas qu’ils n’aient pas Imparfait. que j’eusse, that I might have. que tu eusses etc. qu’il eût que nous eussions que vous eussiez qu’ils eussent que je n’eusse pas, that I might not que tu n’eusses pas, etc. [have. qu’il n’eût pas que nous n’eussions pas que vous n’eussiez pas qu’ils n’eussent pas Passé. que j’aie eu, that I may have had, etc. Plus-que-parfait. que j’eusse eu, that I might have had, etc. 134 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. Etre — To be. Primitive Tenses: — Present Infinitive, Etre, to fey Pres- ent Participle, étant, being ; Past Participle, été, been; Present Indicative, je suis, etc.; Past Definite, je fus, etc. Compounds. Avoir été, to have been. Ayant été, having been. Indicatif Présent. je suis, I am. tu es, thou art. il est, he is. nous sommes, we are. vous êtes, you are. ils sont, they are. je ne suis pas, I am not. tu n’es pas etc. il n’est pas nous ne sommes pas vous n’êtes pas ils ne sont pas. suis-je ? nm If es-tu? art thouf est-il ? is he f sommes-nous ? are we f êtes-vous? are youf sont-ils? are they? ne suis-je pas? am I notf n’es-tu pas ? etc. n’est-il pas? ne sommes-nous pas? n’êtes-vous pas? ne sont-ils pas ? Imparfait. étais-je ? was If étais-tu? etc. était-il ? j’étais, I was. tu étais etc. il était nous étions vous étiez ils étaient je n’étais pas, J was not. tu n’étais pas etc. il n’était pas nous n’étions pas vous n’étiez pas ils n’étaient pas étions-nous ? étiez-vous ? étaient-ils ? n’étais-je pas? was I notf n’étais-tu pas ? etc. n’était-il pas? n’étions-nous pas? n’étiez-vous pas? n’étaient-ils pas ? ÊTRE. 135 Passé Défini. j© fus, I was. tu fus etc. il fut nous fûmes vous fûtes ils furent je ne fus pas, I was not. tu ne fus pas etc. il ne fut pas nous ne fûmes pas vous ne fûtes pas ils ne furent pas fus-je ? was If fus- tu ? etc. fut-il? fûmes-nous ? fûtes-vous ? furent-ils ? ne fus-je pas? was I notf ne fus-tu pas ? etc. ne fut-il pas? ne fûmes-nous pas? ne fûtes vous pas? ne furent-ils pas? Passé Indéfini. j’ai été, I have been, etq. ai-je été? have I been? etc. je n’ai pas été, I have not been, n’ai-je pas été? have I not been? etc. etc. Plus-que-parfait — Passé Antérieur. j’avais été, or, j’eus été. I had been, etc. avais-je été? 1 or, j- eus-je été ? j had I been f etc. je n’avais pas été, or, je n’eus pas été. I had not been, etc. n’avais-je pas été? 1 had I not or, I* been? n’eus-je pas été ? J etc. je serai, I shall be. tu seras etc. il sera nous serons vous serez ils seront Futur. serai-je? shall I bef seras-tu? etc. sera-t-il ? serons nous ? serez-vous ? seront-ils ? 136 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. je ne serai pas, I shall not he. tu ne seras pas etc. il ne sera pas nous ne serons pas vous ne serez pas ils ne seront pas ne serai-je pas? shall I not he? ne seras-tu pas? etc. ne sera-t-il pas? ne serons nous pas ? ne serez-vous pas? ne seront-ils pas ? Futur Antérieur. j’aurai été, I shall have been. aurai-je été? shall I have heenf je n’aurai pas été, I shall not have n’aurai-je pas été? shall I not have been, etc. been? etc. Conditionnel Présent. je serais, I should be. tu serais etc. il serait nous serions vous seriez ils seraient je ne serais pas, I should not tu ne serais pas etc. il ne serait pas nous ne serions pas vous ne seriez pas ils ne seraient pas serais-je ? should I he? serais- tu ? etc. serait-il ? serions-nous ? seriez- vous? seraient-ils ? be. ne serais-je pas? should Inot be? ne serais-tu pas? etc. ne serait-il pas? ne serions-nous pas? ne seriez- vous pas? ne seraient-ils pas? Conditionnel Passé. j’aurais été, or, j’eusse été. I should have been, etc. aurais-je été? or, eussé-je été? should I have been ? etc. je n’aurais pas été, 1 I should not or, j- have been, je n’eusse pas été. J etc. n’aurais-je pas été ? or, n’eussé-je pas été? shall I not have been ? etc. Impératif. sois, be (thou). soyons, let us be. soyez, be (ye). ne sois pas, do not be. ne soyons pas, do not let us be. ne soyez pas, do not be. ETRE, 137 Subjonctif Présent. que je sois, that I ma/y he. que tu sois etc. qu’il soit que je ne sois pas, that I may not que tu ne sois pas etc. \Jbe. qu’il ne soit pas que nous soyons que vous soyez qu’ils soient que nous ne soyons pas que vous ne soyez pas qu’ils ne soient pas Imparfait. que je fusse, that I might be. que tu fusses etc. qu’il fût que nous fussions que vous fussiez qu’ils fussent que je ne fusse pas, that I might not que tu ne fusses pas etc. \_be. qu’il ne fût pas que nous ne fussions pas que vous ne fussiez pas qu’ils ne fussent pas Passé. que j’aie été, that I may have been, que je n’aie pas été, that I may etc. not have been, etc. Plus - que- parfait . que j’eusse été, that I might have que je n’eusse pas été, that 1 might been, etc. not have been, etc. Synopsis of Avoir and Etre. Simple Tenses, to memorize: — 1. Present Indicative, 2. Im- perative, 3. Present Subjunctive. w « o O Past Indefinite, Pluperfect, Past Anterior, Future Anterior, Conditional Past, Subj unctive Past, Subj. Pluperfect, D. F. M.— 12. use the Pres. Indie, of Avoir. “ Imper. “ “ “ Past definite “ “ “ Future “ Conditional “ “ Present Subj. “ “ Imperfect Subj. a- ^ O QO 138 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. Simple Tenses. (Continued.) Imperfect Indicative. Prefix av, for avoir, and ét, for être. f ais. ais. ait. ions, iez. I aient. Past Definite. Prefix e, for avoir, and f, for être. us. us. Future. ut. Prefix au, for ûmes. avoir, and se. ûtes. for être. urent. rai. ras. ra. rons. rez. ront. r Conditional. Prefix au, for avoir, “ and se, for être. I rais. rais. rait. rions, riez, raient. Subjunctive Imperfect. Prefix e, for avoir, and f, for être. I usse. usses. ût. ussions. lissiez. ussent. CONJUGATIONS. There are four conjugations in. French, which are distinguished by the termination of the infinitive mode. The first ends in er, as, aim-er; the second in ir, as, fin-ir; the third in evoir or oir, as, rec-evoir, mouv-oir; the fourth in re, as, vend-re. Pees. Infinitive : Aim-er, to love. Pres. Participle : Aim-ant, loving. Past Part.: Aim-é, Pres. Indic.: J’ aim-e. Past Definite : J’ aim-ai. 02 p o o M W > a o ^ " § H TERMINATIONS OF ' THE FIRST CONJUGATION. Present Indicative. Imperfect. Past Definite. Future. Conditional. Imperative. Present Subjunctive. Imperfect. PM 02 <1 a 0 T I 1 did I shall I might That I That I H love, loved, love. love. love. Love, may love, might love, O O etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. je, j’ e ais ai erai erais e asse tu es ais as eras erais 1 ® es asses U e ait a era erait o e at nous aim- ' ons ions âmes erons erions g ons ions assions vous ez iez âtes erez eriez iez assiez ils ent aient èrent eront eraient o ent assent FIRST CONJUGATION. 139 Aimer — To love., to like, to be fond of Primitive Tenses : Aimer; am^gt; aimé; j’aime; j’aimai. Compound Tenses: Avoir aimé; ayant aimé. Indicatif Présent. j’aime, I love. tu aimes, tliou lovest. il aime, he loves. nous aiïHçns, we love. vous aimez, you love. ils aiment, they love. je n’aime pas, I do not love. tu n’aimes pas etc. il n’aime pas nous n’aimons pas vous n’aimez pas ils n’aiment pas est-ce que j’aime? do I lovef aimes-tu? dost thou lovef aime-t-il ? does he lovef aimons-nous ? do we love f aimez-vous? do you lovef aiment ils ? do they love f est-c3 que je n’aime pas ? do I not n’aimes-tu pas? etc. [lovef n’aime-t-il pas ? n'aimons-nous pas ? n’aimez-vous pas ? n’aiment-ils pas ? j’aimais, I was loving. tu aimais etc, il aimait Imparfait. aimais-je? was T loving f aimais-tu ? etc. aimait-il ? nous aimions vous aimiez ils aimaient je n’aimais pas, I was not loving. tu n’aimais pas etc. il n’aimait pas nous n’aimions pas vous n’aimiez pas ils n’aimaient pas aimions-nous ? aimiez- vous ? aimaient-ils ? n’aimais-je pas? was Inot loving f n’aimais-tu pas ? etc. n’aimait-il pas ? n’aimions-nous pas ? n’aimiez- vous pas ? n’aimaient-ils pas? j’aimai, I loved. tu aimas etc. il aima Passé Défini. aimai-je? did I lovef aimas-tu ? etc. aima-t-il ? 140 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD, nous aimâmes vous aimâtes ils aimèrent je n’aimai pas, I did not love. tu n’aimas pas etc. il n’aima pas nous n’aimâmes pas vous n’aimâtes pas ils n’aimèrent pas aimâmes-nous ? aimâtes-vous ? aimèrent-ils ? n’aimai-je pas? did I not lovef n’aimas-tu pas ? etc. n’aima-t-il pas ? n’aimâmes-nous pas ? n’aimâtes-vous pas? n’aimèrent-ils pas? Passé Indéfini. j’ai aimé, I have loved, etc. ai-je aimé? have I loved f etc. je n’ai pas aimé, I have not loved, n’ai-je pas aimé ? have 1 not loved f Plus-que-parfait — Passé Antérieur. j’avais aimé, 1 avais-je aimé ? ] or, f Ihad loved, etc. or, \ Had I loved? etc. j’eus aimé J eus-je aimé ? J je n’avais pas aimé, 1 or, je n’eus pas aimé J I had not loved. n’avais-je pas aimé ? 1 Had I not n’eus-je pas aimé? J Futur. j’aimerai, I shall love. tu aimeras etc. il aimera nous aimerons vous aimerez ils aimeront je n’aimerai pas, I shall not love. tu n’aimeras pas etc. il n’aimera pas aimerai-je ? shall I love f aimeras-tu ? etc. aimera-t-il ? aimerons-nous ? aimerez-vous ? aimeront-ils ? n’aimerai-je pas? shall I not love? n’aimeras-tu pas? etc. n’aimera-t-il pas? nous n’aimerons pas vous n’aimerez pas ils n’aimeront pas n’aimerons nous pas ? n’aimerez-vous pas ? n’aimeront-ils pas ? AIMER, 141 Futur Antérieur. j’aurai aimé, I shall have loved. aurai-je aimé? shall I have loved f je n’aurai pas aimé, I shall not n’aui’ai-je pas aimé, shall I 'not have loved. have loved? Conditionnel. j’aimerais, I should love. tu aimerais etc. il aimerait nous aimerions vous aimeriez ils aimeraient je n’aimerais pas, I should not love. tu n’aimerais pas etc. il n’aimerait pas nous n’aimerions pas vous n’aimeriez pas ils n’aimeraient pas aimerais je? should I love? aimerais-tu ? etc. aimerait-il ? aimerion-nous ? aimeriez-vous ? aimeraient-ils ? n’aimerais-je pas ? should Inot love ? n’aimerais-tu pas ? etc. n’aimerait-il pas? n’aimerions-nous pas? n’aimeriez-vous pas? n’aimeraient-ils pas? Conditionnel Passé. j’aurais aimé, or, j’eusse aimé I should have lovedy etc. aurais-je aimé? ] or, [ eussé-je aimé? j Should I have loved? etc. je n’aurais pas aimé, 1 I should n’aurais-je pas aimé? ] Should 1 or, l not have or, j- not have je n’eusse pas aimé J loved. n’eussé-je pas aimé? j loved? aime, love. aimons, let us love. aimez, love. Impératif. n’aime pas, do not love. n’aimons pas, do not let us love. n’aimez pas, do not love. Subjonctif Présent. que j’aime, that I may love. que tu aimes etc. qu’ü aime que je n’aime pas, that I may not que tu n’aimes pas etc. [love. qu’il n’aime pas 142 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. que nous aimions que vous aimiez qu’ils aiment que nous n’aimions pas que vous n’aimiez pas qu’ils n’aiment pas Imparfait. q^e j’aimasse, that I might love, que tu aimasses etc. qu’il aimât que nous aimassions que vous aimassiez qu’ils aimassent que je n’aimasse pas, that I might que tu n’aimasses pas [not love. qu’il n’aimât pas etc. que nous n’aimassions pas que vous n’aimassiez pas qu’ils n’aimassent pas que j’aie aimé, that I may have que je n’aie pas aimé, that Imay loved. etc. not have loved, etc. Plus-que-parfait. que j’eusse aimé, that 1 might que je n’eusse pas aimé, that I have loved. etc. might not have loved. etc. N. B. — There are about thousand verbs in the first con- jugation, and nearly all are conjugated like aimer. Orthographical Eemarks on thr Verbs of the First Conju- gation (and also on the verbs in cevoir). ger. — Verbs ending in ger retain e before a, o; as, mangeant, mangeons, je mangeais, etc. ç. — Verbs in which c lias the sound of s in the infinitive, as, placer, effacer, recevoir, etc., take c cedilla (ç) before a, o, u; as, I placed^ je plaçai, il plaça, nous plaçâmes; I received^ je reçus, il reçut, etc. y. — Verbs which have y preceding the termination er of the infinitive, as, envoyer, payer, essayer, etc., change y into 1 before e mute; as, I sendy etc., j’envoie, tu envoies, ils envoient; I pay y etc., je paie, tu paies, ils paient; I shall try y etc., j’essaierai, tu essaieras, il essaiera, etc. ORTHOGRAPHICAL PECULIARITIES, 143 yer, ier. — Verbs ending in yer, ier, as, payer, se fier {to trust), etc., require i after y and i in the first and second persons plural : 1st, of the imparfait de l’indicatif. 2d, of the subjonctif présent. Nous payions, vous payiez — que nous payions, que vous payiez. Nous nous fiions, vous vous fiiez — que nous nous fiions, que vous vous fiiez, é, e. — Verbs which have é or e in the next to the last syllable of the infinitive, require a grave accent (è) on that é or e before a consonant followed by an e mute ; as : Répéter, to repeat — je répète, tu répètes; je répéterai, etc. Révéler, to reveal — je révèle, il révèle; je révélerais, etc. Mener, to lead — je mène, il mène; je mènerai, etc. Peser, to weigh — je pèse, il pèse; je pèserais, etc. eler, eter. — Verbs having e mute before the terminations 1er, ter, double 1 and t when followed by e mute; as: Appeler, to call — j’appelle, il appelle ; j’appellerai, etc. Jeter, to throw — je jette, il jette; je jetterais, etc. Except geler, to freeze; peler, to peel; acheter, to buy, etc., which follow the preceding rule: il gèle, je pèle, il achète, etc. A List of some Regular Verbs conjugated like aimer. Aboyer, to bark. Baigner, to bathe. Accepter, accept. Bâiller, yawn, gap. AfiELiger, afflict. Balayer, sweep. Agrafer, hook. Blesser, wound, hurt. Aiguiser, sharpen. Border, hem, border. Ajourner, put off. Bouder. pout. Ajouter, add. Cacher, conceal, hide. Allumer, light. Casser, break. Appeler, call, Chatouiller, tickle. Apporter, bring. Chiffonner, rumple. Arroser, water. Cracher, spit. Avaler, swallow. Creuser, dig. 144 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. Demander, to askj heg. Gronder, to scold, chide. Dénouer, untie. Guérir, cure. Dépenser, spend. J eter. throw. Ecraser. bruise, crush. Loucher, squint. Effrayer, frighten. Manier, handle. Empeser, starch. Montrer, show. Emporter, carry away. Nager, swim. Enseigner, teach. Ourler,, hem. Epeler, spell. Piquer, prick. Epousseter, dust. Qu^tionner, ask questions. Prapper, strike, knock. Quitter, leave. Protter, rub. Réclamer, claim. Gagner, earn, win, gain, / " Récompenser, reward. Gâter, spoil. Sécher, dry. Gercer, chap. Souffter, blow. Glisser, slide, slip. Soupçonner, suspect. Griffonner, scrawl. Traverser, cross. Second Conjugation. Pres. Infinitive : Pin-ir, to finish. Pres. Participle : Pin-issant, finishing. Past Participle : 'Fin-iy finished. Pres. Indicative: Je fin-is. Past Definite: Je fin-is. Pronouns. Root or Stem of the Verb. TERMINATIONS. Present Indicative. Imperfect. Past Definite. Future. Conditional. Imperative. Present Subjunctive. 1 Imperfect. I finish, etc. I finished, etc. 1 did finish, etc. I shall finish, etc. I might finish, etc. Finish, etc. That I may fin- ish, etc. That I might fin- ish, etc. je is issais is irai irais c isse isse tu is issais is iras irais O isses isses il fin it issait it ira irait fl 2 . isse it nous issons issions imes irons irions ft issons issions issions vous issez issiez ites irez iriez ^ issez issiez issiez ils issent issaient irent iront iraient issent issent SECOND CONJUGATION 145 Finir — To finish^ to end, to conclude. Primitive Tenses: Finir; finissant; fini; je finis; je finis. Compound Tenses: Avoir fini; ayant fini. Indicatif Présent. je finis, I finish, I am finishing. tu finis etc. il finit nous finissons vous finissez ils finissent Imparfait. je finissais, I was finishing. tu finissais etc. il finissait nous finissions vous finissiez ils finissaient Passé Défini. je finis, I finished. tu finis etc. il finit nous finîmes vous finîtes ils finirent Passé Indéfini. j’ai fini, / have finished. tu as fini il a fini nous avons fini vous avez fini ils ont fini D. F. M. 13. Passé Antérieur. jeus fini, I had finished. tu eus fini etc. il eut fini nous eûmes fini vous eûtes fini ils eurent fini Futur. je finirai, I shall finish. tu finiras etc. il finira nous finirons vous finirez ils finiront Futur Antérieur. j’aurai fini, I shall have finished. tu auras fini etc. il aura fini nous aurons fini vous aurez fini ils auront fini Conditionnel Présent. je finirais, I should finish. tu finirais etc. il finirait nous finirions vous finiriez ils finiraient 146 DVFFET^S FRENCH METHOD, Plus-que-parfait. j’avais fini, I had finished. tu avais fini etc. il avait fini nous avions fini vous aviez fini ils avaient fini Or this form : j’eusse fini, I should have finished, tu eusses fini etc. il eût fini nous eussions fini vous eussiez fini ils eussent fini Impératif. finis, finish (thou). finissons, let us finish. finissez, finish. Conditionnel Passé. j’aurais fini, I should have finished. tu aurais fini etc. il aurait fini nous aurions fini vous auriez fini ils auraient fini Imparfait. que je finisse, that I might finish, que tu finisses etc. qu’il finît que nous finissions que vous finissiez qu’ils finissent Passé. que j’aie fini, that I may have fin- que tu aies fini etc. [ished. Subjonctif Présent. Plus-que-parfait. que je finisse, that I may finish. que tu finisses etc. qu’il finisse que nous finissions que vous finissiez qu’ils finissent que j’eusse finUthat I might have que tu eusses fini etc. \_finishedL qu’il eût fini que nous eussions fini que vous eussiez fini qu’ils eussent fini Every tense should be conjugated in the four usual forms. est-ce que je' finis? do I finish f finissons-nous? finis-tu? etc. finissez-vous? finit-il? finissent-ils? je ne finis pas, I do not finish, nous ne finissons pas tu ne finis pas etc. vous ne finissez pas il ne finit pas ils ne finissent pas est-ce que je ne finis pas ? do I ne finissons-nous pas ? ne finis-tu pas? [not finish f etc. ne finissez-vous pas? ne finit-il pas? ne finissent-ils pas? SECOND CONJUGATION, 147 The Second Conjugation is divided into four classes: f First class, like finir, about 300 verbs. Model I Second “ sentir, to feel Verbs. 1 Third “ “ couvrir, to cover, I Fourth venir, to come. Important Remark. — The second, third, and fourth classes are irregular verbs, but can be conjugated, — excepting venir — according to the Formation of Tenses (see page ), the primitive tenses being known. — We will, therefore, only give the primitive tenses, and a list of verbs conjugated like each model. "* Regular Verbs of the First Class conjugated like Finir. Aboutir, to come out. 1 Définir, to define. Accomplir, accomplish. Durcir, harden. Adoucir, soften. Eblouir, dazzle. Affermir, strengthen. Elargir, u'iden. Affranchir, free. Endurcir, harden. Agir, act. Enlaidir, grow ughj. Agrandir, enlarge. Etablir, establish. Amoindrir, lessen. Fléchir, bend. Amortir, deaden. Fleurir, bloom, to blossom. Aplanir, level. Fournir, supply. Aplatir, flatten. Franchir, leap. Appauvrir, impoverish. Frémir (de ), shudder (with). Applaudir, applaud. Garnir, trim, to adorn. Approfondir, examine thorough- Gémir, groan. Asservir, ( — 1 1 Grandir, gi^ow tall. Assortir, match. Grossir, grow larger. Avertir (de). inform (of). Haïr, hate. Avilir, debase. Hennir, neigh. Bannir, banish. Jouir (de), enjoy. Bâtir, build. 1 i Munir, provide. Bénir, bless. Noircir, blacken. Blanchir whiten. Nourrir, feed. Bondir, bound, to leap. Pâlir, grow pale. Chérir, cherish. Polir, polish. Choisir, choose. Pourrir, rot. See Remark preceding the irregular verbs. 148 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. Punir, to punish. Subir, to undergo. Réfléchir, reflect. Ternir, tarnish. Répartir, distribute. Trahir, betray. Retentir, resound. Unir, unite. Réussir à. succeed. Vieillir, grow old. Verbs of the Second Class, like Sentir. * To be conjugated through the knowledge obtained of the formation of tenses, and the primitive tenses of the verb (see page 106 ). Present Infinitive. Present Participle. Past Participle. Present Indicative. Past Definite. Sentir. Sentant. Senti. Je sens.t Je sentis. Consentir, Démentir, Départir, Départir (se). Desservir, Dormir, Endormir, Endormir (’s). Mentir, Partir to consent to belie, to distribute, to desist, to clear the table, to sleep, to lull to sleep, to fall asleep, to lie. to start. Pressentir, Rendormir, Répartir, Repartir, Repentir (se). Ressentir, Ressortir, Servir, Servir (se). Sortir, to foresee. to put to sleep again. to divide. to depart again. to repent. to resent. to go out again. to serve. to use. to go out. * The model verb of this class caa be either sentir, dormir, partifi servir, sortir, t The Singular of this tense ends in s, s, t, the t of the root being dropped. The m of dormir, t of partir, v of servir, and t of sortir are likewise dropped before adding s, s, t. Verbs of the Third Class, like Couvrir. To be conjugated through the knowledge of the formation of tenses. Present Infinitive. Present Participle. Past Participle. Present Indicative. Past Definite. Couvrir. Couvrant. Couvert. Je couvre. Je Couvris. Couvrir, Découvrir, Entr ’ouvrir, Offrir, to cover, to discover, to half open, to offer. Ouvrir, Recouvrir, Rouvrir, Souffrir, to open, to cover again, to reopen, to suffer.' * Singular Present Indicative ; e, es, e. SECOND CONJUGATION, 149 The Verb Sentir — Conjugated. I feel, etc., je sens, tu sens, il sent, nous sentons, vous sentez, ils sentent. I felt, je sentais, etc., je sentis, etc., j’ai senti, j’avais senti, j’eus senti. I shall feel, je sentirai, etc. T should feel, je sentirais, etc. Feel, sens, sentons, sentez. That I may feel, que je sente. That I might feel, que je sentisse. The Verb Ouvrir — Conjugated. I open, etc., I opened, I shall open, I should open. Open, That I may open. That I might open. j’ouvre, tu ouvre, il ouvre, nous ouvrons, vous ouvrez, ils ouvrent, j’ouvrais, etc., j’ouvris, j’ai ouvert, j’avais ouvert, j’eus ouvert, j’ouvrirai, etc. j’ouvrirais, etc. ouvre, ouvrons, ouvrez, que j’ouvre, que j’ouvrisse. Verbs of the Fourth Class, like Venir. Important Remarks. — The second and third classes illustrate a class of verb, which may he called semi-irregular. To conjugate these verbs, let the student learn the primitive tenses, and then form his own verb, according to the principles given in the For- mation of Tenses. The verb venir is irregular, and the primitive tenses alone will not enable the student to conjugate the whole verb. It will be noticed, in the following table, that certain tenses are irregularly formed; these should be learned in addition to the primitive tenses, and then the whole verb can be conjugated like a semi- irregular verb. (See Remark preceding the list of regular verbs, p. 147.) Notice that all the verbs conjugated like venir are the com- pounds of this verb, and tenir with its compounds. 150 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. Primitive Tenses and Irregular Forms of Venir, io come. Present Infinitive. Present Participle. Past Participle. Present Indicative. Past Definite. Venir. Venant Venu. Je viens.- Je vins. Future. je viendrai tu viendras il viendra Près. Indic’ve 3d Per. Plur. ils viennent Compound Tenses Je suis venu, etc. Forms regular- ly the Impera- tive. Forms regular- ly the Imper- fect Subjunct- ive. rons vous viend- rez ils viendront Conditional je viendrais tu viendrais il viendrait nous viend- rions vous viend- riez ils viendrai- ent Present Subjunctive. que je vienne que tu vien- nes qu’il vienne qu’ils vien- nent Forms regu larly the Pres- ent Indicative, 1st and 2d per- sons plural: the Imperfect In- dicative: and the Present Subjunctive, 1st and 2d persons plural. Irkecular Verbs belonging to THIS Class. Abstenir (s’). Appartenir, Circonvenir, Contenir, Contrevenir, Convenir, Détenir, Devenir, Disconvenir, Entretenir, Intervenir, Maintenir, Obtenir, Parvenir, Prévenir. Provenir, Redevenir, Ressouvenir (se). Retenir, Revenir, Soutenir, Souvenir (se). Subvenir, Survenir, Tenir, Venir, to abstain, to belong, to circumvent, to contain, to contravene, to suit, to detain, to become, to disagree, to entertain, to intervene, to maintain, to obtain, to succeed, to prevent, to proceed, to become again, to remember, to retain, to return, to sustain, to remember, to relieve, to happen, to hold, to come. * Singular present Indicative ends in i s, t. The Verb Tenir — Conjugated. I hold, je tiens, tu tiens, il tient, nous tenons, vous tenez, ils tiennent. I held, je tenais, etc., je tins, tu tins, il tint, \j^ous tînmes, vous tîntes, ils tinrent, j’ai tenu, j’avais tenu, j’eus tenu. THIRD CONJUGATION. 151 I shall holdj retiendrai, etc. I should hold, je tiendrais, etc. Hold, tiens, tenons, tenez. That I may hold, que je tienne, que nous tenions, que vous teniez, qu’ils tiennent. That I might hold, que je tinsse, que tu tinsses, qu’il tînt, que nous tinssions, que vous tinssiez, qu’ils tinssent. Third Conjugation. PfiEs. Infinitive: Rec-evoir. Pres. Participle: Rec-evant. Past Part- iciple: Reç-u. Pres. Indicative : Je reç-ois. Past Definite : Jereç-us. Pronouns. Root or Stem of the Verb. TERMINATIONS. Present Indicative. Imperfect. Past Definite. Future. Conditional. Imperative. Present Subjunctive. Imperfect. I receive, etc. I received, etc. 1 did re- ceive, etc. I shall receive, etc. I might receive, etc. Re- ceive, etc. That I may re- ceive, etc. That I might re- ceive, etc. je. r ois evais us evrai evrais oive usse tu ois evais us evras evrais ois oives usses il 1 oit evait ut evra evrait oive ut nous rec- *1 1 evons evions ûmes evrons evrions evons evioDS ussions vous 1 i evez eviez ûtes evrez evriez evez eviez ussiez ils ; l oivent evaient urent evront evraient oivent ussent * A cedilla (c) is placed under the c, when it precedes the vowels a, o, u. Recevoir — To Receive. Prim. Tenses: recevoir; recevant; reçu; je reçois; je reçus. Compound Tenses: Avoir reçu; ayant reçu. Indicatif Présent. Passé Indéfini. je reçois, I receive. j’ai reçu, I have received. tu reçois etc. tu as reçu etc. il reçoit il a reçu 152 DÜFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. nous recevons vous recevez ils reçoivent Imparfait. je recevais, I was receiving. tu recevais etc. il recevait nous recevions vous receviez ils recevaient Passé Défini. je reçus, I received. tu reçus etc. il reçut nous reçûmes vous reçûtes ils reçurent Futur. je recevrai, I shall receive. tu recevras etc. il recevra nous recevrons vous recevrez ils recevront Futur Antérieur. j’aurai reçu, I shall have received. tu auras reçu etc. il aura reçu nous aurons reçu vous aurez reçu ils auront reçu nous avons reçu vous avez reçu ils ont reçu Plus - que-parfait . j’avais reçu, I had received. tu avais reçu il avait reçu nous avions reçu vous aviez reçu ils avaient reçu Passé Antérieur. j’eus reçu, I had received. tu eus reçu etc. il eut reçu nous eûmes reçu vous eûtes reçu ils eurent reçu Subjonctif Présent. que je reçoive, that I may receive. que tu reçoives etc. qu’il reçoive que nous recevions que vous receviez qu’ils reçoivent Imparfait. que je reçusse, that I might receive. que tu reçusses etc. qu’il reçût que nous reçussions que vous reçussiez qu’ils reçussent Conditionnel. je recevrais, I should receive. tu recevrais etc. il recevrait nous recevrions vous recevriez ils recevraient THIRD CONJUGATION. 153 Conditionnel Passé. j’aurais reçu, I should have received. tu aurais reçu etc. il aurait reçu nous aurions reçu vous auriez reçu ils auraient reçu Or this form : j’eusse reçu tu eusses reçu il eût reçu nous eussions reçu vous eussiez reçu ils eussent reçu Infinitif. Présent: recevoir, to receive. Passé : avoir reçu, to have received. Participe. Présent: recevant, receiving. Présent: reçu, received. Passé. que j’aie reçu, that I may have re- que tu aies reçu \_ceived, qu’il ait reçu etc. que nous ayons reçu que vous ayez reçu qu’ils aient reçu Plus-que-parfait. que j’eusse reçu, thati might have que tu eusses reçu [received. qu’il eût reçu etc. que nous eussions reçu que vous eussiez reçu qu’ils eussent reçu Impératif. reçois, receive {thou). recevons, let us receive. recevez, receive. Other Forms. est-ce qué je reçois? do I receive? est-ce que je ne reçois pas ÿ do I etc. not receive? etc. je ne reçois pas, etc., I do not receive. The Third Conjugation has only seven regular verbs: To perceive j apercevoir. To conceive, concevoir (conc-evoir). To deceive, décevoir (déc-evoir). To owe, to have to, (do something), devoir (d-evoir), participle dû (a circumflex accent is placed on û in the masculine singu- lar). To still owe, redevoir (red-evoir), redû. To collect, percevoir (perc-evoir). To receive, recevoir (rec-evoir). For other verbs ending in oir, see irregular verbs. 154 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. Fourth Conjugation. The Fourth Conjugation is divided into four classes: First ending in re or andre, endre, ondre, erdre, ordre; conjugated like vendre, to sell. Second “ aître, oître; 'Conjugated like paraître, to appear^ or croître, to increase. Third uire; conjugated like conduire, to lead, to conduct. Fourth oindre, aindre, eindre; conjugated like oindre, to anoint. Verbs of the First Class, like Vendre. Pres. Infinitive: Vend-re. Pres. Participle : Vend-ant. Past Parti- ciple: Vend-u. Pres. Indicative; Jevend-s. Past Definite ; Je vend-is. Pronouns. Root or Stem of the Verb. TERMINATIONS. Present Indicative. Imperfect. Past Definite. Future. Conditional. Imperative. Present Subjunctive. Imperfect. 1 . sell, etc. I sold, etc. 1 did sell, etc. I shall sell, etc. I might sell, etc. Sell, etc. That I may sell, etc. That 1 might sell, etc. je tu il nous vous ils ( vend- 1 1 s s wanting ons ez ent ais ais ait ions iez aient is is it imes ites irent rai ras ra rons rez ront rais rais rait rions riez raient No pronouns. m O e es e ions iez ent isse isses it issions issiez issent Vendre, to sell. Prim. Tenses: Vendre; vendant; vendu; je vends; je vendis. Compound Tenses:' Avoir vendu; ayant vendu. Indicatif Présent. Passé Indéfini. je vends, I sell. j’ai vendu, I have sold. tu vends etc. tu as vendu etc. il vend il a vendu FOURTH CONJUGATION, 155 nous vendons vous vendez ils vendent Imparfait. je vendais, I was selling. tu vendais etc. il vendait nous vendions vous vendiez ils vendaient Passé Défini. je vendis, I sold. tu vendis etc. il vendit nous vendîmes vous vendîtes ils vendirent Futur. je vendrai, I shall sell. tu vendras etc. il vendra nous vendrons vous vendrez ils vendront Futur Antérieur. j’aurai vendu, I shall have sold. tu auras vendu etc. il aura vendu nous aurons vendu vous aurez vendu ils auront vendu Conditionnel. je vendrais, I should sell. tu vendrais etc. il vendrait nous avons vendu vous avez vendu ils ont vendu Plus-que-parfait. j’avais vendu, I had sold. tu avais vendu etc. il avait vendu nous avions vendu vous aviez vendu ils avaient vendu Passé Antérieur. j’eus vendu, I had sold. tu eus vendu etc. il eut vendu nous eûmes vendu vous eûtes vendu ils eurent vendu Impératif. vends, sell {thou). vendons, let us sell. vendez, sell. Subjonctif Présent. que je vende, that I may sell. que tu vendes etc. qu’il vende que nous vendions que vous vendiez qu’ils vendent Imparfait. que je vendisse, that I might sell. que tu vendisses etc. qu’il vendît 156 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. nous vendrions vous vendriez ils vendraient Conditionnel Passé. j’aurais vendu, I should have sold. tu aurais vendu etc. il aurait vendu nous aurions vendu vous auriez vendu ils auraient vendu Or this form: j’eusse vendu, I should have sold, tu eusses vendu etc. il eût vendu nous eussions vendu vous eussiez vendu ils eussent vendu Présent — vendant, selling. Passé — vendu, vendue, vendus, vendues, sold; ayant vendu, having sold. Infinitif. Présent — vendre, to sell. Passé — avoir vendu, to have sold. The following verbs are to b Attendre, to wait for. Confondre, to confound. Condescendre, to comply. Correspondre, to correspond. Descendre, to go down. Défendre, to forbid. Détendre, to unbend. Entendre, to hear. que nous vendissions que vous vendissiez qu’ils vendissent Passé. que j’aie vendu, that I may have que tu aies vendu etc. \_sold. qu’il ait vendu que nous ayons vendu que vous ayez vendu qu’ils aient vendu Plus-que-parfait, que jeusse vendu, that I might que tu eusses vendu \Jiave sold. qu’il eût vendu que nous eussions vendu que vous eussiez vendu qu’ils eussent vendu Other forms: est-ce que je vends? do I sell? vends-tu? etc. je ne vends pas, I do not sell. est-ce que je ne vends pas? do I ne vends tu pas? etc. [not sell f vendais-je? did I sell? je ne vendais pas, I did not sell. ne vendais-je pas ? did I not sellf ) conjugated like Vendre: Etendre, to stretch out. Pendre, to split. Pondre, to melt. Mordre, to bite. Pendre, to hang. Perdre, to lose. Pondre, to lay eggs. Prétendre, to pretend. FOURTH CONJUGATION. 157 Refondre, to melt again. Répondre, to answer. Répandre, to spill. Rendre, to render , to restore. Suspendre, to suspend. Tendre, to hold out. Tondre, to shear. Tordre, to twist. Verbs of the Second Class, like Paraître and Croître. N. B. — The verbs of the second, third, and fourth classes are irregular verbs (semi-irregular), and can be conjugated through a knowledge of the primitive tenses and the formation of tenses. Paraître, to appear. Present Infinitive. Present Participle. Past Participle. Present Indicative. Past Definite. Paraître. Parraissant. Paru. Je parais. Je parus. Apparaître, Comparaître, Connaître, Disparaître, to appear, to appear, to know, to disappear. Méconnaître, Paraître, Reconnaître, Reparaître, to disown, to appear, to recognize, to reap>pear. The Verb Paraître — Conjugated. I appear^ etc. je parais, tu parais, il parait, nous paraissons, vous paraissez, ils paraissent. I appeared, je paraissais, tu paraissais, etc. — je parus, nous parûmes — j’ai paru, etc. I shall appear, je paraîtrai, tu paraîtras, etc. I should appear, je paraîtrais, etc. parais, paraissons, paraissez — que je paraisse, etc. — que je parusse, que tu parusses, qu’il parût, que nous parussions, etc. Croître, to grow, to increase. Present Infinitive. Present Participle. Past Participle. Present Indicative. Past Definite. Croître. Croissant. Crû. Je croîs. Je crûs. Accroître, Croître, to increase, to grow. Décroître, to decream 158 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. N. B. — Conjugate the verb Croître, applying the rules of the Formation of Tenses. The circumflex accent is always placed on i (î) before t. Moreover, in the verb croître and its derivatives the circumflex is also placed on i and u (î. û) before s ending the word; as, je croîs, je crûs, tu crûs. Verbs of the Third Class, like Conduire. Conduire, to conduct. Primitive Tenses and Verbs of the same Class. ! Present Infinitive. Present Participle. Past Participle. Present Indicative. Past Definite. Conduire. Conduisant. Conduit. Je conduis. Je conduisis. Coqduire, to conduct. Construire, to construct. Cuire, to bake, etc. Déduire, to deduct. Détruire, to destroy. Enduire, to plaster. Induire, to induce. Instruire, to instruct. Introduire, to introduce. Nuire, to injure. Produire, to produce. Reconduire, to conduct again. Reconstruire, to reconstruct. Réduire, to reduce. Reproduire, to reproduce. Séduire, to seduce. Traduire, to translate. The Verb Réduire — Conjugated (same as Conduire). I reduce, etc. I reduced, I shall reduce, I should reduce. je réduis, tu réduis, il réduit, nous réduisons, vous réduisez, ils réduisent, je réduisais, etc. — je réduisis, tu réduisis, nous réduisîmes, etc. — j’ai réduit, etc. je réduirai, etc. je réduirais — ils réduiraient. réduis, réduisons, réduisez — que je réduise — que je réduisisse — qu’il réduisît, etc. FOURTH CONJUGATION. 159 Verbs of the Fourth Ci>ass, like Oindre. Oindre, to ammt. Primitive Tenses and verbs of the same Class. Present Infinitive. Present Participle. Past Participiæ. Present Indicative. Past Definite. Oindre. Oignant. Oint. J’oins. J’oignis, Adjoindre, to associate. Eteindre, to extinguish. Astreindre, to compel. Etreindre, to press. Atteindre, to attain. Feindre, to feign. Ceindre, to gird. Joindre. to join. Conj oindre, to conjoin. Oindre, to anoint. Contraindre, to constrain. Peindre, to paint. Craindre, to fear. Plaindre, to pity. Déjoindre, to disjoin. Plaindre (se). to complain. Dépeindre, to depict. Katteindre, to reach again. Déteindre, to disclose. Rejoindre, to rejoin. Empreindre, to imprint. Repeindre, to j)ai7it again. Enfreindre, to infringe. Restreindre, to restrain. Enjoindre, to enjoin. Teindre, to dye. The Verb Plaindre — Conjugated (like oindre)."^ I pity y je plains, tu plains, il plaint, nous plaignons, vous plaignez, ils plaignent. I pitied, je plaignais, etc. — je plaignis — nous plaignîmes, etc. —j’ai plaint, etc. I shall, should pity, je plaindrai, etc. — je plaindrais, etc. Pity. plains, plaignons, plaignez. Subjonctif: que je plaigne — ^ que je plaignisse — qu’il plaignit, etc. Reflective Verbs — Verbes Réfléchis. S’habiller, to dress one’s self; s’habillant, dressing one’s self; habillé, e, s, es, dressed. Conjugated like aimer. * Oindre is changed to aindre, or eindre, hence oign — aign — eign. 160 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. Indicatif Présent. je m’habille, I dress myself. tu t’habilles etc. il s’habille nous nous habillons vous vous habillez ils s’habillent Passé Défini. je m’habillai, I dressed myself. tu t’habillas etc. il s’habilla nous nous habillâmes vous vous habillâtes ils s’habillèrent Passé Indéfini. je me suis habillé, I have dressed tu t’es habillé etc. [myself. il s’est habillé nous nous sommes habillés vous vous êtes habillés ils se sont habillés Plus-que-parfait. je m’étais habillé, I had dressed. tu t’étais habillé etc. [myself. il s’ètait habillé nous nous étions habillés vous vous étiez habillés ils s’étaient habillés Passé Antérieur. je me fus habillé, I had dressed tu te fus habillé etc. [myself. il se fut habillé Imparfait. je m’habillais, I was dressing my- tu t’habillais etc. [^Clf. il s’habillait nous nous habillions vous vous habilliez ils s’habillaient Futur Antérieur. je me serai habillé, I shall have dressed myself^ etc. Conditionnel Présent. je m’habillerais, I should dress my- tu t’habillerais [^^Ifj etc. Conditionnel Passé. je me serais habillé 1 I should or, !■ have dressed je me fusse, etc. j myself, etc. Impératif. habille-toi, dress thyself. habillons-nous, let us dress. habillez-vous, dress yourselves. Subjonctif Présent. que je m’habille, that I may dress myself, etc. que tu t’habilles etc. Imparfait. que je m’habillasse, that I might dress myself. que tu t’habillasses qu’il s’habillât REFLECTIVE VERBS. 161 nous nous fûmes habillés vous vous fûtes habillés ils se furent habillés Futur. je m’habillerai, I shall dress my- tu t’habilleras etc. il s’habillera nous nous habillerons vous vous habillerez ils s’habilleront Infinitif. Présent: s’habiller Passé : s’être habillé que nous nous habillassions que vous vous habillassiez qu’ils s’habillassent Passé. que je me sois habillé que tu te sois habillé, etc. Plus-que-parfait, que je me fusse habillé, etc. Participe. Présent: s’habillant passé: habillé, e, s, es, s’étant habillé Other je ne m’habille pas, I do not dress tu ne t’habilles pas etc. \_myself. il ne s’habille pas est-ce que je m’habille? do I dress myself f t’habilles- tu ? s’habille^-il? est-ce que je ne m’habille pas? do I not dress myself f ne t’habilles-tu pas? ne s’habille-t-il pas? Forms. nous ne nous habillons pas vous ne vous habillez pas ils ne s’habillent pas nous habillons-nous? vous habillez-vous ? s’habillent-ils ? ne nous habillons-nous pas? ne vous habillez-vous pas? ne s’habillent-ils pas? A List of Refi.ective Verbs, conjugated according to their Respective Conjugations. S’abonner à. S’accorder, S’adoucir, S’adresser, S’affaiblir, S’affermir, S’aimer, S’amuser, to subscribe to. agree, soften. address onds self, become weak, strengthen, love each other, amuse one^s self. D. F. M.— 14. S’appeler, i S’apprivoiser, S’approcher, S’arrêter, S’assoupir, Se baisser. Se blesser. Se brouiller. be named, become tame, approach, stop. grow drowsy, stoop. wound one’s self, disagree. 162 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. Se cacher, i Se chauffer, Se coucher, Se convenir, Se défier, Sé dépêcher, Se déshabiller, S’ endurcir. S’élancer, S’empresser, S’endormir, S’enfermer, S’enrhumer, S’enrichir, S’envoler, S’étonner, S’évanouir, S’éveiller, œnceal one's self, warm one's self, go to bed. suit each other, distrust, make haste, undress one's self, harden, rush upon, he eager, fall asleep, shut up. take cold, grow rich, fly away, wonder, faint away, awake. S’exprimer, i Se fâcher, Se fier, Se lever, Se marier, Se méfier, Se mêler, Se moquer, Se noyer, Se peigner, Se pencher, Se plaindre, Se promener, Se rapprocher, Se reculer, Se rendre à, Se reposer, Se retirer. express one's self, get angry, trust. get up, rise, get married, mistrust, mix, meddle, laugh at. drown one's self, comh one's self, bend, complain, take a walk, come nearer, move back, go to. rest. withdraw. Passive Verbs — Verbes Passifs. ^To he called^ être appelé. I am called, etc. I was called, I have been called, I had been called, I shall be called, I shall have been called. I should be called, je suis appelé, tu es appelé, il est appelé, nous sommes appelés, vous êtes appelés, ils sont appelés, j’étais appelé, tu étais appelé, or, je fus appelé — nous fûmes appelés, etc. j’ai été appelé — nous avons été ap- pelés, etc. j’avais été appelé, etc., or, j’eus été ap- pelé — nous eûmes été appelés, etc. je serai appelé — nous serons appelés, etc. j’aurai été appelé — nous aurons été appelés, etc. je serais appelé — nous serions appelés, etc. UNIFERSONAL VERBS. 163 I should have been called^ j’aurais été appelé, etc., or, j’eusse été appelé, etc. Be called, sois appelé ; let us be called, soyons appelés ; be called, soyez appelé. That I may be called, que je sois appelé — que nous soyons appelés, etc. That I might be ccdled, que je fusse appelé — qu’il fût appelé, etc. That I may have been called, que j’aie été appelé — qu’ils aient été appelés. That I might have been called, que j’eusse été appelé, etc. Conjugate one or more of the following passive verbs: Etre abandonné, to be abandoned. Etre aimé, to be loved. Etre chéri, to be cherished. Etre craint, to be feared. Etre pris, to be taken. Etre reçu, to be received. Unipersonal Verbs — ‘ To snoiv, Conjugated like aimer in the It snows. It was snowing. It snowed. It has snowed. It had snowed. It will snow. It rvill have snowed. It would snow, It would have snowed. That it may snow. That it might snow. That it may have snowed. That it might have snowed. Verbes Unipersonnels, neiger. third person singular. il neige, il neigeait, il neigea, il a neigé. il avait, or, il eût neigé, il neigera, il aura neigé, il neigerait. il aurait neigé, or, il eût neigé. qu’il neige. qu’il neigeât. qu’il ait neigé. qu’il eût neigé. 164 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. Does it snow f neige-t-il ? it does not snow, il ne neige pas ; does it not show ? ne neige-t-il pas ? Each tense should be conjugated in the usual interrogative and negative forms. A list*of unipersonal verbs conjugated like the third person singular of the model verbs: Dégeler, to thaw. Faire des éclairs, to lighten. Falloir (irreg.), to he necessarg. Geler, to freeze. Grêler, to hail. Pleuvoir (irreg.), to rain. Tonner, to thunder. Many verbs can he used unipersonally; as: II importe, it matters. II suflat, it is enough. II s’agit, it is a question of. II convient, it becomes. II paraît, it appears. II semble, it seems. II arrive, it happens» II s’entend, it is a matter of course. Verbs conjugated with être in their Compound Tenses. 1. Keflective verbs, in which être is employed for avoir. 2. Passive verbs. 3. Unipersonal verbs take avoir; but those which are accident- ally unipersonal — as, il est arrivé un malheur, a misfortune has happened — take être. 4. Some neuter verbs, as: Aller, to go. Arriver, to arrive. Décéder, to die. Entrer, to enter. Intervenir, to intervene. Mourir, to die. Also the following: Convenir, to agree. Devenir, to become. Naître, to be born. Parvenir, to aitain, to succeed. Revenir, to come again. Sortir (persons), to go out. Venir, to come. Rester, to remain, to stay. Survenir, to occur. Tomber, to fall. IRREGULAR VERBS. 165 The Irregular Verbs. Important Remarks. — A very large number of the irregular verbs of the language may be called semi-irregular verbs, — the primitive tenses enabling the student to conjugate the whole verb through the knowledge obtained from the “ Formation of the Tenses.'^ Such verbs will be marked with an asterisk (^^). In- stead of attempting to memorize the whole verb, let the student write the primitive tenses, and then under each primitive tense, write the derivative tenses. Ex. : — Coudre, [to sew .) Cousant. Cousu. J e couds. Je cousis. Future. Pl.UR. Prest. IND. Compound Imperative. Imperfect Conditionnel. IMPERF. iND. Prest. Subj. Tenses. Subjunctive. Let the student now apply the principles given for the for- mation of the tenses, and he will be able to conjugate the verb without any difficult}^ This kind of work should be done with ever)" model verb, as the student proceeds in the study of the irregular verbs. The model semi-irregular verbs Avill be marked with two asterisks { The verbs that are truly irregular, i. c., those that have not all the derivative tenses formed regularly from the primitive tenses, can also be learned, to a great extent, through the for- mation of tenses. In some instances there are but one or two irregularities in the whole verb; these should be learned, and the remainder of the verb formed, as has already been shown with the verb venir (see page 133). We will indicate the ir- regular forms, — r. e., those not formed regularly from the prim- itive tenses, — with a noticeable change in the t)^pe. The model irregular verbs will be preceded by the following mark ( t ). The 1st and 2d persons plural of an irregular present sub- junctive is always formed regularly, excepting faire and pouvoir. Should the verbs be studied as is explained above, the task of memorizing them will be much less difficult than if the student attempts to learn them mechanically. 166 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. List of the Irregular and Defective Verbs. Abattre, to pull down (avoir) ; like battre. ^'"■Absoudre, to absolve; absolvant, absou, absoute (/.) — j’absous, tu absous, il absout, nous absolvons, vous absolvez, ils ab- solvent — j’absolvais, (no past definite), j’absoudrai, j’absou- drais — absous, absolvons, absolvez, que j’absolve (no imp. subj.) (Defective). Abstraire, to abstract ; like traire. (Defective.) Accourir, to run to (avoir and être) ; like courir. Accroire is only used with faire ; as, il s’en fait accroire, he makes one believe, etc. (Defective.) Accueillir, io welcome; conjugated like cueillir. Î Acquérir, to acquire {•devoir) \ acquérant, acquis, e — j’acquiers, tu acquiers, il acquiert, nous acquérons, vous acquérez, ils ac- quiérent — j’acquérais, j’acquis, j’acquerrai, j’acquerrais — ac- quiers, acquérons, acquérez — que j’acquiére, que j’acquisse, qu’il acquît. * Admettre, to admit (avoir); like mettre. t Aller, to r;o (être); allant, allé, e — je vais, tu vas^ il va^ nous allons, vous allez, ils VOllt — j’allais, j’allai, jMraî, j’irais — Ta, allons, allez — que j’aille, que nous allions, que vous alliez, qu’ils aillent — que j’allasse. S’en aller, io go away; s’en allant, allé, e — je m’en vais, tu t’en vas, il s’en va, nous nous en allons, vous vous en allez, ils s’en vont — je m’en allais, je m’en allai, je m’en suis allé, je m’en étais allé, je m’en fus allé, je m’en irai, je m’en serai allé, je m’en irais, je m’en sei;:ais allé — Va-t’en, allons- nous-en, allez-vous-en — que je m’en aille, que je m’en allasse, like aller. Apprendre, to learn (avoir); like prendre, üHic Assaillir, to assault (avoir) ; assaillant, assailli, e — j’assaille, nous assaillons, ils assaillent — j’assaillais, j’assaillis, j’assaillirai, j’assaillirais — assaille, que j’assaille, que j’assaillisse. S’asseoir, fo sit down; s’asseyant, assis, e — je m’assieds, tu t’as- sieds, il s’assied, nous nous asseyons, vous vous asseyez, ils s’asseient — je m’asseyais, je m’assis, je me suis assis, je * The Irregular Verbs, already given in connection with the regular verbs, are not included in tliis list. IRREGULAR AND DEFECTIVE VERBS. 167 m’étais assis, je me fus assis, je in’assier.aî, je me serai assis, je m’assiérais, je me serais or fusse assis — assieds-toi, assey- ons-nous, asseyez-vous — que je m’asseie, que nous nous as- seyions, que vous vous asseyiez, qu’ils s’asseient — que je m’assisse, que je me sois assis, que je_me fusse assis. Conjugated in the four forms. Battre, io heat; battant, battu, e (avoir) — je bats, tu bats, il bat, nous battons, vous battez, ils battent — je battais, je battis, je battrai, je battrais ^ — bats — que je batte, que je battisse. Bénir, to blets, regular, except the past participle béni, e, which is written bénit, e, when speaking of things conse- crated by the church; as, pain bénit, eau bénite, t Boire, to drink; buvant, bu, e (avoir) — je bois, tu bois, il boit, nous buvons, vous buvez* ils boivent — je buvais, je bus, je boirai, je boirais — bois, buvons, buvez — que je boive, que nous buvions, que vous buviez, qu’ils boivent, que je busse, qu’il bût. '’“’''Bouillir, to boil; bouillant, bouilli, e (avoir) — je bous, tu bous il bout, nous bouillons, vous bouillez, ils bouillent — je bouil- lais, je bouillis, je bouillirai — bous, bouillons bouillez — que je bouille, que je bouillisse. Taken in an active sense, it is used with faire, faire bouillir; as a neuter verb, it is used figuratively; as, je bous d’impatience, etc. Braire, to bray (asses); generally used in the following ex- pressions only: il brait, ils braient — il braira, ils brairont — il brairait, ils brairaient — qu’il braie, qu’ils braient. Bruire (a defective verb), to roar, to rustle; bruyant — ils bruis- sent, il bruyait, ils bruyaient, ils bruissaient — qu’il bruisse. Choir, to fall; used only in the infinitive; as, il s’est laissé choir. Circoncire, to circumcise; circoncisant, circoncis — je circoncis, je circoncisais, je circoncis, je circoncirai, je circoncirais — circoncis — que je circoncise, que je circoncisse. Circonscrire, to circumscribe; like écrire. Clore, to close; closant, clos, e (avoir) — je clos, tu clos, il clôt — (no plural, no imperfect, no past definite) — je clorai, je clorais — clos (no plural) — que je close — (no imperfect). 168 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. Combattre, to fight; combattant, etc., like battre. Commél^tre, fo commit; like mettre. Complaire, to please; like plaire. Comprendre, to comprehend ^ to understand ; like prendre. ■'''■ Compromettre, to compromise; like mettre. Conclure, to conclude; concluant, conclu — je conclus, tu conclus, il conclut, nous concluons, vous concluez, ils concluent — je concluais, nous concluions, vous concluiez — je conclus, je conclurai, je conclurais — conclus — que je conclue, que nous concluions, que vous concluiez, qu’ils concluent — que je conclusse. Concourir, to concur; like courir. Confire, to preserve {fruity etc.); confisant, confit, e — je confis, nous confisons — je confisais, je confis, je confirai, je confi- rais — confis — que je confise, que nous confisions, que je confisse. Conquérir, to conquer] like acquérir, but it is used only in the following tenses: infinitive, participle, past definite, imper- fect subjunctive, and compound tenses. ■'=' Contredire, to contradict ; like dire, except in the second person plural of the present indicative and imperative — vous con- tredisez, contredisez. Contrefaire, to counterfeit; like faire. Convaincre, to convince; like vaincre. Corrompre, to corrupt; like rompre. -:iHi:-Qoudre, to sew; cousant, cousu, e (avoir) — je couds, tu couds, il coud, nous cousons, vous cousez, ils cousent — je cousais, je cousis, je coudrai, je coudrais — couds, cousons, cousez — que je couse, que je cousisse, qu’il cousît. t Courir, to run; courant, couru (avoir) — je cours, tu cours, il court, nous courons, vous courez, ils courent — je courais, je courus, je courrai, je courrais — cours, courons, courez — - que je coure, que je courusse. ■^'^'Croire, to believe; croyant, cru, e (avoir) — je crois, tu crois, il croit, nous croyons, vous croyez, ils croient — je croyais, nous croyions, vous croyiez — je crus, je croirai, je croirais — crois — que je croie, que nous croyions, que vous croyiez, que je crusse. - t Cueillir, to gather; cueillant, cueilli, e — je cueille, nous cueillons — je cueillais, je cueillis, je cueillerai, je cueillerais — cueille — que je cueille, que je cueillisse, qu’il cueillît. JJEFECT^^ IRREGULA ^ Débattre, to debate; like Déchoir, to decay ; (no present participle^tî^cnuT^ÿi tu déchois, il déchoit, nous décho;^i^y;eau- coiip de créanciers? Combien vous doit-elle? Comment vous êtes-vous endetté? Combien avez- vous emprunté à votre ami V. ? Ne faites- vous pas d’affaires maintenant ? Qu’admirez-vous le plus à Paris? Faites-vous toujours votre devoir? Avez-vous fait des progrès en français? Que ferez- vous cette après-midi? Où comptez-vous envoyer votre fils? Avez-vous fait beaucoup d’amis à Londres? Ce monsieur n’a-t-il pas fait une grande fortune? Qu’avez-vous à faire aujourd’hui? Qui a fait vos habits? Qni a- fait cela? 2 . Is Mr. A. doing much business now? No, he is doing scarcely any thing; he is daily running into debt. — Do you know whether he owes much? I have been told that he already owes more than thirty thousand francs. — Has he any real estate ? He has property valued at about eighty thousand francs. — Why do you spend so much, my friend? I do n’t spend so much as my brother. — Do you sometimes borrow money ? Not often ; however, Arthur occasionally lends me some. — Do n’t do that ; the worst thing you can do is to contract (de contracter) debts : we are so happy when we owe nothing. — You owe twenty francs to my nephew, and you did not speak of it. — My son does not owe any thing ; I am very glad of it. — What have you done to-day ? I worked the whole morning, breakfasted at twelve, and went out during the afternoon (repeat the pronoun). — Have you not called upon any one? I have been to Mr. K.’s, but he was not at home. — To whose house shall you go this evening? I think I shall not go out ; I have much to do at home. — The more I see your drawing- room, the more I like it. Holo Frederick the Great liked to be Served. A servant once entered Frederick the Great’s room very early in the morning, to awaken him, according to^ his order. The king, who did not yet feel inclined 2 to get up, answered, yawning 3, ^^Let me sleep a little longer 4; I am very much COMMERCIAL TERMS. 221 fatigued.” “Your Majesty ordered me to come early,” replied the servant. “ Another quarter of an hour, I tel] you.” “Not one minute, sire ; it is four o’clock, and you must get up.” “Well,” said the king, rising “you are a good servant; that’s" the way I like to be served.” ^ d’après ; 2 ne se sentait pas la moindre envie ; 3 en bâillant ; 4 encore un peu ; encore un ; en se levant ; " voilà comment. Indiscretion. A lady who was writing a letter perceived ^ that a young man was reading the letter over her shoulder 2 . She accordingly added 3: “I have much more^ to say to you, but Mr. N. is behind me, and reads all that I am writing.” “I beg your pardon, madam,” exclaimed'^ the indiscreet young man; “I have read nothing.” ^ s’aperçut ; ^ par-dessus son épaule ; ^ ajouta ; ^ encore beaucoup de choses ; ^ s’écria. THIRD LESSON — Troisième Leçon. Commerce — Commerce. f une emplette. ^ purchase, A buyer, un acheteur. f un acquit. A receipt, | ^eçu. A shareholder, un actionnaire. Ready money, in cash, argent comptant. Earnest money, a deposit, des arrhes. To enter into partnership, s’associer. An insurance, une assurance. Damaged goods, marchandises avariées. A partner, un associé. A share, une action. To insure, assurer. To acquit, Uequitter. 222 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. Y. Y, at, to, to it, to them, at it, at them, in it, on it, there, is used in reference to things and places when the verb is followed by à, en, dans, sur. Bo you think of your parents f I do think of them. She will not succeed in it. Have you answered this letter? I have answered it. Is Mrs. B. at home? She is. Pay attention to it. Are my books on the table? They are. Is S. here ? He is not. Are P. and E. there? They are. Pensez-vous à vos parents? J’y pense. Elle n’y réussira pas. Avez- vous répondu à cette lettre? J’y ai répondu. Madame B. est-elle chez-elle ? Elle y est. Faites y attention. Mes livres sont-ils sur la table ? Ils y sont. S. est-il ici? Il n’y est pas. P. et R. sont-ils là? Ils y sont. When y and en appear together, y is placed before en; both precede the verb, or the auxiliary in compound tenses. I have put some in it. I have found some on it. I will carry some there. J’y en ai mis. J’y en ai trouvé. J’y en porterai. The adverb où, where., may be used to represent in which., at which., on which., etc. The affair in which you have suc- ceeded. The table on which it is. Go ivhere you please. To succeed {in). To pay some one. To pay for something. To pay some one for something. To lose. To earn, to gain, to win. That is the reason why. L’affaire où vous avez réussi (dans laquelle). La table où il est (sur laquelle). Allez où vous voudrez. Parvenir (être), réussir à (avoir). Payer quelqu’un. Payer quelque chose. Payer quelque chose à quelqu’un. Perdre. Gagner. Voilà pourquoi. USE OF Y AND EN. 223 EXAMPLES. Have you made any purchases to- day? I have purchased a dozen neck- ties. Here is the hill receipted. Do you always pay in cash f I dOj or I give earnest-money. Our grocer has many damaged goods. He will lose a great deal. His brother will enter into part- nership with him. Have you paid the baker for the bread f Yes, and I have also paid the grocer for the coffee. Have you succeeded in gaining your cause? I have succeeded in it. Mr. D. has grown rich within a few years. Is your house not insured? Mr. K. has lost a greoA deal of money. Mary has succeeded in learning her lesson. The shareholders are summoned. I will pay you for these two shares. Avez-vous fait des emplettes aujourd’hui ? J’ai fait emplette d’une douzaine de cravates. En voici la facture acquittée. Payez- vous toujours comptant? Oui, ou je donne des arrhes. Notre épicier a beaucoup de marchandises avariées. Il perdra beaucoup. Son frère va s’associer avec lui. Avez-vous payé le pain au bou- langer ? Oui, et j’ai aussi payé le café à l’épicier. Avez-vous réussi à gagner votre cause ? J’y ai réussi. M. D. s’est enrichi en quelques années. Votre maison n’est-elle pas as- surée ? M. K. a perdu beaucoup d’argent. Marie est parvenue à apprendre sa leçon. Les actionnaires sont convoqués. Je vous paierai ces deux actions. CONVERSATION. Combien cet ouvrier (workman) gagne-t-il par jour? Comment peut-il parvenir à entretenir (in supporting) sa famille? Combien d’heures par jour travaille-t-il? Pensez-vous qu’il devienne jamais riche? Votre père n’a-t-il pas un associé ? Les paie-t-on toujours comptant? De quoi avez-vous fait emplette aujourd’hui? N’as- surerez-vous pas vos marchandises? D’où viennent-elles? Les 224 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. avez- vous déjà payées? Recevez-vous quelquefois des marchan- dises avariées? Ce négociant [merchant) gagne-t-il beaucoup d^argent? Votre fils parvient-il à apprendre Tanglais? N’avez- vous pas perdu un autre fils? 3. Do you sometimes think of your old friend? Yes, I very often think of him. — Do you know how much my brother paid for his watch ? Two hundred francs, perhaps. — Much more ; see, there is the bill. Four hundred and eighty francs ! and I see he paid ready money for it ; for the bill is receipted. He sold two shares, on wliich he gained four hundred francs; with these he bought that fine gold watch. — Did your father lose much during the war (la guerre) ? He lost more than forty thousand francs, and one of his debtors will cause him to lose, perhaps, twenty thousand francs more. A great many people lost by that unsuc- cessful war. Could you tell me where Mr. S. now lives? He lives in the house in which I lived about ten years ago. — He owes me some money, and he does not speak to me about it. — Does he owe you much? He owes me two thousand francs, which I lent him last year. — He is a very honest man, but he has un- dertaken (entrepris) an enterprise (affaire) in which he has lost a great deal, and I don’t think he is able to give you any money now. — Has Mr. G. succeeded in becoming rich in England? He will never be rich, because he spends too much. — I can not pay you what I owe you, and for that reason I don’t visit you. — Have you put some wood into the stove (poêle) ? (I have) not yet (put any in it), but I am going to. — Put some coal in, also. — Has Mr. E. succeeded in finding a buyer for his old house? He thinks he has succeeded at last. A Snare. The curate of a little parish (commune) in the environs of Saint Denis perceived that, for some time, thefts ^ were being committed 2 in his house while his ministrations^ called him elsewhere. Vexed ^ at these repeated^ thefts, the good curate SYNTAX OF THE ARTICLE. 225 commissioned^' an inhabitant of his parish to watch over his house during mass. The bell had scarcely" called the parishioners^ to church, when-’ the watcher saw a ladder placed against the wall"' of the garden. Soon after, a man appeared over the wall, and came down slowly into the garden. The man introduced himself into the house, where he found himself in a private interview with the watch.er. ^‘What are you here for?” asked the latter ^MVhy,” said the first, “I come” — ^‘Ah! doubtless to rob the curate; then we are here for the same purpose^’. As mass has just begun,” added the watcher, ‘‘suppose we drink, first of all, a bottle of wine to the curate’s health.” “Well, it is a good idea^"^,” and they went to^^ the cellar; but the door being oj^ened, the watcher pushed the robber in and locked it^^. An hour after, the trap^^ was opened, and the robber was taken from the cellar and put in prison. ^ vols ; ^ se commettaient ; ^ ministère ; ^ fatigué ; ^ continus ; ^ chargea ; peine ; ^ paroissiens ; ^ que ; une échelle ; mur % apparut ; descendit ; s’introduisit ; en tête à tête ; celui-ci 5 ^'même chose; ^^idée; ^-’et Ton se dirigea; ^®et la porte fermée à clef; piège. The Article must be used in French : 1st. Before every noun whose signification is determined, definite — i. e., employed in a general sense; and before nouns w^hich denote species, or a particular individual or object ; as : Syntax of the Article. Men are subject to error. Les hommes sont sujets à Ter- Children like games. Little girls like dolls. reur. Les enfants aiment le jeu. Les petites fiUes aiment les - poupées. 226 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. Modesty becomes youth. Virtue is the reverse of vice. Wine is common in France. La modestie sied à la jeunesse. La vertu est l’opposé du vice. Le vin est commun en France. 2d. Before the names of countries, provinces, rivers, winds, mountains, etc. ; as : I have visited France, Italy, and Germany. The Rhine and Rhone. The Pyrenees, the ocean, the north, the south, the east, the west. J’ai visité la France, l’Italie, et l’Allemagne. Le Rhin et le Rhône. Les Pyrénées, l’océan, le nord, le sud, l’est, l’ouest. 3d. Before titles prefixed to names, before the names of dig- nities, of systems of doctrine, of certain bodies, of seasons, etc. ; as : Marshal Ney. Le Maréchal Wey. General Sherman, Le général Sherman. President Jackson. Le président Jackson. Monarchy, republic. La monarchie, la république. Christianity , at school. Le Christianisme, à l’école. Spring, summer, autumn, winter. Le printemps, l’été, l’automne, l’hiver. The contracted du, de la, des are used before nouns employed in a partitive sense ; as : Have you any sugar? Avez- vous du sucre? I have some sugar and strawberries. J’ai du sucre et des fraises. But the article is omitted and de alone is used when the noun is preceded by an adjective, an adverb of quantity, or a negative ; as : I have some good strawberries. J’ai de bonnes fraises. I have too many books, J’ai trop de livres. I have no pears. Je n’ai pas de poires. Sometimes, however, the noun and adjective form a sort of compound noun ; then use du, de la, des ; as : 'I met some young men. J’ai rencontré des jeunes gens. This is fine weather. Voilà du beau temps. SYNTAX OF THE ARTICLE. 227 Many of the persons whom 1 have Beaucoup des personnes que j’ai seen. vues. I do not utter useless words. Je ne dis pas des mots inutiles. With le plus, le mieux, le moins, the article le is invariably used when we compare a person with himself and a thing to itself; as: It is near her children that she is C’est près de ses enfants qu’elle the happiest. est le plus heureuse. It is for music that they are the C’est pour la musique qu’ils sont best endowed. le mieux doués. But the article le is variable, and may becom.e la, les if we compare a person or a thing to others ; as : Of all women, she is the happiest. De toutes les femmes, c’est la plus heureuse. The most useful arts are not the Les arts les plus utiles ne sont most esteemed. pas les plus considérés. The Article is not used in French: 1st. Before nouns taken adjectively ; as: I am an American by birth. Je suis Américain de naissance. He is a merchant. Il est marchand, or, négociant. His father is a physician. Son père est médecin. 2d. When there is a relation of qualification between the two nouns by means of de; as: Tlie Queen of England, La reine d’Angleterre, The King of Greece, Le roi de Grèce, 3d. When en is employed; as: I will go to France. J’irai en France. He lives in Belgium, II demeure en Belgique. 4th. In proverbs; as: Poverty is not a vice. Pauvreté n’est pas vice. 228 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD, 5th. Before nouns preceded by sans, avec, ni, entre, etc.; as: A man without merit. Un homme sans mérite. I have neither pens nor paper. Je n’ai ni plumes ni papier. 6th. The article is frequently omitted in rapid narration ; as : Men, ivomen, children, all perished ! Hommes, femmes, enfants, tout périt ! Glory, honor, fortune, all is lost ! Gloire, honneur, fortune, tout • est perdu! 7th. Before a substantive employed to particularize another which precedes; as: Mary, the daughter of Mrs. B. Marie, fille de Mme. B. Repetition of the Article and other Determinatives. AVhen the article is used, it must be repeated before all the substantives, subjects, or objects. Ce, cet, ces, mon, ton, son, ma, . . . leur, de, etc., must also be repeated before every substantive; as : Painting, poetry, and music are sisters. My father, mother, and sisters. These large and these small rooms. La peinture, la poésie, et la musique sont sœurs. Mon père, ma mère, et mes sœurs. Ces petites et ces grandes cham- bres. However, if several adjectives qualify the same noun, do not repeat the determinative ; as : The young and hind Mrs. F. La jeune et bonne Madame F. Usage allows the article to be omitted in several forms, as in the following: Fathers and mothers. The officers and soldiers. Ancient and modern history. Les pères et mères. Les officiers et soldats. L’histoire ancienne et moderne. FALLOIR AND DEVOIR, 229 FOURTH LESSON — Quatrième Leçon* Commerce. A bank-note, un billet de banque. Cheap, bon marché. A shop, une boutique. An office, un bureau. The cash-office, la caisse. A cashier, un caissier. A customer, une pratique. A clerk, un commis. An account, un compte. To reckon, to calculate, compter. A hill, un billet. To indorse, endosser. To discount, escompter. Specie, des espèces, /. Obligation and Necessity. Falloir, to be necessary; Devoir, to owe. The above verbs are used, in French, to express obligation and necessity, as follow^s: 1st. Falloir, unipersonal, with the subjunctive mode. ^^MusïT 11 faut, 1 que, followed ’ I must, etc.. To be obliged. Il fallait. I was obliged to. To be required to. To need to. Il fallut. ^ by the - subj. ’ mode. I was required to. Il a fallu. I felt obliged to. To feel under ob- ligation to, etc. Il faudra, etc. I shall feel under . obligations to, etc. J with the Infin. in Eng. I must come, il faut que je vienne. I shall he obliged to go away, il faudra que je m’en aille. 2d. The verb falloir is used in the same way as above, with the infinitive mode, a personal pronoun. Indirect object (dative), being placed before the verb: I must see, il hie faut voir. He or she was obliged to come, il lui fallait venir. We shall be required to say it, il nous faudra le dire. We have been under obligation to receive him, il nous a fallu le recevoir. 230 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. 3d. Devoir, to owe, not followed by a verb in the infinitive mode, retains its actual meaning: I owe ten dollars, je dois dix dollars. 1 owed it to hirn, je le lui dois. I shall owe you much, je vous devrai beaucoup. 4th. If followed by a verb, in the infinitive mode, it expresses obligation or necessity; such as must," ''ought," "need to," etc. I am to sing, must sing, am required to sing, etc., je dois chanter. I was to go there, je devais y aller. We ought to tell him that, nous devrions lui dire cela. 5th. The expressions être necessaire, être obligé de, convey the same ideas as above. It is necessary to go there with her, il est nécessaire d’y aller avec elle. They must sing this evening, ils sont obligés de chanter ce soir. 6th. To ivant, to need, are rendered by avoir besoin de, or falloir (with me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur before the verb). EXAMPLES. I want shoes. Is it all you want? It is all I want. Do you want a bank-note? I must send two to my cashier. Do you want a cashier? I want an honest cashier. You must pay me what you owe me. I have been obliged to indorse that f bill. 1 II me faut des souliers, or. J’ai besoin de souliers. Est-ce tout ce qu’il vous faut ? or. Est-ce tout ce dont vous avez besoin ? C’est tout ce qu’il me faut, or. C’est tout ce dont j’ai besoin. Vous faut-il un billet de banque? Il faut que j’en envoie deux à mon caissier. N e vous faut-il pas un caissier ? J’ai besoin d’un caissier honnête. Il faut que vous me payiez ce que vous me devez. Il m’a fallu endosser ce billet, or. J’ai été obligé d’endosser, etc. IL FAUT. 231 Il fallut qu’il achetât cette ' boutique, or, He was obliged to buy that shop. Î ll fut obligé d’acheter cette j boutique, or, t II lui fallut acheter cette bou- tique. Elle était bien achalandée (cha- land, customer). Il faut que vous partiez ce soir. Il faut qu’ils achètent des mar- chandises. Les chevaux sont-ils chers à présent ? Non, ils sont très-bon marché. Il vous faut un plus grand bureau. Il nous aurait fallu le vôtre. He has been obliged to pay his II lui a fallu payer ses dettes, or, Il a été obligé de payer, etc., or. Il a fallu qu’il payât ses dettes. Il faut travailler, f II faut que les enfants étudient, or, [ Les enfants doivent étudier, etc. CONVERSATION. Me faut-il écrire deux thèmes? Que me faut-il faire? Que faut-il acheter? Faut-il sortir? Que faut-il qu’elle réponde? Faut-il que vous alliez à l’école aujourd’hui ? Faudra-t-il aller au marché ce matin? Que faut-il à mon cousin? Vous a-t-il fallu étudier beaucoup? Vous a-t-il fallu payer comptant votre habit et vos bottines ? Combien de temps vous a-t-il fallu rester chez Madame B.? Avez-vous besoin d’un commis? Avez-vous un grand bureau? N’avez-vous pas besoin d’un bon domestique? Voulez-vous m’ouvrir un compte à votre bureau? Que me faut- il faire pour apprendre l’allemand? Avez- vous visité les bords du Rhin? N’avez-vous pas voyagé en Allemagne? debts. It is necessary to work. Children must study. It was well patronized. You must start this evening. They must buy goods. Are horses dear now? No, they are very cheap. You need a larger office. Yours would have suited us. 232 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. 4. Must I come earlier? It will be necessary that you should come one hour earlier. — I will try to come at eight o’clock. You must be here a little before eight. — Is it necessary to study long to (pour) learn German? It is necessary to study long and very much; German is much more difficult (diflBcile) than Eng- lish. — Would it not be necessary that this boy should write to his parents? He must write to them once a week. — Don’t you want a horse? It would be necessary for me to have even (même) two. — Must you not go to your grandfather’s ? I must go and dine with him, for I go to his house every Sunday ; and if I did not (go there), he would be angry with me. — How many clerks do you want? I need twenly. — Is your cashier honest? He is; he has been sixteen years in the house. Does your little daughter want any pens ? She needs pens, paper, and ink. — Were you obliged to go to England? I was obliged to go there three times, and have not been paid. — Do you need much coal for winter? We need seven thousand kilos. — Do you know Miss Mary, the daughter of Mrs. V. ? I know her very little; last year I met her with her mother in tlie Pyrenees. — The English travel a great de il, do they not? Much more than the French; they are met every-where ? — I think the Americans (Américains) travel still more than the English. A Small Audience,^ Have you ever penetrated into one of the obscure rooms of the College of France, in which are seen learned men who ascend the desk^ without daring to look round the room, and who speak to the benches^ during sixty minutes? They are professors without pupils; they teach Hebrew^ or Arabic. One of those professors, after having spoken an entire hour, still had something more to say. ' Not being willing to take advantage^ of the complaisance of the one"' hearer^ who had waited for the end of his lecture, he thus addressed him: beg, sir, your indulgence for five minutes more.” ^‘0, sir,” answered the hearer, ‘‘don’t be in a hurry I have plenty of time.” “ Sir, I thank you.” “ 0, don’t mention it^^; you see, to be here or any where else is all the same to me^.” TERMS IN TRADE. 233 Then you have leisure.” ‘‘I am engaged by the hour.” The professor then recognized the driver who had driven him to the College of France. ^ montent en chaire ; ^ bancs ; hébreu ; ^ avantage ; ^ l’unique ; auditeur ; ^ ne vous pressez pas ; ^ de rien ! de rien ! ça m’est bien égal ; à ; ^ Auditoire. FIFTH LESSON — Cinquième Leçon. Commerce. Five j)er cent., cinq pour cent. 5 % 5 % A draft, une traite. The sale, la vente. A rate, un taux. The amount, le montant. A payment, un paiement. The weight, le poids. To weigh, peser. To abate, rabattre. To reimburse, to repay, rembourser. To close an account, solder un compte. The sale by retail, la vente en détail. The sale by wholesale, la vente en gros. To sell on credit, upon trust, vendre à crédit. Various applications of Devoir. To owe. Ought to. Should, To be to, Mr. C. owes me a hundred francs ; he ought to pay me. You should write to your friend. I think you ought to pay her a visit. I am to go and dine with my god- father. You ought to go out with me. I can not ; I have to pay a visit. devoir. M. C. me doit cent francs; il devrait me payer. Vous devriez écrire à votre amie. Je pense que vous devriez lui faire une visite. Je dois aller dîner avec mon parrain. Vous devriez sortir avec moi. Je ne puis; je dois faire une visite. D. F. M. 20. 234 BUFFET \S FRENCH METHOD, W ILLINGNESS — ABILITY. Vouloir — To be willing to^ to want to. The verb vouloir expresses willingness when followed by a verb in the infinitive mode. I am willing to say it, je veux bien le dire. I would he willing to tell you je voudrais vous le dire ... si. He would wish to go there with you, il voudrait y aller avec vous. Pouvoir, to be able, to know how to. The verb pouvoir expresses ability w^hen followed by a verb in the infinitive mode. I can write, je puis écrire. I might he able to ... if ... pourrais ... si. Could you do that? pourriez- vous faire cela? EXAMPLES. Were you able to pay the amount of the invoice? I was, but I was obliged to borrow two hundred francs. Then you owe that sum, I shall soon repay it. Were they not willing to sell to you on credit ? No, for they did not know me, ' At what interest does your father invest his money? At six per cent. Do you sell by wholesale ? We sell both by wholesale and, retail. You ought to retire from business. Perhaps I shall do so by and by. I must go to work. You ought to have dined with us. Avez-vous pu payer le montant de la facture ? Oui, mais il m’a fallu emprunter deux cents francs. Alors vous dpvez cette somme. Je la rembourserai bientôt. N’a-t-on pas voulu vous vendre à crédit? Non, car on ne me connaissait pas. A quel taux votre père place-t-il son argent ? A six pour cent. Vendez- vous en gros ? Nous vendons en gros et en dé- tail. Vous devriez vous retirer des affaires. Plus tard je le ferai peut-être. Il faut que j’aille travailler. Vous auriez dû dîner avec nous. DEVOIR AND FALLOIR. 235 Thank you, I am to dine with Mr. and Mrs. J. I am to go for my daughter at Mrs. P.’s. To-morrow we are to go to Saint Cloud. You should go and see your niece. Merci, je dois dîner avec M. et Mme. J. • Je dois aller chercher ma fille chez Mme. P. Demain nous devons aller à St. Cloud. V ous devriez aller voir votre nièce. CONVERSATION. Quel est le montant de ma facture? N’y a-t-il pas d’ercompte? Le compte de mon fils est-il soldé? Vous a-t-il fallu chanter hier soir? M. V. ne dovrait-il pas chanter? M. C. ne devrait-il pas payer ses dettes? Ne vous doit-il pas beaucoup? Quand devez-vous voyager? Votre ami ]\I. ne doit-il pas aller avec vous? N’auriez- vous pas pu venir plus tôt? N’avez-vous pas été obligé de dépenser plus que vous ne vouliez? Combien de livres pesez-vous? Combien y a-t-il de livres dans un kilo- gramme? Combien votre ami vous doit-il? Ne devrait-il pas vous payer? Auriez- vous pu chanter? 5. AVhat is the amount of that draft ? Five hundred and eighty francs sixty-five centimes. — Does not my son owe you some money? I lent him thirty francs a few days ago; I told him to try to repay me as soon as possible, because I have to pay for my wine next week. — He ought to have spoken to me about it. I am going to pay you the thirty francs ; here they are. You ought not to lend my son any money, because I give him enough, even (même) more than he ought to spend. Almost all young men are the same. — I must tell you that your son yet owes ten francs to Charles. Who knows whether he does not owe other sums? — Was Mrs. C. able to under- stand that English lady ? Yes, she understood her very well. — Will she be kind enough to translate that letter for me? My sister has not been able to translate it. — When will Mr. Paul begin to learn English? He will begin as soon as Mr. L. has 236 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. time to give him lessons. — Will it be necessary for Paul to go to the professor’s? No; Mr. L. will come to Paul’s three times u week. — English is not difficult ; it can be learned in a few months. It is true the grammar is not difficult; but the pro- nunciation is difficult, and it is necessary to learn the words. With a memory like yours, one soon acquires a language. Malice of Francis the FirsF. It is said that the Spaniards, in order to humiliate Francis the First, when a captive, caused the door of his room to be made, lower 2, so that the king was obliged to bend himself in passing out, a gesture^ that they would not faiH to take for a bow^. The king, it is added, disconcerted all their plans by coming out backward ^ — his back turned to the grandees of Spain ^ François ^ er ; ^ on baisserait ; ^ geste ; ^ on ne manquerait pas ; ^ salut; ^ mesures; ” à reculons ; les grands d’Espagne. The Physician and his Patient. ‘^Ah! ah! you are better, and your puise ^ is excellent. You have, I see, followed my prescriptions” ‘^Followed? not at all^, if you please; I should have broken my neck'*.” ^‘How so^^'? I do not understand you.” WelP, I threw it from the window of the third floor, and I am cured.” * pouls ; ^ ordonnance ; ^ non pas ; ^ le cou ; ^ comment cela ; ^ eh bien. A Dumb Deputy^. A deputy said to one of his colleagues You have not yet opened your mouth in the chamber.” ‘‘You are mistaken^,” replied the latter “ for every time you have spoken I have not been able to keep^ from yawning.” * un député muet ; ^ collègues ; ^ vous vous trompez ; lui ré- pondit celui-ci; '^m’empêcher de. EST- CE PAS. 237 SIXTH LESSON — Sixième Leçon. To yawn, bâiller. To stammer, bégayer. TMgaÜ, ]. la démarche. The hearing, > Digestion, la digestion. To sneeze, éternuer. Strength, la force. Strong, fort, e. Gesture, le geste. To blow, souffler. To grow thin, maigrir. To grow fat, Engraisser. To become fat, ) To nourish, \ ^ > nourrir. To feed, j To rest, se reposer. Respiration, ]. respiration. The breath, > To breathe, respirer. Weak, faible. N’est-ce pas corresponds to has he? has he not? is ho? is he not? do you? do you not? etc. After an affirmative or negative sentence any interrogative fonn involving the previous statement or negation, is rendered, in French, by n’est ce pas, i. e., is it not {so)f For instance. You love your father, do you not f Vous aimez votre père, n’est-ce pas ? You do not see him, do youf Vous ne le voyez pas, n’est-ce pas? They did not take the town, did theyf We shall go to Switzerland, shall we notf We shall not go to Switzerland^ shall wef You can see at that distance, canH you f She has no brother, has shef You must write, must you notf Ils ne prirent pas la ville, n’est- ce pas ? Nous irons en Suisse, n’est-ce pas ? Nous n’irons pas en Suisse, n’est- ce pas? Vous pouvez voir à cette dis- tance, n’est-ce pas? Elle n’a pas de frère, n’est-ce pas? Il vous faut écrire, n’est-ce pas ? To use, to make use of — se servir de. I use your pencil. 1 use it. Je me sers de votre crayon. Je m’en sers. 238 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, ' To do with — faire de. What have you done with my pen f Qu’avez-vous fait de ma plume ? I have not used it. Je ne m’en suis pas servi. To have just — venir de. I have just finished my letter. Je viens de finir ma lettre. We have just dined. Wous venons de dîner. He had just left. Il venait de partir. Venir de, expresses a time just elapsed, and therefore, cor- responds to just, in English. EXAMPLES. You have jud yawned, haven t you? That lady shammers, does nH she f She does; but she hm a superb bearing. Who has just sneezed f Arthur, because he has taken a pinch of snuff. Do you intend to use this paper f It is too bad; I canH use iU That actor uses fine gestures, does he not f You will soon rest, will you notf S. is growing thin, is he notf I think he is growing fat f You are stronger than Charles, are you not f You can not breathe, can youf He would not set out, would hef What will you do with all these pens f I shall use them. Vous venez de bâiller, n’est-ee pas ? Cette dame bégaie, n’est-ce pas ? Oui; mais elle a la démarche superbe. Qui vient d’éternuer ? C’est Arthur, parce qu’il a pris une prise. Vous servez-vous de ce papier? Il est trop mauvais; je ne puis m’en servir. Cet acteur a de beaux gestes, n’est-ce pas? Vous vous reposerez bien tôt, n’est-ce pas ? S. maigrit, n’est-ce pas? Je trouve qu’il engraisse? Vous êtes plus fort que Charles, n’est-ce pas ? Vous ne pouvez pas respirer, n’est-ce pas? Il ne partirait pas, n’est-ce pas ? Que ferez-vous de toutes ces plumes ? Je m’en servirsi. N ^EST-CE PAS. 239 I have just broken the hands of my watch. Should you not use your dic- tionary f I have just used it. Je viens de casser les aiguilles de ma montre. ISTe devriez-vous pas vous servir de votre dictionnaire ? Je viens de m’en servir. CONVERSATION. Arthur bégaie, n’est-ce pas? Vous vous serviez de mon canif, n’est-ce pas? Vous connaissez mon beau-frère, n’est-ce pas? M. G. entretient plusieurs familles, n’est-ce pas? Vous n’êtes pas si fort que votre frère, n’est-ce pas? Vous ne vous servez pas de votre grammaire, n’est-ce pas? Vous ne pouvez rien faire de cette cage, n’est-ce pas? Vous savez patiner, n’est-ce pas? Vous com- prenez l’anglais, n’est-ce pas? Vous n’êtes pas sorti ce matin, n’est-ce pas? Vous me paierez ce que vous me devez, n’est-ce pas? Vous n’avez pas écrit vos deux thèmes, n’est-ce pas? Vous n’avez pas encore payé le chocolat à l'épicier, n’est-ce pas? Vous devriez apprendre le français, n’est-ce pas? 6 . The wind (le vent) blows to-day, does it not? Yes, I could not sleep last night. — You should try not to stammer so much when you speak; breathe more frequently (souvent), and you will not stammer so much. You must also try not to sneeze so loud (fort). I have a bad cold; that is the reason why I have been sneezing so much this evening. — Have you not used my pen-holder? No, I have used mine. — What have you done with my daughter’s books? I have not used them. — Your little boy has grown very thin, has he not ? Yes, he has just been very sick. — Your other children are very well, are they not? Very well, thank you. — AVhy do you not rest? I have much to do this morning; and in the afternoon I am to go out with Mrs. D. to make purchases. — You are always in a hurry. There is so much to do in a house. It is true. — Whence does Mr. N. come ? He comes from London. — It is not long since he has arrived, is it? He has just arrived. — You are very warm, are you not? I am warm and thirsty. — Come and drink a glass of cool (fraîche) beer. With pleasure. — Your 240 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. father still uses my horse, does he not? Yes; but if you want it, you must speak (le dire). — I shall want it to-morrow, but I do not need it to-day. He is very well at your house ; you feed him so well. — What have you done with my umbrella ? I have not used it; is it not this one? It is; I had not seen it. Rossini and the Pianist Eossini one day received in his house a pianist with dis- hevelled hairb The maestro was a man of exquisite politeness, but while conversing with his visitor he placed himself before the piano, in order to prevent the pianist from approaching it^. The pianist, who perceived the artifice^, took the instrument by assault k ‘‘Do you wish me, maestro, to play one of my last compositions?” Eossini did not wish it, but the pianist insisted, and began to play with frenzy '^. After half an hour’s hurricane^’ he rises, pale and covered with perspiration. “Well, maestro, how do you like that?” “I think,” replied Eossini, “I think it is’ astonishing. You are mightier® than God: God made the world; you have just made chaos.” ^ un air des plus échevelés ; ^ de s’en approcher ; ® ruse ; d’as- saut ; ^ se mit à jouer avec délire ; ouragan ; ' je trouve cela ; ® plus puissant. Syntax of the Noun. Note. — We recommend the study of the different rules of syntax in a French grammar; the following are the most prac- tical rules: 1. Proper names are invariable in French. Except w^hen they become common names; that is to say, when they point out individuals similar to those of whom we borrow^ the names. The plural is also used for illustrious fam- ilies or names; as: SYNTAX OF THE NOUN 241 The two Corneilles were born at Rouen, The Smiths are in Europe. France has had her Cæsars and Fompeys, The CondéSj the Bourbons, etc. Les deux Corneille so^nt nésfà Eouen. Les Smith sont en Europe. La France a eu ses Césars et ses Pompées (persons like them). Les Condés, les Bourbons, etc. 2. Collective nouns are general or partitive. General collective nouns, as, le peuple, l’armée, la foule . . . , require that the verb should be in the singular; as: The people are happy over that Le peuple est heureux de cette good news. bonne nouvelle. The army was defeated. L’armée fut défaite. Partitive collective nouns, as, une foule, a crowd; une infinité, une troupe . . . , require that the verb should be in the singular, if it is more in relation with the collective itself than with the objects forming the collection ; if the verb relates to the several objects, it must be in the plural ; as : A crowd of children approached us. A crowd of children ran into different streets. Une foule d’enfants s’approcha de nous. Une foule d’enfants s’enfuirent dans différentes rues. 3. When in the same sentence there are two nouns in the objective case, one direct and the other indirect, har- mony requires that the shorter be placed first. But when both objectives are of the same length, the direct comes before the indirect; as: I have found my pencil in your room. I found on the table the pencil I had lost. I have sent to M. the books I had promised him, D. F. M. 21. J’ai trouvé mon crayon dans votre chambre. J’ai trouvé, sur la table, le crayon que j’avais perdu. J’ai envoyé à M. les livres que je lui avais promis. 242 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. 4. When a noun is in the objective case, and limits another noun, the preposition à or de is placed between them. A is used when for the purpose of, by means of, with, can be understood; as: Bring me a luatering-pot. I want champagne glasses. That is a large steamboat. I like coffee with milk. Donnez-moi un pot à eau. J’ai besoin de verres à cham- pagne. Voilà un grand bateau à vapeur. J’aime le café au lait (au = à le). De is used when made of, composed of, coming from, of the. belonging to, can be understood ; That marble table is beautiful. This Burgundy luine is excellent. My friend's sister died yesterday. It is my son's book. as: Cette table de marbre est très- belle. Ce vin de Bourgogne est excel- lent. La sœur de mon ami est morte hier. C’est le livre de mon fils. 5. In compound nouns, oi take the plural. 1st. Both words variable. Des choux-fleurs, cauliflowers. Des chefs-lieux, chief towns. Des basses-cours, poultry -yard s. Des sapeurs-pompiers, firemen. Des coffres-forts, iron chests. But when joined by a preposi- tion, as, arc-en-ciel, the first only takes the plural. 2d. Both invariable, because tl Des réveille-matin, alarm-clocks. Des abat-jour, shades, [pone's self. Des pour-boire, something for ly nouns and adjectives can 2d. One variable. Des contre-poisons, antidotes. Des avant-coureurs, forerunners. Des avant-gardes, vanguards. Un or des essuie-mains, a towel, towels. Un or des cure-dents, a tooth-pick, tooth-picks. Des gardes-chasse, game-keepers. Ï noun is singular in meaning. Des casse-tête, tomahawks. Des tête-à-tête, private interviews. Des appui-main, maulsticks. SUBSTANTIVES FROM VERBS. 243 Substantives Derived from Verbs. Several nouns are derived from verbs; as, fin, end, from finir ; don, gift, from donner, etc. They are formed as follows: 1st. By removing the termination of the verb; as: Finir, fin, an end. Bondir, bond, a hound. Sauter, saut, a jump. Dessiner, dessin, a drawing. Reculer, recul, â recoil. Aviser, avis, a counsel. Chanter, chant, a song. Refuser, refus, a refusai. Appeler, appel, an appeal. Ranger, rang, a rank. 2d. By removing, together with the termination of the verb, the second of the double consonants preceding the termination; as: Donner, don, a gift. Conseiller, conseil, advice. Amasser, amas, a heap. Bourdonner, bourdon, a drone- fly, a great hell. Travailler, travail, work. Fusilier, fusil, a gun. Réveiller, réveil, the awakening. Rançonner, rançon, a ransom. Bannir, or ban, exile. Recueillir, recueil, a selection^ Babiller, babil, a prattle. Pardonner, pardon, a. pardon. Fracasser, fracas, a noise. 3d. In the verbs ending in yer in the infinitive, y being equal to ii, the noun is formed by removing ier; as: Employer, emploi, a place. Envoyer, envoi, a message. Ennuyer, ennui, a trouble. Appuyer, appui, a support. Balayer, balai, a hroom. Renvoyer, renvoi, a discharge. Essayer, essai, a trial. [ment. Remblayer, remblai, an emhank- 4th. Some nouns are derived more indirectly from verbs: sometimes by removing only the last letter of the infinitive; sometimes three or more letters; as: Disputer, dispute, a dispute. Ruiner, ruine, ruin. Caresser, caresse, a caress. Forcer, force, strength. Congédier, congé, a license. Retourner, retour, the return. Contourner, contour, outline. Sommeiller, somme, a nap. 244 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. SEVENTH LESSON — Septième Leçon. A dream, un rêve. To dream, rêver. To snore, ronfler. To sob, sangloter. To laugh, rire. To smile, sourire. To sigh, soupirer. A wrinkle, une ride. Health, la santé. To feel, to smell, sentir. To fall asleep, s’endormir. To awake, s’éveiller, réveiller, éveiller. To weep, to cry, to shed tears, pleurer. Ne . . . pas, not Ne and pas are both placed before the infinitive mode; as: I told him not to run. Je lui ai dit de ne pas courir. Try not to he late. Tâchez de ne pas être en retard. The prepositions de, à, pour, sans, par, require the verb fol- lowing to be in the infinitive, and not in the present participle, as in English. He is ashamed of having done that. II est honteux d’avoir fait cela, I have to go and pay a visit, J’ai à aller faire une visite. Lend me your gun to kill that bird. Prêtez-moi votre fusil pour tuer cet oiseau. They study without complaining. Ils étudient sans se plaindre. Let us begin by breakfasting. Commençons par déjeuner. The preposition en is followed, in French as in English, by the present participle; as: It is by studying that we learn. C’est en étudiant qu’on apprend. On hearing that, he began to cry. En entendant cela, il se mit à pleurer. The preposition après is placed before the auxiliaries avoir and être ; as : After having read. After having fallen. Après avoir lu. Après être tombé. PREPOSITIONS. 245 To, meaning in order to, i. e. , expressing purpose, is rendered by pour before the infinitive; as Bo that to please your mother. Faites cela pour faire plaisir à votre mère. Take a walk to get an appetite. Faites une promenade pour gagner de l’appétit. To get up, rise. Se lever. To go to bed. Se coucher. To run. Courir. To fall. Tomber (être). To earn money. Gagner de l’argent. To get out of. Se tirer d’embarras. To get ready. S’apprêter, se préparer. To catch cold. S’enrhumer. To overcome. Surmonter, To get in. Entrer. To get down. Descendre, faire descendre. Without. Sans. Instead of. Au lieu de. As for, as to. Quant à. EXAMPLES. Bo you often dream? Rêvez-vous souvent ? I often have dreams which awake Je fais souvent des rêves qui me. me réveillent. You are older than I, and you Vous êtes plus âgé que moi, et have no wrinkles. vous n’avez pas de rides. I do not tire so easily as you do. Je ne me fatigue pas autant que vous. I am said to snore very loud. On me dit que je ronfle très-fort. As for me, I sleep without dream- Quant à moi, je dors sans rêver ing or snoring. ni ronfler. Work instead of amusing thyself. Travaille au lieu de t’amuser. Get ready instead of crying. Prépare-toi au lieu de pleurer. What is the matter with that child? Qu’a cet enfant? pourquoi san- why is he sobbing? glote-t-il ? Because they awoke him too early. Parce qu’on l’a éveillé trop tôt. 246 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, That hoy thinks only of running. It is difficult for a hoy not to run. Bo you get up early? When I go to bed early I get up early, I caught cold yesterday, Mr, P, gets money luithout doing much, I have not been able to get into that house, I never see you smile. Come and see me after having translated this. Go and speak to S. before you leave. Ce garçon ne pense qu’à courir. Il est difficile à un garçon de ne pas courir. Vous levez- vous de bonne heure? Quand je me couche de bonne heure je me lève matin. Je me suis enrhumé hier. M. P. gagne de l’argent sans faire grand’chose. Je n’ai pas pu entrer dans cette maison. Je ne vous vois jamais sourire. Venez me voir après avoir tra- duit ceci. Allez voir M. S. avant de partir. CONVERSATION. Pourquoi soupirez-vous si souvent? Qu’avez-vous? N’êtes- vous pas fâché d'avoir perdu votre argent? Avez-vous jamais vu sourire M. H.? Pourquoi est-il si triste? Vous vous en- dormez, n’est-ce pas? Votre père gagne beaucoup d’argent, n’est- ce pas? A quelle heure vous levez- vous? Vous êtes- vous couché tard hier? Où avez-vous eu ce vieux livre ? Combien l’avez-vous payé? Ne pouviez-vous pas vous en procurer (get) un meilleur? Où couriez-vous hier matin? Pourquoi n’apprenez-vous pas mieux vos leçons? Pourquoi ne vous préparez-vous pas pour sortir avec votre père? Pourquoi riez-vous quand M. S. parle? 7. I dreamt last night that Mr. and Mrs. P. were dead; and I dreamt that I had obtained a great deal of money, with which I had bought a fine gold watch. — As for me, I never dream ; but I often awake, because my brother snores all night long. — That’s the reason why you so often fall asleep during the day. When w^e don’t sleep at night, it is necessary to sleep during the day. — At what hour do you go to bed ? Between ten and eleven. — And at what hour do you get up? I get up at seven in winter, and at six in summer. — Try not to awake me to-night, PREPOSITIONS, 247 for I need to sleep in order to rest. — You will go to Saint Cloud this afternoon, will you not? Yes, if somebody will accompany me. — Instead of going to-day, wait till (attendez à) Sunday next; I will go vvith you. — Will you tell my son to get ready’ to go out with his mother? But he can not go out before having taken his German lesson. It is true ; I did not think of it. — Have you been able to get the sofa down? We got it down with much difficulty; it is very heavy. — I caught cold a few days ago by running after my friend Arthur. Another time be more prudent; don’t run so much or so long. — You have very good little girls; they seem to be very kind-hearted. Yes, they are sweet girls; it is a pity that the eldest is short-sighted (myope). Deafness^. A woman who thought herself only a little deaf, once attended with her husband a public festival^ in the Place de la Concorde. When^ the cannon at the Invalides, a short distance from the curious couple, was fired turning herself to^ her husband, ‘‘God bless you!"' my dear,” she said. She thought he had just sneezed ! ’ la surdité ; ^ fête publique ; ^ on tira ; ^ vers ; ^ Dieu vous bénisse ! Red ^ Beard. The Count 2 of Soissons had a red beard. As he was walking one day in his gardens with Henry the Fourth, who had come to pay him a visit, he asked the gardener, whom he wished to laugh at^, how it was^ that he had no beard. The gardener, who at that moment was disposed to joke"', pleasantly^ replied to the count: “The day when' God made the distribution of beards I arrived a little late, and only red ones were left^. I preferred doing without any.”^ ^ rousse ; ^ comte ; ^ se moquer ; se faisait ; ^ à entendre rail- lerie ; ^ sans sourcilier; ^où; ^ il n’en restait plus que des rousses; ^m’en passer. 248 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. EIGHTH LESSON — Huitième Leçon. The complexion, le teint. To turn or grow pale, pâlir. Middle, moyenne. Swarthy, basané. Pale, pâle. To blush, rougir. A feature, un trait. The voice, la voix. Low, petite, basse, faible. Fresh, healthy, rosy, frais, fraîche. Ruddy, coloré. To color, colorer. To perspire, transpirer. To sweat, suer. The stature, the size, the shape, la taille. The constitution, the temper, le tempérament. Study and conjugate the reflective verb se faire du mal, to hurt onds self. (See faire, p. 170.) The reciprocal verbs are also conjugated in French with two pronouns; as: We help each other. Nous nous aidons (Pun Pautre, or, les uns les autres). You speak, to each other. Vous vous parlez (Pun à Pautre, or, les uns aux autres). A verb following another verb (except avoir and être) is in the infinitive; as: You can ivork. Vous pouvez travailler. I prefer going out, i. e., to go out. Je préfère sortir. A verb following another verb in the imperative mode must be in the infinitive; as: Go and seek thy sister. Va chercher ta sœur. Come and see us soon. Venez nous voir bientôt. N. B. — Notice that and'^ is not translated. The conjunction and, which is between the two verbs in English, is not used in French. To have to. Avoir à. To like to. Aimer à. , To like better. Aimer mieux (without a Prep.) THE VERB. 249 I ham to work. J’ai à travailler. I like to study languages. J’aime à étudier les langues. To dress one*s self. To warm one^s self. To tvash one^s self. To shave one^s self. To help each other. Each other j one another. S’habiller. Se chauffer. Se laver. Se raser. S’aider (l’un l’autre). Se ... , l’un l’autre, les uns les autres. EXAMPLES. The French are of middle stature. That girl has a swarthy com- plexion. That man has a ruddy com- plexion. Why are you so palef Because 1 have been ill. I perspire very much. You have a strong and beautiful voice. Have you hurt yourself f Yes, I have burnt myself. Are you going to dress yourself soon? I will wash myself first. Have you ivarmed your feet f No, I have just shaved myself. Has that mam hurt you? He never hurts any one. Why do you blush? I dare not tell you the reason. P. and C. like each other very much. They help each other. I do not like to shave. Les Français sont de taille moyenne. Cette fille a le teint basané. Cet homme a le teint coloré. Pourquoi êtes- vous si pâle ? Parce que j’ai été malade. Je transpire beaucoup (never très-beaucoup). Vous avez une forte et belle voix. Vous êtes-vous fait mal? Oui, je me suis brûlé. Allez- vous bientôt vous habiller? Je vais d’abord me laver. Vous êtes- vous chauffé les pieds? Non, je viens de me raser. Cet homme vous a-t-il fait du mal ? Il ne fait jamais de mal à per- sonne. Pourquoi rougissez-vous ? Je n’ose pas vous dire pourquoi. P. et C. s’aiment beaucoup. Ils s’entr’ aident. J e n’aime pas à me raser. 250 DÜFFET^S FBENCH METHOD. CONVERSATION. Madame N. a im beau teint, n^est-ce pas? Son mari a le teint basané, n’est-ce pas ? Ses traits ne sont-ils pas bien durs ? Mademoiselle W. a la voix douce, n’est-ce pas? Ne voulez-vous pas vous chauffer? Votre petite fille peut-elle se laver? Ces deux petites filles s’aiment-elles? Combien de fois par semaine votre oncle se rase-t-il? Où vous êtes- vous fait mal? Avez-vous fait du mal à quelqu’un quand vous êtes tombé ? A quelle heure vous lavez-vous le matin? Votre enfant a le teint frais, n’est-ce pas? Quand pensez- vous vous habiller? Les Anglais sont-ils plus grands que les Français? 8 . The English ladies have a fresh complexion. — This little boy has beautiful features. He is rather (un peu) pale. He is not tall for his age. He is of û middle size ; our son is still shorter than he. He is very well dressed. Can he dress himself? I do n’t think so ; he is still too young. — I should like to know whether I could shave myself. Try, and you will see it is not difficult. — My brother wished to shave himself yesterday, and he cut himself twice. I do not wish to cut myself, so I will get shaved (me ferai raser). — Do your children love each other much? They do; and they always help each other when they are preparing their lessons. — Do they sometimes speak English to each other? Not often; however, their teacher tells them always to speak English to one another. Do those ladies know each other? I think not; and I believe it is the first time they have seen one another. — Come and warm yourself, my friend. Thank you ; I am not cold. — As for me, my feet are very cold. Warm yourself ; there is a good fire. — Do these gentlemen understand each other ? They have much trouble to understand one another. — Do you perspire easily? I do; I am very unfortunate in that respect (sous ce rap- po‘rt), during the months of June, July, and August. — Could you help your cousin do her exercise? I do not know much more than she; however, I am quite (tout) at her disposal (disposition) i I ’ll do my best (de mon mieux). — There is an old man who has ju«t fallen dowui ; I am sure he has hurt himself. TRADESMEN. 251 The Walnut^. Two children found a walnut under a large tree^ near their vil- lage. “It is mine,” said Charles, “because it was I who saw it first.” “No, it belongs to me,” replied Anthony, “for it was who picked it up"*.” Thereupon^ a quarrel arose between them^. “I will bring you to an agreement^,” said a young man who w^as just passing by He placed himself between the two children, broke the walnut and said to them: “One of the shells*^ belongs to him wdio saw the w^alnut first, the other is for the one who picked it up ; as to the kernel, I will keep it in payment for the decision I have given This,” added he, laughing, “is the usual issue of lawsuits ^ la noix ; ^ arbre ; ^ c’est moi ; Tai ramassée ; ^ là-dessus ; ^ une querelle s’engage entre eux ; ^ vous mettre d’accord ; ^ par là ; ‘•^coquilles; pour prix du jugement que j’ai porté; dénoue- ment habituel; procès. A Sloio Poison^. A physician w^as trying to prove before Fontenelle that cofiee w^as^ a slow poison. “Ah! very slow, doctor,” replied the academician; “for I have been taking it eighty years, and I am still living-".” ^ le poison lent ; ^ est ; ^ en vie. NINTH LESSON — Neuvième Leçon. Architect^ architecte. Banker^ banquier. Jeiveller, bijoutier. Butcher, boucher. Hatter, chapelier. Hair-dresser, coiffeur. Shoemaker, cordonnier. Dentist, dentiste. Cabinet-maker, ébéniste. Manufacturer, fabricant. Blacksmith, forgeron. Glover, gantier. Printer, imprimeur. Bookseller, libraire. Stationer, papetier. Bookbinder, relieur. Study and conjugate an impersonal verb. Study and conju- gate a passive verb. 252 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. By — par, de (de for feelings). I am loved hy my mother. J e suis aimé de ma mère. He is punished hy his father. II est puni par son père. Verbs essentially unipersonal take avoir as an auxiliary. Verbs occasionally uni personal take être as an auxiliary. It has syiowed, it froze. II a neigé, il a gelé. A misfortune has happened to me. II m’est arrivé un malheur. To become^ to turn - What has become of Charles P. f I do not knoiu what has become of him. He has turned hair-dresser. His brother has become a physician. What will become of those families f What has become of my gloves f To know some one, To be acquainted with one, To become acquainted with. To get acquainted with. To make the acquaintance of. Are you acquainted with General M.f I became acquainted with him lately. To know how to do a thing. That child knows how {can) to read. I know how to swim. devenir, se faire. Qu’est devenu Charles P. ? Je ne sais pas ce qu’il est devenu. Il s’est fait coiffeur. Son frère s’est fait médecin. Que deviendront ces familles ? Que sont devenus mes gants ? Connaître quelqu’un. Paire connaissance. Connaissez-vous le général M. P J’ai fait sa connaissance der- nièrement. Savoir faire une chose. Cet enfant sait lire. Je sais nager. THE VERB. 253 EXAMPLES. Does it not snow ? No, it is mining and thawing. Do you know my architect f I made his acquaintance last night. What will become of that banker f he is ruined. What has become of those two little girls f They have become young ladies. I am going to the booksellers for a book. Where does your bookbinder live f He lives in the butcher's house. I'll take you to my shoemaker' s, and also to my glover's, if you like. When ? When you like. What has become of our cabinet- maker's son? He has turned hatter. He now knows how to make hats. Ne neige-t-il pas? Non, il pleut et il dégèle. Connaissez-vous mon architecte? J’ai fait sa connaissance hier soir. Que va devenir ce banquier? il est ruiné. Que sont devenues ces deux fillettes ? Elles sont devenues des demoi- selles. Je vais chercher un livre chez le libraire. Où demeure votre relieur? Il demeure dans la maison du boucher. Je vous conduirai chez mon cor- donnier, et chez mon gantier, si vous voulez. Quand ? Quand vous voudrez. Qu’est devenu le fils de notre ébéniste ? Il s’est fait chapelier. Maintenant il sait faire les cha- peaux. CONVERSATION. M. E. n’est-il pas fabricant ? Que sont devenus ses deux fils? Pourriez-vous m’indiquer {tell) un bon papetier? Où pour rais- je trouver de bons gants ? Votre cousin n’est-il pas dentiste ? Notre domestique ne s’est-il pas fait forgeron? Que deviendrez-vous si vous n’étudiez pas? Que deviendront ces hommes s’ils ne travail- lent pas du tout? Pensez-vous qu’il pleuve aujourd’hui? A-t-il gelé la nuit dernière ? Qu’est devenu votre vieil ami J. ? Quand avez-vous fait sa connaissance ? Votre petite fille sait-elle écrire ? Sait-elle lire le français? Connaissez-vous ce bijoutier? Pour- riez-vous m’indiquer un bon relieur? 254 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. 9. I am going to my architect’s; do you wish to accompany me? I should go with pleasure, but I have to be at the printer’s at three o’clock ; so that I can not have the pleasure of going with you. — I need a hat; will you be so kind as to give me the address (adresse) of your hatter? Here it is. — What has be- come of your gray hat? It has fallen into the river (rivière). — Did it not thunder about (vers) midda}^? It thundered for (pendant) half an hour, and it hailed. — What has become of the three Englishmen who were at your, house? They have left for (pour) Nice. — Do you know whether your cabinet- maker has some good arm-chairs to sell? He always has some to sell. — Let us go and see him ; have you time ? Do n’t you see it snows? That will not prevent us from going out; let us take our umbrellas. Have you become acquainted with Mrs. C. ? Yes, and we are to go to her house, my wife and I; (on) they are to (y) dance. — What has become of her son Anthony? He is in England, to learn English. — Has he been there long? About four months. — It is said that it rains very often in England. It is true ; and sometimes it rains very long. — Henry is liked by every body. — Charles has been punished by his professor. — I have several books to be bound (à faire relier) ; will you be kind enough to send for the bookbinder ? Paul, go to the book- binder’s, and tell him to come for Mr. V.’s books. — Does he charge much (est-il cher)? No; and he binds very well. Napoleon and the Prussian Officer^. While Napoleon was only an officer of artillery, a Prussian officer said in his presence, with much self-conceit 2 : “The Prussians never fight ^ but for glory, while the French fight for money.” ‘‘You are right,” answered Bonaparte; “every one fights to acquire what he needs.” ^ officier ; ^ de suffisance ; ^ combattent ; ^ tandis que. An Obliging Offer A man having had a quarrel in a theater with a very proud young nobleman the latter threatened to have his servants SYNTAX OF THE ADJECTIVE. 255 give him twenty blows^. “Sir,” said the first, “I have no servants, but if you will step out"', I will have the honor of giving them to you myself.” ^ offre ; ^ gentilhomme ; ^ coups de bâton ; sortir. Syntax of the Adjective. 1. The Adjective has, of itself, neither gender nor number; but it assumes the gender and number of the noun to which it relates. 2. An adjective relating to two substantives of the same gender agrees with them in gender, and is put in the plural; as: My husband and my son are tall. Mon mari et mon fils sont grands. My wife and my daughter are very Ma femme et ma fille sont très- happy. heureuses. 3. An adjective relating to two or more nouns of different genders is put in the masculine plural ; as : Mary, Caroline, and Charles are Marie, Caroline, et Charles sont fatigued. fatigués. Our house and garden are large. Notre maison et notre jardin sont grands. 4. However, the adjective assumes the gender and number of the last noun only when the nouns are somewhat synonymous; when the writer wishes to qualify only the last ; when the mind is more par- ticularly occupied with the last noun ; when there is a gradation in the words; and usually when the nouns are separated by ou; as: 256 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. She expresses herself with perfect Elle s’exprime avec une grâce grace and politeness. une politesse parfaite. I saw a man or a woman drowned. J’ai vu un homme ou une femme noyée. I desire the public attention and es- Je désire l’attention et l’estime teem. publique. But the plural is used in expressions like the following: Raiu beef or mutton. Du bœuf ou du mouton crus (both are raw). An aged man or woman is On demande un homme ou une wanted. femme âgés (both must be aged, though only one is wanted). 5. The adjective nu, hare^ and also demi, are invariable when placed before the noun ; as : Those children are bareheaded. Ces enfants sont nu-tête. I remained there half an hour. J’y suis resté une demi-heure. But when nu and demi are placed after the noun they are variable, like other adjectives;, as: Those girls luere barefoot. Ces filles étaient pieds nus. It is half-past nine. II est neuf heures et demie. Demi, used substantively, takes s in the plural ; as : That clock strikes the half-hours. Cette pendule sonne les demies. 6. The adjectives supposé, excepté, ci-joint, here an- nexed ; ci-inclus, here inclosed ; franc, jree.^ follow the same rules as nu and demi; as: Herein inclosed two letters from P. The letters here inclosed are from P. We receive all his letters postage free. Ci-inclus deux lettres de P. Les lettres ci-incluses sont de P. { IVous recevons franc de port toutes ses lettres, or. Nous recevons toutes ses lettres franches de port, or. Nous recevons toutes ses lettres affranchies. SYNTAX OF THE ADJECTIVE. 257 The adjective feu, late, when it is immediately fol- lowed by the noun, agrees with it ; as : My late friend., Mrs, D., ivas deaf. Feu mon amie, Madame D., était sourde. My late grandmother. Ma feue grand’mère. 7. Quelque is written in three ways : 1. When it is an adjective, it agrees in number with the noun; as: A few or some children were Quelques enfants furent noyés. drowned, 2. Quelque, meaning however, is invariable ; as : However tall they may he. Quelque grands qu’ils soient. 3. Quelque followed by a verb is written in two words, quel que; quel is an adjective, and agrees with the subject of the verb ; and que, being a conjunction, is invariable ; as : Whatever may he your riches. Quelles que soient vos richesses. Whatever may he his feelings. Quels que soient ses sentiments. 8. Même is an adjective or an adverb. It is an adjective, first: when it precedes the noun, and means same; as: You always make the same mis- Vous faites toujours les mêmes takes, ' fautes. Second: when it follows a noun or pronoun, and has the sense of himself, herself, themselves, even, very, and can not be translated by in the same manner; as: My children themselves know that. Mes enfants eux-mêmes savent cela. These very walls may have eyes, Ces murs mêmes peuvent avoir des yeux. — Racine, D. F. M. 22. 258 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. It is an adverb and is invariable when it modifies a verb, an adjective, a participle. Then it has the sense of also, although, in the same manner, even; as: Men, women, and even children Les hommes, les femmes, et are admitted. même les enfants sont admis. 9. Tout is also an adjective or an adverb. It is an adjective when it means every, all; as: Every month, every week. Tous les mois, toutes les se- maines. AU those men, all those girls. Tous ces hommes, toutes ces filles. It is an adverb when it means entirely, quite, nothing hut ; as : My shoes are quite new. Mes souliers sont tout neufs. My sister ivas quite astonished. Ma sœur fut tout étonnée. For the sake of euphony, tout, though an adverb, is variable before a feminine word beginning with a consonant or an aspirated h; as: My daughter is quite disposed to Ma fille est toute disposée à. leave. partir. 10. The choice of the preposition required after the adjective or verb, must be learned by practice. The adjective is sometimes followed by the same preposi- tion as the corresponding adjective in English ; as : He is full of joy. II est plein de joie. I am satisfied with you. Je suis content, or satisfait, de vous, etc. 11. List of adjectives having a different meaning, according to their position. A dear child. An expensive house. A cruel man. A tiresome man. Last month. The last month. Un cher enfant. Une maison chère. Un homme cruel. Un cruel homme. Le mois dernier. Le dernier mois. NATIONALITIES. 259 A wrong key. A false key. A noble appearance. The air of good society. A loud tone. A haughty tone. An impolite man. A dishonest man. An agreeable man. A ridiculous man. My clean hands. My own hands. A child clone. A single child. A sorrowful man. A pitiful man. Une clef fausse. Une fausse clef. L’air grand. Le grand air. Le ton haut. Le haut ton. Un homme malhonnête. Un malhonnête homme. Un homme plaisant. Un plaisant homme. Mes mains propres. Mes propres mains. Un enfant seul. Un seul enfant. Un homme triste. Un triste homme. TENTH LESSON — Dixième Leçon. Austria, l’Autriche. Belgium, la Belgique. Denmark, le Danemark. Scotland, l’Ecosse. Holland, la Hollande. Italy, l’Italie. Russia, la Russie. Switzerland, la Suisse. An Austrian, un Autrichien. How far? How long f how late f How long? Hoiü soon? How often? As far as. Till, until. A return ticket. To sit up. A Belgian, un Belge. A Dane, un Danois. A Scotchman, un Ecossais. A Dutchman, un Hollandais. An Italian, un Italien. A Russian, un Russe. A Swiss, un Suisse. A Pole, un Polonais. A Spaniard, un Espagnol. Quelle distance? Jusqu’où. Jusqu’à quand? Jusqu’à quelle Combien de temps ? [heure ? Dans combien de temps ? Combien de fois ? Jusqu’à, aussi loin que. Jusqu’à, jusqu’à ce que (bef. vb.) Un billet d’aller et retour. Veiller. 260 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. How late did you sit up last night ? We sat up till midnight. Hoiu long did you remain in Italy f We remained there three months. How far shall ‘you go in autumn f Perhaps 1 shall go as far as Russia. How often have you been to V. f Do you always take a return ticket f Jusqu’à quelle heure avez- vous veillé hier soir? N ous avons veillé jusqu’à minuit. Combien de temps êtes-vous resté en Italie ? Nous y sommes restés trois mois. Jusqu’où irez- vous en automne? J’irai peut-être jusqu’en Russie. Combien de fois avez- vous été à V.? Prenez- vous toujours un billet d’aller et retour? The indefinite English article a, an is not used in French in the following and similar expressions : Are you an Irishman? No, I am a Russian. That gentleman is a poet. Tartufe, a comedy of Molière. What a fine dress ! What a pity ! How difficult a lesson! What a rogue of a man! Etes-vous Irlandais? Non, je suis Russe. Ce monsieur est poète. Tartufe, comédie de Molière. Quelle belle robe! Quel dommage ! Quelle leçon difficile ! Quel coquin d’homme ! Si, SO ; aussi, as; trop, too ; tel, such; demi, half, are placed before the adjectives; and un, when expressed, is placed before si, aussi, trop, tel, demi ; as : So tall a hoy. Un si grand garçon. He is as good a boy as liis brother. He does not like too small a room. Such a woman. Come in half an hour. II est aussi bon garçon que son frère. Il n’aime pas une trop petite chambre. Une telle femme. Venez dans une demi-heure. PREPOSITIONS, 261 examples". Have you already visited Belgium f I traveled in Belgium, Holland, and Prussia two years ago. My son is traveling in Italy with his uncle. Yesterday I saw some Swiss ladies at Mrs. iV.’s. What language do they speak in Switzerland f They speak French and German, Are you not a Dutchman f No, I am a Dane. How far have your friends gone f They have gone as far as Saint Denis, When will they come hack? They ivill come hack for dinner. Are you a Protestant f No, I am a Catholic. That Belgian is a hanker. This Italian is a musician. He is such a good musician. Avez- vous déjà visité la Bel- gique ? J’ai voyagé en Belgique, en Hol- lande, et en Prusse il y a deux ans. Mon fils voyage en Italie avec son oncle. Hier j’ai vu des Suissesses chez Madame N. Quelle langue parle-t-on en Suisse ? On parle le français et l’alle- mand. N’êtes-vous pas Hollandais ? Hon, je suis Danois. Jusqu’où vos amis sont-ils allés? Ils sont allés jusqu’à Saint Denis. Quand reviendront-ils ? Ils reviendront pour le dîner. Etes-vous protestant ? Non, je suis catholique. Ce Belge est banquier. Cet Italien est musicien. C’est un si bon musicien. CONVERSATION. Jusqu’à quelle heure avez-vous joué hier soir? Avez- vous gagné? Combien M. T. a-t-il perdu? Combien y a-t-il que vous avez votre cheval? Combien de fois avez- vous voyagé en Italie ? Dans combien de temps dînerons-nous ? Connaissez- vous aussi bien l’Angleterre que la Prusse? N’êtes-vous pas Ecossais? Cet Autrichien n’est-il pas fabricant? Allez-vous à Versailles? Avez vous pris un billet d’aller et retour? Combien avez- vous payé? Vous devez être médecin, n’est-ce pas? Aimez-vous mieux l’Italie que l’Autriche? 262 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. " 10 . My brother and I shall soon leave for Russia; we intend to travel two months every (par) year. — Do you know how to speak Russian? No; the Russians speak our language; theirs is too difficult; I never could learn it. — How soon shall you leave? Within a fortnight. — Do you know any one in Russia? We do not; we shall try to make the acquaintance of some French families who know the country (le pays). — A cousin of Mrs. B. is a merchant at Saint Petersburg (-bourg) ; he could give you a letter to his cousin. — I should be much obliged to you to speak to him about it (en). I will do so to-morrow evening ; I am to go and see her to-morrow. Is not Mrs. B.’s son-in-law a physician? Yes; he is one of the best physicians in town. — Is not that shoemaker a Bel- gian? He is a Belgian or a Dane. — Is he a Catholic? I think he is (que oui). — How late did you sit up yesterday at Mr. P.’s? We did not sit up late ; we came back home at half-past eleven. — Was it cold last night? Yes, and it was beginning to snow. — Were there many people? There were some Englishmen and a Prussian. — Did they dance? No, they talked (parlé) the whole evening. — Did you ever see so wicked a man? — You have given me too fine a necktie. — What a handsome child! — What a pity that he is so naughty a child! — He is unworthy of the affection you have for him. — No, he is better than they think ; I assure you he is full of good will, and is far from being in- sensible to my reproaches. The Three Questions of Frederick the Great, That king used^, whenever" a fresh soldier appeared in his guards, to ask him three questions: 1st. How old are you? 2d. How long have you been in my service? 3d. Do you re- ceive your pay^ and clothing^ as you like^? A young Frenchman wished to enter the company of guards. His figure caused him to be accepted immediately, but he did not understand German. His captain informed^' him that the king would ask him questions as soon as he should see him, and recommended him to learn by heart, in that language, the three answers he would have to make. He soon knew them, and the day after, Frederick came to him to interrogate him ; but he began by the second question, and asked him: PHASES OF NATURE. 263 ‘‘How long have you been in my service?^’ “Twenty-one years,” replied the soldier. The king, struck" by his youth, asked him, with a surprised air, “How old are you?” “One year,” replied the soldier. Frederick, still more astonished, exclaimed, “ You or I must be mad"^.” The soldier, who took those words for the third question, replied, “Both.” “That,” said Frederick, “is the first time that I have been called^ a madman at the head of my army.” ^ avait coutume ; " toutes les fois ; ^ paye, solde ; habillement ; comme vous le désirez ; le prévint ; " frappé ; ^ avons perdu l’esprit ; ^ qu’on me traite de fou. ELEVENTH LESSON — Onzième Leçon. The rainbow^ l’arc-en-ciel. m. A foÇj un brouillard. The smoke, la fumée. To smoke, fumer. To go out, s’éteindre. The ice, la glace. The atmosphere, l’atmosphère. /. The blaze, the flame, la flamme. Weather. Fine weather. Moonlight. Sunrise. Sunset. . To kindle, to light, allumer. To put out, to extinguish, éteindre, Frost, la gelée. Light, la lumière. A cloud, un nuage, la nue. A storm, un orage. In the shade, à l’ombre. The wind, le vent. Temps. Beau temps. Clair de lune. Lever du soleil. Coucher du soleil. In speaking of the weather, to he is rendered in French by the verb faire. What kind of weather is it f It is fine loeather. It is bad weather. It is foggy. It is windy. It is moonlight. Quel temps fait-il? II fait beau temps. II fait mauvais temps. II fait du brouillard. Il fait du vent. Il fait clair de lune. 264 DUFFET^S FRENCH METHOD, A friend of mine. A cousin of yours. A relation of hers. To go away. To he mistaken, to make a mistake. To deceive, to cheat. Mr. H has gone away. I think he is mistaken. I think he deceives me. DonH you make a mistake f To return, to come hack. To return, to go hack. EXAM See, ivhat a fine rainbow ! It is often foggy in London. Henry, kindle my fire. It is not out. There is smoke in your room. I think we shall have a storm. How the wind blows! To-morrow it will he fine weather. Will Mr. G. soon go away? Yes, hut he will come hack within a fortnight. Are you not mistaken f A friend of his has told me so. He has deceived you; for Mr. G. does not intend, to come hack. Is he going back to his country? He said he ivould. That merchant cheats his customers. I shall probably go away to-mor- row. Un de mes amis. Un de vos cousins- Un de ses parents. S’en aller. Se tromper. Tromper. M. H. s’en est allé. Je pense qu’il se trompe. Je pense qu’il me trompe. Ife vous trompez-vous pas P Kevenir. Ketourner. P L E S . Voyez, quel bel arc-en-ciel! Il fait souvent du brouillard à Londres. Henri, allumez mon feu. Il n’est pas éteint. Il y a de la fumée dans votre chambre. Je pense que nous aurons de l’orage. Comme le vent souffle ! Demain il fera beau temps. M. G. s’en ira-t-il bientôt ? Oui, mais il reviendra dans une quinzaine de jours. Ne vous trompez-vous pas? Un de ses amis me l’a dit. Il vous a trompé, car M. G. n’a pas l’intention de revenir. Ketourne-t-il dans son pays ? Il a dit que oui. Ce marchand trompe ses pra- tiques. Je m’en irai probablement de- main. THE VERB. 265 CONVERSATION. Quel temps a-t-il fait bier? N’a-t-il pas fait beaucoup de vent? Aimez-vous le clair de lune? Avez-vous vu le lever du soleil ce matin? Pourquoi n’allez- vous pas à l’ombre de cet arbre ? Voulez- vous fumer un cigare ? Pourquoi avez-vous éteint votre cigare ? N’aimez-vous pas à fumer? Combien votre père fume-t-il de cigares par jour? Quand cet homme s’en ira-t-il? Ne trompe- t-il pas votre oncle? Ne fait-il pas plus froid aujourd’hui qu’hier? La glace est-elle assez épaisse (thick) pour patiner? Savez-vous patiner? Y a-t-il de la lumière au salon? Y a-t-il souvent du brouillard à Paris? 11 . It is very windy ; I think it will rain. I rather think we shall have a storm. It is not warm enough. — Shall you soon return to your grand-parents? I intend to do so next week, if it is fine weather. — How far is it from here to R. ? It is about thirty kilometres. — It must be farther; I think you are mistaken, for it takes (il faut) two hours and a quarter to go there by railroad. I don’t think it is more than thirty-five kilometres; you know they stop (s’arrête) at all the stations. — How many times have you been to M. ? I have been there more than twenty times; the last time, I went there with a cousin of mine. Is it moonlight? Not at all; it begins to rain. — I am not astonished at it; the weather was not fine this evening; the sunset has not been seen. — Is it colder in France than in Switzer- land in winter? It is colder in Switzerland than in France. — Do you think it will thunder to-morrow? Why do you ask me that? To say something. — Will our children soon go back to the college? They are to return to it on the 15th of next month. — My brother will come in half an hour. — You have too large a hat. — Is not this boy inclined to avarice ? He profits by (des) the examples he daily (tous les jours) sees. I can assure you that his mother is very generous toward (envers) the unfortunate. The Busy Servants. A man who had little money and still less intellect \ was suddenly enriched by an unexpected inheritance^. He had 266 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, heard it said that .a gentleman^ ought to have at least two servants. As he could afford it^, he immediately took two, who were very, happy in a place in which they were paid for doing nothing. One day the master cries at the door of his room, ‘‘Are you there, Anthony ?'’ “Yes, sir; here I am.” “What are you doing?” “Nothing, sir.” “And you, Henry; are you there?” “Yes, sir.” “What are you doing?” “Sir, I am helping Anthony.” “When you have done'’, come and give me my boots.” ^ d’esprit; ^héritage ; ^ un homme comme il faut; ^ ses moyens le lui permettaient ; ^ fini. The Two Figs. A servant was ordered ' by his master to take ^ to a friend of his two nice figs, with a letter. The servant ate one of the figs on the way^; but^ the friend, being informed^ by the letter that he ought to receive two figs^’, claimed the other. “I ate it,” replied the bearer. “How did you do it, rascal” ?” de- manded the friend. The servant took the remaining fig and swallowed it^. “See^” said he; “that’s the way I did.” ^ fut chargé; ^ de porter; ^ en chemin; en sorte que ; ^instruit; ^ il devait y en avoir deux ; ” maraud ; ® l’avala ; ^ tenez. Syntax of the Pronoun. The syntax of the pronoun has partly been given. A pronoun used as the subject of a verb generally pre- cedes it. Exceptions. — 1st. In interrogative sentences; as, vais-je? aimons-nous? etc. 2d. In affirmative or negative sentences beginning with an REPETITION OE THE PRONOUNS. 267 moins, à peine, encore, peut-être, en vain, aussi, du moins, combien, que de fois, à plus forte raison, etc. ; as : At least, he lent it to me. I had scarcely left when she came. Perhaps we shall leave New York. With still greater reason, I will not go. Au moins, me Ta-t-il prêté. A peine étais-je parti qu’elle vint. Peut-être quitterons-nous I^’ew York. A plus forte raison, n’irai-je pas. This rule is not imperative, and the construction may be, for instance : r Peut-être sortirons-nous. Perhaps we shall go out. -] Peut-être que nous sortirons. tIQ'ous sortirons peut-être. 3d. In some sentences beginning with a subjunctive, or con- ditional without being preceded by a conjunction; as: May we succeed. Even should I he ruined. Were he ten times stronger. May I see that happy day. If I could hut see him without tremhling. Puissions-nous réussir. Dussé-je être ruiné. Pût-il dix fois plus fort. Puissé-je voir cet heureux jour. Pourrais-je le voir sans trem- bler. 4th. As also in the following and similar sentences: Soldiers! cried he, forty centuries look down upon you! Yes, said she, I will relieve him. You misunderstood me, I said; such was not my intention. Soldats ! dit-il, quarante siècles vous contemplent ! Oui, dit-elle, je le soulagerai. Vous m’avez mal compris, dis- je ; telle n’était pas mon intention. Repetition of the Pronouns. 1. A personal pronoun used as the subject is repeated before every verb. 268 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. 1st. When the verbs are of different tenses; as: I say y and will always say. Je dis, et je dirai toujours, etc. 2d. If we pass from a negative to an affirmative proposition; as : You have not a gun, and you Vous n’avez pas de fusil, et vous luill go a-hunting. voulez aller à la chasse. You are not thirsty y and you wish Vous n’avez pas soif, et vous to drink. voulez boire. In the other cases, the pronoun may be repeated or not, as taste may direct. 2. Pronouns in the objective case must always be re- peated before every verb, except in compound tenses when the auxiliary is understood; as: I can speak, read, and write it. Je puis le parler, le lire, et l’écrire. We esteem and love them. Nous les estimons et les aimons. We have esteemed and loved them. Nous les avons estimés et aimés. Le, la, les. When the pronoun le refers to a noun, it agrees with that noun in gender and number ; as : Is that your house? Yes, it is. Are those your brothers? Yes, they are. Are you her aunt? I am not. Est-ce là votre maison? Oui, ce l’est (for la est). Sont-ce là vos frères? Oui, ce les sont. Etes-vous sa tante ? Je ne la suis pas. But le meaning cela is invariable when it represents an adjective, or a noun taken adjectively; i. e.^ when it means SYNTAX OF THE PRONOUN. 269 Are you good friends f YeSy ice are. (so.) Are you a French ladyf I am. (so, it.) What do you call twelve men of good will? We are all so. Etes-vous bons amis? Oui, nous le sommes. Etes-vous Française ? Je le suis. Qu’appelez-vous douze hommes de bonne volonté ? Nous le sommes tous. Tel, telle, tels, telles — such. Tel is an adjective or a pronoun ; as : Such a man, such a woman. Un tel homme, une telle femme. Mr. such a one, Mrs. such a one. Monsieur un tel. Madame une telle. Chaque, chacun. The adjective chaque, every, each, always requires a noun after it; as: Every country has its habits. Chaque pays a ses habitudes. Each volume costs three francs. Chaque volume coûte trois francs. The pronoun chacun, every one, each one, must not be confounded with chaque. Those volumes cost three francs Ces volumes coûtent trois francs each. chacun. Give them ten francs each. Donnez-leur dix francs chacun. Chacun takes son, sa, ses when it follows the object of the verb; as: They have given their opinion, each Us ont donné leur avis, chacun one according to his views. selon ses vues. They sang their songs, each one in Us chantèrent leurs chansons, his turn. chacun à son tour. 270 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. It requires leur, leurs when it is placed between the verb and its objective case; as: Each language has its difficulties. Les langues ont chacune leurs difficultés. Those children have each of them Ces enfants ont chacun leur their mother. mère. Qui que ce soit, qui que ce fût, whoever^ any one. Whoever has done that is a clever Qui que ce soit qui ait fait cela, man. c’est un habile homme. He has forbidden me to mention II m’a défendu d’en parler à qui it to any one. que ce fût. Quoi que ce soit, quoi que ce fût, whatever. Whatever he does, he is distrusted. Quoi que ce soit qu’il fasse, on se défie de lui. We have done nothing ivhatever. Nous n’avons fait quoi que ce fût. Quiconque, whoever; quelconque, any, lohatsoever. Whoever will not he here, shall he punished. Any good reason being given. I'll listen to it. Quiconque ne sera pas ici, sera puni. Une bonne raison quelconque étant donnée, je l’écouterai. Autrui (sing.), others. Do for others as for yourself. Faites pour autrui comme pour vous-même. Le prochain, our neighbors, felloiv-creatures. GEOGRAPHICAL TERMS. 271 TWELFTH LESSON — Douzième Leçon. Northern, septentrional, e. Eastern, oriental, e. Southern, méridional, e. Western, occidental, e. The north, le nord, le septentrion. The east. Test, l’orient, m. The south, le sud, le midi. The west, l’ouest, l’occident, m. A valley, une vallée. A continent, un continent. A mountain, une montagne. A dale, un vallon. A hill, une colline. An island, une île. A wilderness, un désert.-^ The sea, la mer. To take place, avoir lieu. When is the ceremony to take place f It is to take place on Saturday. It will not take place. Had better, to be best You had better speak to him. He had better sell it to you. You had better come. You had better have accepted. He had better have come and seen you. Quand la cérémonie doit-elle avoir lieu? Elle doit avoir lieu samedi. Elle n’aura pas lieu. to, faire mieux de. Vous ferez mieux de lui parler. Il fera mieux de vous le vendre. Vous ferez mieux de venir. Vous auriez mieux fait d’ac- cepter. Il aurait mieux fait de venir vous voir. To hear from, recevoir des nouvelles de. Do you hear from Mr. H. f Recevez-vous des nouvelles de M. H.? I heard from him yesterday. J’en ai reçu des nouvelles hier. To call on, to pay a visit, faire une visite, passer chez. Have you paid a visit to Mrs. M. f Avez-vous fait une visite à Madame M. ? I called on her on Tuesday. Je suis passé chez elle mardi. 272 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. To long to, for, tarder (unipersonal de). I long to see my country again. II me tarde de revoir mon pays. I long for dinner; I am hungry. Il me tarde de dîner ; j’ai faim. To he long^ tarder à. It will not he long before I go and Je ne tarderai pas à aller vous see you. voir. My mother will not he long coining. Ma mère ne tardera pas à venir. EXAMPLES. Europe is hounded on the north by the Frozen Ocean; on the south, by the Mediterranean Sea, which separates it from Africa; on the east, by Asia; on the west, by the Atlantic Ocean. I long to visit the mountains of Switzerland. You had better not travel. We have just heard from Paul. He will not be long in coming back. Are there any mountains in your country f No, there are but few hills. Have you already seen the sea? Yes, for I have been to Algiers twice. Were you seasick? I was very sick for ten hours. I pity you with all my heart. L’Europe est bornée au nord par l’océan Glacial ; au sud, par la mer Méditerranée, qui la sépare de l’Afrique ; à l’est, par l’Asie ; à l’ouest, par l’océan Atlantique. Il me tarde de visiter les mon- tagnes de la Suisse. Vous ferez mieux de ne pas voy- ager. Nous venons de recevoir de.i nouvelles de Paul. Il ne tardera pas à revenir. Y a-t-il des montagnes dans votre pays? Non, il n’y a que quelques col- lines. Avez-vous déjà vu la mer? Oui, car j’ai été deux fois à Alger. Avez-vous eu le mal de mer? J’ai été très-malade pendant dix heures. Je vous plains de tout mon cœur- GEOGRAPHICAL TERMS, 273 CONVERSATION. Connaissez-vous le midi de la France? Avez-vous beaucoup voyagé en Europe? Aimez-vous votre île? Ne fait-il pas bien froid au nord de l’Ecosse en hiver? Y a-t-il longtemps que vous n’avez reçu des nouvelles de votre frère? Quand la fête doit-elle avoir lieu? Vous tarde-t-il de déjeuner? Vous tarde- t-il de recevoir une montre d’or? Faites-vous souvent des visites? Recevez- vous souvent des visites? N’est-ce pas que cette vallée est bien belle? Votre chambre est-elle au midi? Avez-vous jamais vu le coucher du soleil sur mer? Y a-t-il longtemps que vous n’avez reçu des nouvelles de chez vous? Ne vous tarde-t-il pas de retourner dans votre pays natal? 12 . France is bounded on the south by the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea; on the east, by the Alps and Switzerland; on the north, by Belgium and the English Channel (la Manche) ; and on the west, by the Atlantic Ocean. — Are there islands in the Channel? There are four; these are the islands of Wight, Alderney, Guernsey, and Jersey. — The Frozen Ocean is on the north of Europe; the Atlantic Ocean, on the west; and the Mediterranean Sea, on the south. Is your uncle to come back soon from his long voyage? We do not know yet Avhen he will come back. — Do you hear from him often? His last letter was written in the month of Sep- tember ; he says he is not far from the desert of S. — How long has he been traveling? (There are) more than five months; for he set out on the 25th of May. — He had better come back before winter. My father wrote to him a few days ago. — Do you long to see him? Yes, because I love him very much. — How old is he ? He is four years younger than my father. — Does he not speak several languages? He speaks four or five languages. — Your neighbor has paid too long a visit. — What a bad knife you have given me. — What a pretty little girl. — You have too large a house. — You have as fine a watch as I. — Paul, Charles, Arthur, and I go to the concert in the (des) Champs-Elysées. — Her uncle, aunt, and cousins have come to take her (la prendre pour la conduire) to Mrs. Y.’s ball. 274 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD, The Disappointed Spaniard^. Everybody knows that the Spaniards have the custom of taking a great many names. That mania ^ became fatal ^ to a traveler. All that he had was a poor horse h Traveling all-''" night in the rain, he found, by chance^’, an inn’, at the door of which he knocked®. ‘^Who is there?” asked the inn-keeper “It is,” j)roudly^^ answered the Spaniard, “Don Sanche-Alfonso-Ramire- Juan-Pedro-Carlos-Francisco de Boxas de Stuniga de Fuentes.” The inn-keeper answered that he had not beds for so many people, and refused to open the door. The poor traveler swore never again to recite^" all his names with so much pomp ; but for that time he was obliged to go more than two leagues farther to find a lodging for all his people. ^ Espagnol ; ^ manie ; ^ funeste ; ^ il n’avait qu’un mauvais cheval pour tout équipage ; ^ de ; ^ hasard ; ^ auberge ; ® frappa ; ® aubergiste ; fièrement ; jura ; décliner ; lieues. THIRTEENTH LESSON — Treizième Leçon. Furniture, le mobilier, m. To furnish, meubler. The staircase, l’escalier, m. A story, un étage. [campagne. A country house, une maison de A piece of furniture, un meuble. A library, une bibliothèque. A go^rret, une mansarde. To have made, to get made. To have built, to get built. To have mended, to get mended. A grating, a railing, une grille. The IV all, le mur, la muraille. A pass-key, un passe-partout. The roof, le toit. The front, la façade. The ceiling, le plafond. The floor, le plancher. A tile, une tuile. Paire faire. Paire bâtir. Paire raccommoder. In ail these and similar expressions, the verb following faire, in simple as well as in compound tenses, is in the infinitive. I am getting a pair of black pan- Je fais faire un pantalon noir. taloons made. My father will have a house built. Mon père fera bâtir une maison. USE OF FAIRE. 275 Have you got my coat mended f Avez-vous fait raccommoder mon habit? When have you had your hair cut? Quand vous êtes- vous fait couper les cheveux ? To steal something from some one. To rob some one of something. I have been robbed of ten f rancs and some linen. Who has stolen your sister's ring f The chambermaid is suspected. That servant has stolen a hundred francs from his master. y Voler quelque chose à quelqu’un. On m’a volé dix francs et du linge. Qui a volé la bague de votre sœur ? On soupçonne la femme de chambre. Ce domestique a volé cent francs à son maître. To be better. To be worth while. To be worth. So much the better. So much the worse. Valoir mieux. Valoir la peine. Etre riche de. Tant mieux. Tant pis. EXAMPLES. How much may this house be worth f It may be worth twenty thousand francs. Is it worth while to get these coats mended f Noj you had better get new ones made. What pieces of furniture have you asked me for f I asked you for two arm-chairs and a desk. Is it better to live on the first than on the second floor f It is better to live on the first floor. Combien cette maison peut-elle valoir ? Elle peut valoir vingt mille francs. Vaut-il la peine de faire raccom- moder ces habits ? Non, vous ferez mieux d’en faire faire de neufs. Quels meubles m’avez-vous de- mandés ? Je vous ai demandé deux fau- teuils et un bureau. Vaut-il mieux habiter le premier étage que le deuxième ? Il vaut mieux habiter le premier. 276 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. I should like very much to have a library. Mr. G. has been robbed of several books. I like the front of your house. Will you have a railing made around the garden f The roof is slated. How much is Mr. F. ivortlif He may be ivorth a million and a half. They say you are happy ; so much the better. She is ill; so much the worse. J e voudrais bien avoir une bibli- othèque. On a volé plusieurs livres à M. G. J’aime la façade de votre maison. Ferez-vous faire une grille autour du jardin? Le toit est couvert d’ardoises. De combien M. F, est-il riche ? Il peut être riche d’un million et demi. On dit que vous êtes heureux; tant mieux. Elle est malade ; tant pis. CONVERSATION. N’avez-vous pas acheté une maison de campagne? Est-elle loin de Paris? L’avez-vous déjà meublée? Est-ce une grande maison? Combien y a-t-il d’étages? Y a-t-il un grand jardin? Y a-t-il un parc ? Combien l’avez- vous payée? N’avez-vous pas l^eur des voleurs? Les plafonds sont-il propres? Les murailles sont-elles épaisses? Quand comptez-vous aller à la campagne? Combien faut-il de temps pour aller à votre maison de campagne? Vaut-il mieux traduire du français en anglais que de l’anglais en français? Vaut-il la peine de traduire cette anecdote en fran- çais ? Quand votre oncle fera-t-il bâtir une maison ? Où la fera- t-il bâtir? 13. I nrust buy some furniture to furnish my country house. AVhen will you go and live in it (l’habiter) ? We think of going (partir) next month. — Will you stay there long ? We shall stay there during summer and part of autumn. — Have you a library there? You know very well that I can’t do without (me passer de) my books. — Is there a large park? The park is not large, but very pretty; there are beautiful trees. — Do you know any of your neighbors? No, I do not know any one ; but I hope I shall make some acquaintances. — I have been told that Mr. de C. does not live far from there ; but you had better not visit him, because USE OF FAIRE. 277 he would soon be asking you for some money. He borrows every- Avhere ; he is always moneyless. I do not know him, and don’t wish to become acquainted with him. I must get some coats made for (à) my boy; do you know a good tailor for children ? My wife knows one. — I have been told that you have been robbed ; is it true ? One of my servants has robbed me of twenty francs, and I do n’t know which. It is very disagree- able. — Is it better to learn German than English ? It is better for you to learn English, since you are to make several journeys in England on business. — How much is Mr. N. worth ? He may be worth from four to five hundred thousand francs. — Is it worth while to put on another coat to pay- a visit to Mrs. G. ? I think you will do well to put on your frock-coat. — Have you found your gloves? Yes, they were in the pocket of my coat. He who Has Drunk^ Will Drink. An honest workman^ of X. frequented too assiduously one of the inns of K. street. The stops ^ he made became longer and longer and more disorderly h His friends reproached him on the matter The friend of the bottle felt the justice of the remonstrance, and promised to amendé; he eyen took a solemn oath® to do so^. Next day he passed before the inn without en- tering it as he usually did^^. Nevertheless, he felt himself at- tracted toward it, but he overcame the temptation. When clear of the towm, a friend Avho had followed him heard him speaking to himself as follows : ‘‘I am satisfied with myself ; I have been firm ; I have kept my w^ord not to drink any more. This is worth a bottle, and I am going to that wine merchant’s to drink it.” And he entered, well satisfied with himself. ^ brave ouvrier ; ^ pauses ; ^ de plus en plus longues ; ^ désordon- nées; ^ en firent des reproches; ^justesse; "de se corriger; ® ser- ment solennel ; ^ en ; selon son habitude ; surmonta ; s’adres- sant à lui-même ; ce petit discours ; ferme. 278 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, Syntax of the Verb. 1. The verb agrees in number and person with its nominative^ or subject, whether that subject precedes or follows ; as : They run too fast. Ils courent trop vite. The women and children came Vinrent ensuite les femmes et afterward. les enfants. 2. A verb is put in the more singular subjects; as My father and mother are out. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, are vain words. plural when it has two or Mon père et ma mère sont sortis. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, sont de vains mots. 3. When the subjects are of different persons, the verb is put in the plural, and agrees with the person having the priority : the first rather than the second, and the second rather than the third ; as : Henry and I will go to Europe. Henri et moi nous irons en Eu- rope. You and your sister are late. Vous et votre sœur êtes, or vous êtes, en retard. Peter, you and I are friends. Pierre, vous et moi sommes, or nous sommes, amis. The Subjunctive Mode. The Subjunctive mode is so called because it always depends upon another verb, to which it is united by a conjunction; or, rather, upon a proposition expressing THE SUBJUNCTIVE MODE, 279 douht^ wish, fear, command, necessity, indecision, supposition, surprise, etc. ; in one word, all that which is not positive. Rule I. — The subjunctive is used after impersonal verbs, and others expressing doubt, wish, etc. I must go out this afternoon. I wish that you would w’rite to me once a fortnight when you are in England. It is useful for him to know how to swim. It is important for us to know the history of our country. We must obey (obéir à) our parents. You must begin studying mathematics. It is necessary for them to study geography ; they want it for their examinations (exam- ens, m.). I wish you w^ould come with me to Neuilly. It is sad that you should suffer (souffrir) so frequently. You must consult a good physician. The servant must go to the butcher’s (boucher) to get some veal for our breakfast. I doubt whether you wdll be able to go away to-night. My father wishes me to learn German. It is necessary that you should be at your banker’s before three o’clock. He desires that I should speak to Mr. F. I wish you to speak to your teacher (maître). I consent to your going to pay a visit to our old friend Mr. V. We doubt if you get off to-morrow week; it will be difficult for you to be ready before a fortnight. I am astonished that you do not know that. I require (exige) you to pay me what you owe me. I wish you to read that book and give it to your sister, who wishes to read it as soon as possible. I wish you to tell the joiner (menuisier) to come and speak to me. I am astonished that he has not come yet. It is necessary that they send the parcel immediately, in order that it may arrive in time. I desire that he should write. It is important that he should ivrite. I intend that he shall write. It is necessary for him to write. It will be necessary for us to leave. II faudra ■) It will he best that we should leave, II sera utile / I que nous partions. I. 280 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. Rule II. — The subjunctive is used after most inter- rogative and negative propositions, unless we have a positive fact to express. Do you believe— think ^ suspect, im- agine — that there are robbers here ? I will never believe — I do not sup- pose — that there can be any. Croyez-vous — pensez-vous, soup- çonnez-vous, vous imaginez- vous — qu’il y ait des voleurs ici ? Je ne croirai jamais — je ne sup- pose pas — qu’il puisse y en avoir. But with a positive fact, the indicative mode is used : Does that man believe there is a Cet homme croit-il qu’il y a uu Godf Dieu? He does not believe that there is a II ne croit pas qu’il y a un Dieu. God, II. Do you think he is right? I don’t think he is wrong. — Do you think he knows arithmetic? I do not think he knows it well. — Are you sure (sûr) that Mr. G. teaches geometry? Does he not believe that we should confess (avouer) our faults (torts) ? You do not wish that they should play unceasingly (sans cesse). Do you believe I have consoled that man ? Can any one imagine that he has spent such a sum in so short a time? I can not conceive of their having invented such a tale. Is it possible that those, young men should not have paid their expenses of last year? Do you wish me to speak to your landlord (propriétaire) ? Do you doubt that your father is at home? Do you wish me to do my exercises now? I shall not require you to do them now, but you must do them to-day. Are you not astonished that we know that ? I am not aston- ished at your knowing anything, you are so inquisitive. — Does not your wife wish you to buy a garden? She wishes me to buy not only a garden, but a house also. — Does he wish me to stay with him? He prefers that you should take a bath, because it is very fine weather. — Is it necessary for me to finish my work ? It is necessary for you to finish it before twelve. — THE SUBJUNCTIVE MODE. 281 Must I go to church? I wish you could go wdth your little sister. — Do not forget that he is your father, and you must respect his name and person. — Do you not know that Mrs. 8. is my sister, and that I can not do that? Eule III. — The following compound conjunctions require the subjunctive after them : Afin que, in order that. A moins que (ne), unless. Au cas que, in case that. Avant que, before. Bien que, though. De crainte que. | De peur que, ) En cas que, in case that. Encore que, although. Loin que, far from. Malgré que, notwithstanding. Afin que vous sachiez. En cas que vous restiez ici. A moins que vous ne lui écriviez. Pour que, in order that. Pourvu que, jjrovided. Non pas que, not that. Pour peu que, however Utile. Quoique, though. Sans que, icithout. Si tant est que, if it is true that. Soit que, luhether. Jusqu’à ce que, till. Non que, not that. De ce que requires the indicative. In order that you may know. In case you remain here. Unless you write to her. Note. — The negative ne is used after the following without implying negation : à moins que, de peur que, de crainte que ; and after the verbs craindre, avoir peur, trembler, appréhender, empêcher. Still, after craindre, avoir peur, trembler, we use pas after ne wdien w^e wdsh for the accomplishment of the action expressed by the second verb, w^hich is in the subjunctive. J’ai peur que Madame S. ne vienne pas (J wish her to come). J’ai peur que Madame S, ne vienne {I do not ivish her to come). Je crains qu’il n’écrive pas [I wish him to write). Je crains qu’il n’écrive (7 don't wish him to write). * III. Send for your cousin Julia, unless you prefer going to see her yourself. In case you do not go out, please translate this letter into French. Though you know" French very w ell, you ought D. F. M. 24. 282 DÜFFET^S FRENCH METHOD. to take some more lessons. In case you are not able to set off this evening, be ready for to-morrow morning, unless you prefer to wait till evening. Stay there till your aunt comes ; she wishes to take a walk with you. Although we are not rich, we are happy; there are so many who, though they are rich, are less happy than we are. Come before I go out ; that is to say, before five o’clock. I must be at the Champs-Elysées by (à) half-past five, and you know it is far from here. I advise (conseille) you to write to that man, for fear he may come to disturb (déranger) you. Write this lesson, unless you learn it by heart. I fear my friend Peter will not come, and I am afraid Charles will come. However little that child studies, he will soon be the first of his class. You must learn French, in order that you may be able to read French literature (littérature), and speak it enough to be understood when you go to France. Whether you (;ome or stay, I will go, unless I am taken (tombe) ill. Take that ring, for fear it should be stolen. Provided you are satisfied, I am. Notwithstanding his poverty, he is happier than his wealthy neighbor. I am sorry you came so late (de ce que). I am sorry you came so late (que). I will give my son what I promised him, provided you are satisfied with him. Rule IV. — Use the subjunctive after the following expressions : Quel que, quoi que, whatever. Quelque, quelque . .,. que, si . . . que, however. Qui que, qui que ce soit, whoever. Whatever may he your opinion. Whatever may be his feelings. Whatever you may say. However rich you may he. However tall he may he. Whoever says so is in the wrong. Quelle que soit votre opinion. Quels que soient ses sentiments. Quoi que vous disiez. Quelque riche que vous soyez. Si grand qu’il soit. Qui que ce soit qui le dise a tort. Tout . . . que, though, requires the indicative ; as : Though you are learned, you may Tout savant que vous êtes, vous he mistaken. pouvez vous tromper. THE SUBJUNCTIVE MODE. 283 Rule V. — The subjunctive generally comes after il n’y a, il n’y a pas, il n’y a que, il n’est, il n’est pas, il n’est que, followed by a noun or a pronoun. There is nobody who knows that. There are none who know that. There are but few There are few I ivho know that. II n’y a personne qui sache cela. Il n’y a pas d’hommes qui sachent cela. Il n’en est guère \ qui sachent Il en est peu / cela. IV. However good translators (traducteurs) you may be, you will not be able to understand this passage. However well written those works (ouvrages) may be, they are scarcely ever read. Whatever your intentions may be, you will be accused by your numerous enemies. Whoever comes, say I can not receive any one. Whoever that man may be, I do not wish to be his neighbor. However kind she may be, my mother is better. Whatever you may do to prevent your brother from gambling (de jouer), I am afraid you will not succeed in it. Whatever your opinion may be, I think you will be obliged to change your mind. There are but few children in this village who know how to read and write. There is only one boy here who understands English. That traveler says that there is only one Paris in the world {indicative). That Indian does not believe that there is a God. Is there any one who can wTite as fast as j^ou? How is it possible for you to learn so many foreign (étrangère) lan- guages? I do not think there is any one in that old house. There is not one workman who could live in such a dirty house. There is only one man who can do that. Whoever you may be, I will not act differently. Whatever you may think of that undertaking (entreprise, /.), I maintain (maintiens) my opinion. Unless he comes before Sunday, it will be useless for him to come. Whatever your studies may have been, I think you would better learn what you do not know. Rule VI. — Unless we intend to affirm the thing pos- itively, the subjunctive is used after relative pronouns, 284 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. when they are preceded by a superlative or by an equiv- alent; as, le seul, the only one; Tunique, the sole; le premier, le dernier, etc. ; as : That is the finest house I know. You are the last who came. It is, perhaps, the. only hook I can lend you. Do you know the last who came? He lent me the only hoek he had. Voilà la plus belle maison que je connaisse. Vous êtes le dernier qui soit venu. C’est peut-être le seul livre que je puisse vous prêter. Connaissez-vous le dernier qui est venu? Il m’a prêté le seul livre qu’il avait. Sometimes not only the junctive is understood, but that verb is not expressed, exclamations; as: May heaven! Would to God! Whatsoever may happen! France for ever ! verb which requires the sub- even the que which precedes This takes place in certain Fasse le ciel ! Plût à Dieu ! Advienne que pourra! Vive la France ! The subjunctive must be used in some particular expressions ; as : Who goes there? He has taken nothing, so far as I know. We said nothing had, to my knowl- edge. Qui vive ? Il n’a rien pris, que je sache. Nous n’avons rien dit de mal, que je sache. V. You are the first who has consulted me. He is the first man who died in this house. I think you are the last who came. There is the highest monument I have ever seen. Would to God you had (eussiez) succeeded according to your wishes! It is the only good pen I can give you. Charles is, perhaps, the THE SUBJUNCTIVE MODE, 285 only pupil (élève) who can understand geometry. I gave him the only dollar I had. That dog is the most faithful I know. Your daughter is the most accomplished young lady I know. Madam, your sons are the best children I ever saw. The greatest praise I can give you, young ladies, is to wish (de souhaiter) that my daughter may resemble you. I will send you the best wine I can find. That gentleman is the first foreigner (étranger) I ever heard speaking French without a foreign accent. My parents are the only Parisians who visited that place (cet endroit). Those per- sons took nothing, so far as I know. You are the only person who is able to understand me^ Take the largest jug (cruche,/.) you can find. May heaven grant them as good children as they merit. All the soldiers exclaim, France for ever! The only edition I know is that of Tours, 1785. There is no news, to my knowledge. Your son said nothing, so far as I know. Are those Englishmen the first travelers who ascended that mountain ? I am sure they are the first persons w^ho ascended it. Is it the highest mountain you have seen? I think it is the highest. The Concord of the Tenses in the Subjunctive,, with reference to the Verb in the first Proposition of the Sentence. Two Important Rules. — I. After the présent de rindieatif and the futur, come the present or the pré- térit of the subjunctive. You must come immediately. You luill be obliged to come to- morrow. It is sufficient for you to have neglected nothing. It will be sufficient for you to be back before Sunday. II. After the imparfait, passé défini, passé indéfini, plus-que-parfait, passé antérieur, and conditionnels, corne the imparfait or the plus-que-parfait of the sub- junctive. Il faut que vous veniez tout de suite. Il faudra que vous veniez de- main. Il suffit que vous n’ayez rien négligé. Il suffira que vous soyez de retour avant dimanche. 286 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. It was necessary that you should II fallait que vous vinssiez. It has been necessary, etc. [come, II fallut, etc. It had been necessary, etc. II a fallu, etc. It would be necessary, etc. II avait fallu, etc. It would have been necessary, etc. II eut fallu, etc. Il faudrait, etc. Il aurait fallu, etc. EXAMPLES. J do not believe that he will suc- ceed. It ivill be necessary for you to buy it. What will you have me to say? Is it not a pity that your son has torn his coat? Is it certain that you have lost your purse ? Do you think he has sold his house? Where would it be necessary for me to go ? What would you have me do? What did you wish me to say ? I wished^ you to ivrite to me. You ought to have come earlier. Je ne crois pas qu’il réussisse* Il faudra que vous l’achetiez. Que voulez- vous que je dise? N’est-ce pas dommage que votre fils ait déchiré son habit ? Est-il certain que vous ayez perdu votre porte-monnaie ? Pensez-vous qu’il ait vendu sa maison ? Où faudrait-il que j’allasse? Que voudriez- vous que je fisse? Que vouliez- vous que je disse? Je désirais que vous m’écrivis- siez. Il aurait fallu que vous fussiez venu plus tôt. Eemarks. — 1. Sometimes, though the first verb is in the present or future, the second is in the imperfect or pluperfect of the subjunctive ; this takes place when the second verb de- pends on a conditional expression ^vhich is itself in the imper- fect or pluperfect of the indicative ; as : J doubt w'hether you woidd do that J e doute que vous fissiez cela if I told you to do it. si je vous disais de le faire. I doubt ivhether he ivould have Je doute qu’il eût réussi, si . . . succeeded, if ,, , THE SUBJUNCTIVE MODE. 287 2. Sometimes, also, though the first verb is in one of the past tenses, the second is in the present or preterit of the subjunc- tive — 1st. When we speak of a thing which is true at the moment we are speaking; as: It was the will of God that we Dieu a voulu que nous soyons should he mortal. mortels. 2d. When we wish to express a future after afin que, bien que, de crainte que, etc. ; as : You have been so careless, that I Vous avez été trop insouciant can not believe you capable pour que je vous croie of doing much. capable de grand’ chose. VI. General M. wishes his troops to defend the town to the last (jusqu’à l’extrémité). I do not wish them to pity me ( se plain- dre). Is it possible that you can not read that? It was neces- sary for him to write every week. Was it possible that I could understand a language I never heard spoken before ? We should be sorry to have (que) you wait for us so long. That child plays with a knife, although I forbid him dail}^ (tous les jours) to do it. Some years ago I used to get up late, though I had much to do; I confess I was lazy. What would you have us learn? I should like to have you learn foreign languages. It is necessary for me to have my breakfast early. It was necessary for me to be in my office before nine o’clock. It w^ould be necessary for me to come earlier in the morning. Was it necessary for your brother to come as early as you ? It was not necessary for him to come so early. Is it sufficient for you to take three lessons a week? No, sir; I must take one every day. Though I have a good memory, it takes (il me faut) me long to learn these lessons. I feared that my friend would not arrive in time. She feared that we might lose our way. I doubt whether he could have entered, had I not been there to speak to the manager. I do not think you will be able to re- member all these new expressions. It would have been neces- sary that you should come first. 288 DUFFET^S FRENCH METHOD, It will be necessary for your servant not to buy of that merchant, because he deceives his customers. Is it possible that I should not have convinced you? It is astonishing that he has grown rich so soon. I do not believe that she has fled (enfuie). Do you suppose that we have left our country willingly? It will never be believed that you have deceived yourself (abusé) to such a degree. They wished him to rejoice. It would have been necessary for you to have defended yourself more valiantly. I would have written to my father to ask him for money, had you not lent me six hundred francs. He doubts our coming. You are sorry that he has gone. Do you think he is ill? Although you are well now, you may be ill to-morrow. I do not believe that he is gone. This is the best dictionary we have. I was afraid you were ill. Do you believe that my brother has received your letter? Behave in such a manner that you may deserve the esteem of good men. Whatever your duties may be, you are obliged to perform them. May he enjoy many years of happiness in his old age! Long live liberty! I must prepare my lessons with greater care. May you be happy! The Participle. There are two Participles, the present and the past. The Present Participle ends in ant, and is always invariable. It must not be confounded with the verbal adjective ending in ant, which is variable, and expresses a state. The Present Participle generally has an objective case; the verbal adjective has none, and may be placed before the noun. Present Participles. Children obeying their parents. A mother loving her daughter. Children caressing their mother. A rain fertilizing the soil. Words offending decency. Des enfants obéissant à leurs parents. Une mère aimant sa fille. Des enfants caressant leur mère. Une pluie fécondant le sol. Des paroles offensant la pudeur. THE PARTICIPLE. 289 Verbal Adjectives. ^ They have obedient children. I have a loving mother. We have caressing children. Ils ont des enfants obéissants. J’ai une mère aimante. Nous avons des enfants cares- sants. It is a fertilizing rain. Those are offensive words. C’est une pluie fécondante. Ce sont des paroles offensantes. The following verbal adjectives end in ent, instead of ant: adhérent, affluent, coïncident, différent, divergent, équivalent, excellent, expédient, négligent, précédent, président, résident, violent. Even savages living in the desert have some knowledge of a Supreme Being, to whom reverence and submission are due. Your aunt is very obliging. That young lady, by obliging her friends, has merited their esteem. It is a convincing proof of the surprising effects of the loadstone (aimant, m.). The ruling passion of Cæsar was ambition. Those ladies, obliging every body, are venerated by the whole town. Society is composed of men living together under the same laws. Living birds are taken without difficulty. Those men, foreseeing the danger, took precautions. Persons loving every body, generally love nobody. That interesting news reached us yesterday. Loving natures have more enjoyment than others. Floating masts and ropes were seen on the sea. Ladies trembling lest they (de) displease their husbands. Those young ladies are quite charming. It is a crying injustice. This book is full of amusing details. There are details amusing the reader. Children climbing the trees. Those are climbing birds. Those young men are interesting, obliging, engaging, charming. There are three principal rules for the past participle. Rule I. — Employed icithout an auxiliary., the past participle is a qualifier which takes the gender and number of the noun which it qualifies. D. F. M. 25. I. 290 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, Except attendu, considering; excepté, except; ouï, heard; sup- posé, supposing; vu, considering; non compris, not including; y compris, including^ etc., which are invariable when they are placed before the nouns, because they take the place of prepo- sitions; as, attendu for en considération de, etc. A work completed, A house finished. Works finished. Houses finished. Considering' your propositions. Supposing your adhesion. My house excepted. Un ouvrage achevé. Une maison achevée. Des ouvrages achevés. Des maisons achevées. Attendu vos propositions. Supposé votre adhésion. Ma maison exceptée. I. In his insolent eyes I see iny loss written. The inhabitants were trembling to see their town pillaged, their houses dev- astated by the victorious army. Children well brought up will behave well. I have seen plants unknown to botanists. My sons came home fatigued, their pantaloons torn to pieces. Those ladies, known to the governor, succeeded in visiting the prisoners arrested a few weeks ago. Abandoned by her friends, Mrs. A. is very much distressed (désolée), and almost ruined on account of her past generosity; what will become of her? AVe see palaces destroyed, houses burnt, families ruined, workmen unoccupied. Those are (voilà) w^ell bound books. The conclu- sion of the barrister having been heard. Supposing your reasons to be true, we declared ourselves satisfied. Your two friends excepted, we all agreed to undertake that work. A nation pro- tected by good laws well observed, is the model of nations. Alms given without ostentation acquire a new merit. Rule II. — The past participle conjugated with être, or any other verb but avoir, is a true adjective, and agrees with the subject in gender and number. That nominative or subject is sometimes before, sometimes after the verb; as: THE PARTICIPLE. 291 Noble souls gain by being known. Blessed be those charitable ladies. Mr. and Mrs. B. are going to Rouen. The letters are all written. Your lesson is not known. My slate is broken. My'' buttons are lost. She appeared afflicted. Les âmes nobles gagnent à être connues. Bénies soient ces dames cha- ritables. M. et Mme. B. sont partis pour, or, sont allés à Kouen. Les lettres sont toutes écrites. Votre leçon n’est pas sue. Mon ardoise est cassée. Mes boutons sont perdus. Elle paraissait affligée. IL Innocence and virtue are often oppressed. That woman died regretted by every body. Those trees fell, blown down by the wind. It is easier to say new things than to reconcile (concilier) those which have been said. The men who seem to be born for misfortune, ought to be prepared for any disgrace. Fidelity is always suspected when it is bought. My sisters are very sorry for having lost your friendship. — Have your sons gone to school ? They have gone to pay a visit to their grandnipther. — Ladies, have you been out to-day ? No, sir ; we were too busy. Have your children been out this afternoon? It rained, so that they staid at home. — When did Mr. and INIrs. C. leave Paris? They left last week. — Where did you go after breakfast? We went to the Jardin des Plantes. — Madam, when did you arrive in Europe? I arrived five months ago. — Did you stay long in England? I staid a fortnight in London, and came to Paris immediately after. — My father and mother came to see me, on Sunday last, in my school. Rule III. — The past participle of an active verb, conjugated with avoir, is variable, if it is preceded by the direct object of the verb; then it agrees in gender and number with that object. An adjective can not be an accusative. Invariable — 1st. If there is no direct object; 2d. If the direct object is after the participle. 292 BUFFET'S F BENCH METHOD. Note. — T his third rale is the cipal one. The letters I have written. 1 have sent them to the post-office. Here are the books she gave me. She sent them to me yesterday. I have luritten my two letters. She has ivritten nothing. most important and the prin- Les lettres que j’ai écrites. J e les ai envoyées à la poste. Voici les livres qu’elle m’a don- nés. Elle me les a envoyés hier. J’ai écrit mes deux lettres. Elle n’a rien écrit. III. Where did you meet Mr. and Mrs. F. yesterday? I met them at the banker’s. — Did you invite them to come and see us? I did; and they promised to come on Saturday evening. — The strongest habits are those we have formed in our childhood. Truth dictated my words. They founded a colony. Your sister has studied the French language. The house you bought lately is very old. The books you bought the day before yesterday are very cheap. The fortune my father left is sufficient for us all. They who have instructed us, have sacred rights to our thank- fulness. What were you speaking of, gentlemen, when I inter- rupted you? We were speaking of the ladies we saw yesterday at Mrs. E.’s. God created us, and grants us new benefits every day. Did you sing those beautiful songs at Mrs. R.’s? AVe sang them several times. S!ie has two daughters ; both have left the country and have gone to America. Did you know all the members of that family? I knew them all; three of them are dead. Did you prepare your lesson yesterday? I prepared it in the evening, and wrote two exercises. How many things you have done! The two young ladies you saw at Mrs. B.’s are from Bordeaux. These lessons need to be studied carefully, and I see you have not learned them well. I have not corrected (corriger) the exercises, because they were not legible (lisibles). She has received the letter you wrote to her. My little brother wrote us a letter from his boarding-school ; we received it on Monday last ; it was very well written. AVhat lesson did I give you last week? I presented the letter to her; she read it; it was the same letter which you had returned (renvoyer) to me. THE PARTICIPLE. 293 Eemarks on the Past Participle. I. Participle followed by an Infinitive. — The past parti- ciple of an active verb, preceded by a pronoun in the accusative, and followed by an infinitive with or with- out a preposition before it, is variable^ if the preceding prono^un is the direct object of the principal verb; as: The ladies I heard singing. Les dames que j‘ai entendues chanter (entendues elles chanter). The children I saw jAaying. Les enfants que j’ai vus jouer (vus eux jouant). The participle is invariable^ if the preceding pronoun is the object of the infinitive; as: The robbers I saw condemned. Les voleurs que j’ai vu con- damner (condamner euxj. The children I saw punished. Les enfants que j’ai vu punir (punir eux par quelqu’un). Note. — The participle fait, done, made, is always invariable before an infinitive ; as : I have had them mended. Je les ai fait raccommoder. IV. The barristers I heard pleading compromised their cause. Circumstances prevented us from succeeding. Study the lessons I gave you to learn. He has left the way (la route) he had re- solved to follow. The great orators I heard speaking convinced me; I adopt the opinions I heard them support (émettreb Your sister, whom I saw writing yesterday, was in a hurry to finish her letters. Tlie two ladies we saw^ painting in the Louvre, are Americans. The lad}^ I saw painted ]>y Horace Vernet, was an English lady; she is very Avell painted. The stories I heard told Avere very interesting. The plays (les pièces, /.) I have seen played, were loudly applauded. The actors I heard praised, Avere extremely flattered. The actors I have seen playing, are the best actors I knoAV. 294 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. You heard them blaming me at first, and then applauding me. The children we heard singing are the pupils of the best music master I ever heard of. The lesson I began to give was interrupted by the arrival of the inspector. I saw them fly before the enemy. I saw them killed by the enemies. The three houses I had built are to be sold. The clothes I had made last year are almost worn out. The children I have seen drawing are Mrs. F.’s sons. She let them fall down. I let them go out. I heard them praised. The resolution which you have taken to go into the country, will permit me to transcribe the history you have given me to translate from English into French. The measures which they had advised me to take were full of diffi- culties. The rule which you had begun to explain seems to be clear. II. Past Participle of Reflective Verbs. — In reflective verbs, the auxiliary être always takes the place of avoir; as, je me suis habillé, for j’ai habillé moi-même, etc.; the participle of these verbs follows the third rule. 1. If the verb is essentially reflective, the participle agrees always with the second pronoun, which is the direct object of the verb; as: They laughed at your threats. Ils se sont moqués de vos me- naces {themselves). They (/.) did not remember your Elies ne se sont pas souvenues promises. de vos promesses (elles- mêmes). 2. If the verb is accidentally reflective, the participle is vari- able, and follows the third rule, when the reflective is derived from an active verb; and invariable, if the verb by itself is a neuter verb ; as, se plaire, se rire, se parler, se succéder, se nuire, se ressembler, etc. What hard ivords they said to each other. They said hard words to each other. They were pleased ivith each other. Quelles dures paroles ils se sont dites (object, paroles, /.). Ils se sont dit de dures paroles (object after, third rule). Ils se sont plu (a neuter verb). THE PARTICIPLE, 295 They spoke to each other this morn- ing. They (/.) applied to me. She gave herself much trouble. Ils se sont parlé ce matin (a neu- ter verb). Elies se sont adressées à moi (se for elles-mêmes). Elle s’est donné beaucoup de peine (object after). Essentially reflective verbs : s’emparer, s’abstenir, se moquer, se souvenir, etc. V. The letters they sent to each other were very friendly (amicales). K. and W. addressed letters to one another. She recollected all the good deeds she had done. They repented of their laziness. We remembered all the good services you rendered to us when we were in distress. Those gentlemen spoke to one another ami- cably for some time, and then they grew angry, and finished by giving each other blows with the fists (des coups de poing). Some days ago, Mr. E. and Mrs. P. met at Mrs. N.’s, and promised one another to be always good ’ friends. The English troops have taken possession (s’emparer) of several towns. That woman had thrown lierself into the river. Those two children have given each other the hand. Our good parents have flattered themselves that they will have well-trained children (bien élevés) ; and I fear they will not succeed in it. We took a walk with friends. Has your eldest sister been well since Sunday last? She has taken a walk every day with me. Did your children amuse themselves at the concert? The inhabitants of that village found themselves surrounded with water. They (/.) did not sit down; they were in a hurry to go back. Did you go away together ? We went away one after the other. Mrs. B. went aw^ay at seven o’clock in the evening. Were not Mrs. B. and Mr. C. mistaken? They were mistaken, it is true, but }mu ought not to have laughed at them. Did we laugh at them? You did not perceive that they went away angry? We did not. Your brothers did not shave this morning. They did, because they had to go to a wedding. At what o’clock did they rise? They rose early; at about half-past six. Those women have given themselves up (s’abandonner, laisser aller) to despair. 296 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, My brothers have not made sufficient haste (se dépêcher, se hâter). Those soldiers have rendered themselves formidable. Those women have quarreled with one another, and would have fought if we had not hastened to separate them. Have those workmen washed their hands? How many popes have succeeded to the papal throne! Your sister, his, and mine met at Mrs. F.’s; they spoke to each other of the way of getting out of that scrape. What lessons we should have lost, if Cicero (Cicéron) and Fénelon had not given themselves up (se livrer) to study! III. — 1. The past participle of an impersonal verb is always invariable ; as : Great misfortunes have happened. II est arrivé de grands malheurs. The snow we have had this winter. La neige qu’il y a eu cet hiver. 2. The participle preceded and followed by que is invariable ; as : The persons I thought you kneiu. Les personnes que j’ai cru que vous connaissiez. 3. The participle is invariable when it has for an object r representing a proposition ; as : The news is better than we had be- La nouvelle est meilleure que lieved. nous ne l’avions cru (qu’elle était). 4. The participle preceded by le peu de is variable, when le peu is taken in a positive sense, and means a little quantity., amount ; as : He robbed me of the feiu francs I II m’a volé le peu de francs que had ivon. j’avais gagnés. The participle is invariable, when le peu is taken in a negative sense, and means the ivant ; as: The little security I felt, discouraged Le peu de sécurité que je sentais, me. m’a découragé. THE PARTICIPLE. 297 When variable, the participle agrees with the direct object which precedes it; when invariable, the participle agrees with ie peu, which is masculine singular. 5. The participle preceded by an adverb of quantity agrees wi^th the noun following the adverb; as: Was there ever so much beauty Jamais tant de beauté fut-elle crowned f couronnée ? 6. The participle preceded by en is variable only when en is preceded by a direct object of the verb ; as : We got out of it. Nous nous en sommes tirés. They boasted of it. Ils s’en sont vantés. You received some. Vous en avez reçu (de cela, inv.). 7. The participle preceded by en and an adverb of quantity is variable, when en refers to a preceding plural noun, and represents distinct objects — objects which can be added the one to the other; as: The more Englishmen I have known, Des Anglais, plus j’en ai connus, the more I have appreciated plus j’en ai appréciés. them. The participle is invariable, when en represents a part of a whole whose elements can not be counted; as: You made more progress than I Vous avez fait plus de progrès did myself. que je n’en ai fait moi-même. VI. The excessive heat which we have had (y avoir) this summer, has caused many diseases. A crowd of armed men have assem- bled. The scarcity (la disette) we had (y avoir) last year caused many deaths. The rains which we have had, injured the pro- ductions of the earth. The provisions which we were obliged (falloir) to buy before the siege, were very useful to us. The 298 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. precautions which it has been necessary to take, not to be com- promised, have obliged many persons to leave the town. The repairs necessary to be made on our house, have cost nearly as much as to build a new one. The frost we had (y avoir) last winter was not sufficient to destroy insects. Mathematics, which you have not desired me to study, are, how^ever, very useful. The reasons for which I had thought that w^ould be approved, seemed to be better than they were in reality (en effet). The men you had thought I should see, are not those you believed you knew. The thing was more serious than we had thought. The Eussian army fought better than we had believed. The house of Mr. G. is such as I had supposed, but his farm is quite dif- ferent (tout autre) from wdiat I had imagined. The assembly was less indulgent than I had hoped. The little meat you gave me w^as sufficient for me. The little meat you have given to my brother will not be sufficient for him, for he has a good appetite. I have been robbed of the few pens I bought in Paris. The little patience that servant has shown, will oblige me to send him away (renvoyer). The few pupils I have had wdll decide me to devote myself to teaching ; they were so attentive. The few plums I have eaten for my dessert hurt me. The little progress I have made will be of a great service to me. The few' friends we have invited during our prosperity, are not numerous enough to assist us now. The few troops he has assembled (rassembler), have fought valiantly (vaillamment). I w'as grieved (contrarié) at the little confidence he had placed in my friendship. The loss of the battle was attributed to the little ability the general had shown. How many errors have been (on a) marked out (signalées) in the works they w'ere (on les a) charged to make. Was ever more grandeur manifested in a man, or more kindness (s’est- elle) showm in a w'oman? The many misfortunes that w'e have experienced (éprouver), will show us how to be wise. As many virtues as she has practised, so many reasons of confidence has she in God’s goodness. So many men were killed that the battle-field w'as covered with dead soldiers. I know those books very little, but the praise (la louange) you gave them will decide me to buy them. I never saw America, but the letters I have received from there have given GAMES, 299 me an idea of the country. I do not trust (se fier) those men, and I have been confirmed in the suspicions I had conceived of them. Glory has killed many men; the tongue has killed many more. The Bible was not translated into the language of the people (vulgaire) ; or, at least, the translations which had been made of it were unknown. Telemachus has found some imitators, but the Caractères of La Bruyere have produced more. The less she has desired glory, the more she has obtained. He has gathered more fruits this year than he collected last year. They have shown in this new work much less care than in the first works which they performed some time ago. The more gratitude you owed him, the less you showed him. I have seen many carried too far (pousser à bout) on that matter. As many different liquors as we have offered him, so many has he drunk. As many enemies as we have seen, so many have we killed. FOURTEENTH LESSON — Quatorzième Leçon. Cards, les cartes,/. A game at cards, une partie de cartes. A pack of cards, un jeu de cartes. A suit, une couleur. A heart, un cœur. A diamond, un carreau. A club, un trèfle. A spade, un pique. Note. — For the use of ce, XVIII. Tlmj are my sisters. My sisters are coming. Who is that lady? She is my aunt. Draughts, checkers, les dames, /. The dice, les dés. m. Chess, les échecs, m. To play at cards, jouer aux cartes. To deal, donner les cartes. Piquet, le piquet. Whist, le whist. A hand, un jeu (bon, mauvais). A trump, atout, m. see Part I., Lessons XVII and Ce sont mes sœurs. Ce sont mes sœurs qui viennent. Qui est cette dame ? C’est ma tante. 300 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. It is 1 who have ployed. It is he, it is she, who has played. It is we, it is you, who have played. It is they who have played. To spend one's time at something. In what manner do you spend your time in the evening f We spend our time in reading or talking. To have left. Have you any gold left f I have a thousand francs left. When I have paid the tailor for my coats, I shall have nothing left. To be far from. To be nearly. I am far from being as tall as you. I was nearly drowned. C’est moi qui ai joué. C'est lui, c’est elle, qui a joué. C’est nous qui avons, c’est vous qui avez joué. Ce sont eux, elles qui ont joué. Passer son temps à quelque chose. A quoi passez-vous le (or votre) temps le soir? Nous passons le (or notre) temps à lire ou à parler (or causer). Rester, de reste. Vous reste-t-il de l’or? or, Avez- vous de l’or de reste? Il me reste mille francs. Quand j’aurai payé mes habits au tailleur, il ne me restera rien. S’en falloir de. Faillir. Il s’en faut de beaucoup que je sois aussi grand que vous. J’ai failli me noyer. EXAMPLES. Do you know how to play at cards f I can play ivhist. Who was your partner yesterday? Mrs. S. It tuas we who ivon. How does Mr. P. spend his time f He spends his time in playing chess. Savez-vous jouer aux cartes? Je sais jouer au whist. Qui est-ce qui était votre partner hier ? C’était Madame S. C’est nous qui avons gagné. A quoi M. P. passe-t-il son temps? Il passe son temps à jouer aux échecs. WE OF CE. 301 Does he play as well as his cousin f He is far from playing as well. Has Mr. B. anything left? He has about ten thousand francs left. Who are those children f They are our neighbor's children. It was they who were crying just now. Have you got a pack of cards f I have ; do you wish to play piquet f I should prefer to play écarté. Joue-t-il aussi bien que son cou- sin ? Il s’en faut de beaucoup qu’il joue aussi bien. Reste-t-il quelque chose à M. R. ? Il lui reste une dixaine de mille francs. Qui sont ces enfants ? Ce sont les enfants de notre voisin. Ce sont eux qui criaient tout à l’heure. Avez-vous un jeu de cartes ? Oui; voulez-vous jouer au piquet? J’aimerais mieux jouer à l’écarté. CONVERSATION. Jouez-vous quelquefois aux échecs? Savez- vous jouer aux dames? Voulez-vous faire une partie {play a game) de cartes? Comment appelez-vous club et spade en français? Combien de cartes y a-t-il dans un jeu? Qui est-ce qui a gagné hier soir? A quoi cette demoiselle passe-t-elle son temps? Est-ce vous qui venez de donner? Vous reste-t-il plus d’argent qu’à moi? Combien pensez-vous qu’il me restera quand j’aurai payé mes deux chapeaux au chapelier? Avez-vous souvent de bons jeux quand vous jouez aux cartes? Qui a écrit cette page, vous ou votre sœur? S’en faut-il de beaucoup que vous ayez fini votre leçon ? 14. It is your sister who sings so well, isn’t it? No, it is my cousin. — Has she been taking lessons long from Mr. Dupré? Two months; she only takes a lesson a week. — How much does she pay by the (par) lesson? Twenty francs. — How shall you spend your time this evening? I don’t know yet what I shall do; perhaps I shall pay a visit to my godmother. — Is it worth while to have my old boots mended ? They are too much worn out (usées); get a new pair made. — Have we much more wine left? Not much; it is time to buy some. — How many 302 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. bottles do you drink a day? We drink three or four bottles a day. — How much do you pay a (la) bottle ? Seventy centimes. — Do they (on) drink much wine in your country (pays)? They (y) drink more beer than wine. — Are there any peaches left in the dining-room? There were two left; why do you ask me that? Because I should like to have one. — There are no more. So much the worse. — You are very fond of peaches, are you not? Is there anything better in the world? — Go to my grandmother’s garden ; there are plenty, and I am sure she will be very glad to give you some. — Do you know how to play piquet? Not very well; I prefer whist, because I am accustomed to play it. — As for me, I never play at cards; I scarcely know the names of the cards. — Can you play chess? No, it is too difficult a game lor me. — How do you spend your time ? I talk or read. An Answer Better than the Question^. Mgr. Affre, archbishop^ of Paris, was traveling in a stage- coach in whicîh he was not known, for he was dressed like a simple priest^. A commercial traveler •'’, who was^^ among the passengers, asked the archbishop, Could you tell the difference between an ass and a bishop"? You are a scholar you ought to know that perfectly well.” ‘‘I assure you,” said the archbishop, ^Hhat I can not answer you.” “Well, Monsieur l’abbé, the difference between an ass and a bishop is, that the bishop wears his cross ^ on his breast’^, and the ass wears his on his back^h” All the passengers began laughing, and Mgr. Affre laughed with them. But the archbishop, to have his revenge ad- dressed^^ the young man thus: “And you, sir, can you tell us the difference between an ass and a commercial traveler?” “The difference between an ass and a commercial traveler!” repeated the young man; “I don’t see any.” “Nor I either; on the contrary, they have great resemblance^'*.” Everybody laughed heartily, except the commercial traveler. * demande ; ^ archevêque ; ^ diligence, /. ; ^ prêtre ; ^ commis- voyageur ; ^ se trouvait ; ^ évêque ; ^ vous qui avez étudié ; ^ croix ; poitrine ; ** dos ; sa revanche ; s’adressa au ; ressemblance. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 303 FIFTEENTH LESSON — Quinzième Leçon, A clarinet, une clarinette. A horn, un cor, un cornet. A flageolet, un flageolet. A flute, une flûte. A guitar, une guitare. * A harp, une harpe. An organ, un orgue. A piano-forte, un piano. A drum, un tambour. A drummer, un tambour. A kettledrum, une timbale. A trumpet, une trompette. A violin, un violon. A violoncello, un violoncelle. A bovj, un archet. A key-board, un clavier. To play {on). Jouer de. Bo you play the violin f I can not play any instrument. Jouez-vous du violon? Je ne sais jouer d’aucun instru- ment. My sister is going to play on the piano. Listen ; P. is playing on the flute. Ma sœur va jouer du piano. Ecoutez; P. joue de la flûte. To get rid of. / Se débarrasser de. t Se défaire de. To part with. To discharge, to shake off. 1 Se défaire de. I have at last got rid of my horse. Je me suis enfln défait de mon cheval. Have you been able to get rid of that man? Mrs. B. has parted with her cook. Avez-vous pu vous débarrasser de cet homme ? Madame B. s’est défait de sa cuisinière. Shake off your laziness. Défaites-vous de votre paresse. To change one^s mind. To put on another coat. Changer d’avis. Changer d’habit. I have changed my mind. Put on another hat to go out. J’ai changé d’avis. Changez de chapeau pour sortir. 304 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD, To take off, to take away. Oter, enlever, desservir (the table). Why do you take off your boots? Pourquoi ôtez-vous vos bottes? Becàuse they hurt me. Parce qu’elles me font mal. Take away the glasses and plates. Otez les verres et les assiettes. To exchange for. Changer contre. I should like to exchange my watch J e voudrais changer, or échanger, for yours, ma montre contre la vôtre. EXAMPLES. What instrument does Mr. F. play? He plays the flute and flageolet. Is there an organ in your church ? There is a large one and a small one. Do play {on) the piano ; you play so well. I will play the piano, if you will play the harp. Have you got rid of your horn? Yes, I have exchanged it for a better one. We are going to pay a visit; put on another coat. I can't take off my shoes. Who has taken away my books from my library? Your sisters. You often change your mind, don't you ? Do you think so ? I not only believe it, but I am sure of it. You will make me blush. You don't blush for so little. De quel instrument M. P. joue- t-il? II joue de la flûte et du flageolet. Y a-t-il un orgue dans votre église ? Il y en a un grand et un petit. Jouez donc du piano ; vous jouez si bien. Je jouerai du piano, si vous voulez jouer de la harpe. Vous êtes- vous défait de votre cor? Oui, je l’ai changé contre un meilleur. Nous allons faire une visite; changez d’habit. Je ne peux pas ôter mes souliers. Qui a ôté mes livres de ma bibliothèque ? Ce sont vos sœurs. Vous changez souvent d’avis, n’est-ce pas? Croyez-vous ? Non seulement je le crois, mais j’en suis sûr. Vous allez me faire rougir. Vous ne rougissez pas pour si peu. MUSICAL CONVERSATION. 305 CONVERSATION. Etes-vous musicien ? De quel instrument jouez-vous? Aimez- vous à jouer du violoncelle? Pourriez-vous me prêter un archet? Jouez-vous de la harpe? Mademoiselle L. joue-t-elle bien du piano? Auriez-vous la bonté de jouer du piano? Combien y a-t-il que votre fils apprend le violon? Lequel de ces deux organistes joue le mieux? Qui joue de la harpe? Pourquoi n’ôtez-vous pas votre pardessus {overcoat) f Ne changez-vous pas de gants ? Pourquoi ne vous débarrassiez-vous pas de cet homme ennuyeux {tiresome) hier soir? Voulez-vous changer votre porte- plume contre le mien? 15 . This evening we are to have a concert: my sister will play the piano; my cousin will play the harp; Mr. I., the violin 5 and I shall play the violoncello. Will there be many people at your concert? Only a few friends; and I very much regret that you can not come yourself. I am very sorry for it; I should have been so happy to hear you play. — Your cousin plays the harp well, does she not? She plays admirably. — Do you know the organist of Saint S.? No. — He is a good musi- cian; he will give piano lessons to my sister. — How much does he charge (prend-il) a lesson? Ten francs (il prend). Charles, put on another co^t; we are going to pay a visit to Colonel R. At what time shall we go out? As soon as you are ready. I ask you for ten minutes. Must I put on my over- coat? I think you would better put it on, because it is not warm to-day. — Why do you taka off your gloves ? Because my hands are too warm. — Has your neighbor been able to get rid of his white horse? Yes; he has exchanged it for a fine young horse. — Do you know who has taken away my dictionary from the table? It is your wife. — Do you know where she put it? I think she lent it to Miss M. ; do you want it? I shall want it by and by. Cold and Hungry. Mr. de B. one day introduced^ a relative^ of his to Cardinal Mazarin,- assuring^ him that he had' only two words to say to him. “I consent,” said the Cardinal; ‘‘but two words, and no D. F. M. 26. 306 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. more^.” Mr. de B. invited his relative to enter, but he warned^ him to say but two words. “I shall not say more than that,’^ answered the officer, on approaching the Cardinal. It was winter-time. He said to him, “ Cold, hungry.” The Cardinal replied, “Fire, bread,” and at once obtained an allowance^ for him. ^ présenta ; ^ parents ; ^ promettant ; ^ davantage ; Tavertit ; ^ pension. A Truth When Cromwell made his entrance in London, his attention was called to the crowds 2 of people who ran up ^ from all sides ^ to see him. “There would be as many,” said he, “if I was being taken to the scaffold‘d’.” ^ vérité ; ^ foule ; ^ accourait ; parts ; ^ échafaud. The Adverb. Place of the Adverb. 1. In French, the adverb is generally placed after the verb in simple tenses, and between the auxiliary and the participle in compound tenses; as: You never sing. Vous ne chantez jamais. You never sang. Vous n’avez jamais chanté. I always go to his house. Je vais toujours chez lui. 1 have always been in his house. J’ai toujours été chez lui. 2. Adverbs in ment may be placed before or after the participle in compound tenses; but if they are modified by other words, they are placed after the participle ; as : He is strongly suspected. II est fortement soupçonné, or, Il est soupçonné fortement. Fortunately i I finished in time. J^ai fini heureusement à temps. THE ADVERB, 307 3. Aujourd’hui, demain, hier, après-demain, après- midi, etc., may be placed before or after the verb, but never between the auxiliary and participle ; as : It is fine weather to-day. II fait beau temps aujourd’hui; Aujourd’hui il fait beau temps. It was fine weather yesterday. Il a fait beau temps hier, or, Hier il a fait beau temps. 4. Mieux, better^ immediately follows the verb ; as : I like John better than Charles. J’aime mieux Jean que Charles. I like France better than any other J’aime mieux la France que tous country. les autres pays. 5. Plus, moins are repeated before every adjective; peu, trop, beaucoup, tant, etc., are not repeated, but the preposition de, which follows them, is always repeated ; as : I am less tall and strong than Je suis moins grand et moins you. fort que vous. I have too much bread and cheese, J’ai trop de pain et de fromage. Negation. 6. The negation is composed of ne placed before the verb, and pas or point placed after it in simple tenses. The second negative comes between the auxiliary and participle in compound tenses. Pas and point are sup- pressed when there is another negative word ; as, jamais, nul, guère, personne, ni, etc. ; as : I do not know them. I have not known them. 1 never saw them. I have, not many relations. Je ne les connais pas. Je ne les ai pas connus. Je ne les ai jamais vus. Je n’ai guère de parents, 308 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. 7. Pas and point may be omitted after pouvoir, oser, cesser, savoir ; as : I can not do that. Je ne puis faire cela. I dare not speak to him. Je n’ose lui parler. 8. Ne is used without any negative sense after à moins que, etc. (see page 79). Ne is not used when the verb of the preceding proposition is accompanied by a negative ; as : She is not more modest than she EUe n’est pas plus modeste appears. qu’elle le paraît. He is not so old as he appears. II n’est pas si âgé qu’il le paraît. SIXTEENTH LESSON — Seizième Leçon. Hunting, la chasse. A gun, un fusil. A race, une course. A het, un pari. A French horn, un cor de chasse. A sportsman, hunter, un chasseur. A firework, un feu d’artifice. Swimming, la natation. Angling, la pêche à la ligne. Walking, la promenade. To do lüithout. Can you do without that pen f I can do without it. To wait for, to expect. For whom are you waiting here f I am waiting for Edward. We expect my aunt this evening. To take a walk, se promener. To take a drive, to ride in a car- riage, se promener en voiture. Riding, l’équitation, /. Fencing, l’escrime, /. To swim, nager. Fishing, la pêche. On foot, à pied. On horseback, à cheval. Se passer de. Pouvez-vous vous passer de cette plume ? Je puis m’en passer. Attendre. Qui attendez-vous ici ? J’attends Edouard. Nous attendons ma tante ce soir. OUT-DOOR SPORTS. 309 To intend. To rely upon, to depend upon. I Intend to call on you on Thursday. 1 depend upon it. 1 depend upon your visit. Compter. Compter sur. Je compte aller vous voir jeudi. J’y compte. Je compte sur votre visite. To carry, to take. To bring. To take away, to carry away. To bring back, to bring again. Porter. Apporter. Emporter. Rapporter. things or helpless beings. I bring you back the books which you brought to me last month. You may take away these two. Je vous rapporte les livres que vous m’avez apportés le mois dernier. [ci. Vous pouvez emporter ces deux- To take, to lead, to conduct. To bring. To bring again. To take away. Mener, conduire. Amener. Ramener. Emmener. persons or animals. EXAMPLES. Are you fond of hunting ? lam not; I prefer fishing to hunt- ing. I am very fond of angling, too. Bo you wish to take a walk with us f I must fake my daughter to her school. Who brings her home in the evening f Her mother goes for her. Can you do without your gun f For hoiv long ? For a few days. Bring it back to me before Sunday. You can depend upon it. Aimez-vous la chasse? Non; je préfère la pêche à la chasse. J’aime aussi beaucoup la pêche à la ligne. Désirez-vous faire une prome- nade avec nous ? Il faut que je mène ma fille à sa pension. Qui la ramène le soir ? Sa mère va la chercher. Pouvez- vous vous passer de votre fusil ? Pour combien de temps ? Pour quelques jours. Rapportez-le moi avant di- manche. Vous pouvez y compter. 310 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. Can you swim f Like a fish. My brother will learn fencing. Are you not using niy angling-rod any longer? I use it from time to time. What do you intend to do to- morrow ? I intend to go and see the races. Bring me my newspaper, if you please. I HI try not to forget it. I expect some friends this evening. Savez-vous nager P Comme un poisson. Mon frère va apprendre l’es- crime. Ne vous servez- vous plus de ma ligne ? Je m’en sers de temps en temps. Que comptez-vous faire demain ? Je compte aller voir les courses. Apportez-moi mon journal, s’il vous plaît. Je tâcherai de ne pas l’oublier. J’attends quelques amis ce soir. CONVEESATION. N’avez-vous pas un cor de chasse? Allez-vous souvent à la chasse ? Etes-vous bon chasseur ? Aimez-vous la pêche ? Etes- vous bon nageur? Faites-vous une promenade tous les jours? Pouvez-vous vous passer de ma ligne à pêcher? Où portez- vous ces vieux livres? Qui vous a apporté mon journal? Quand pensez-vous nous amener votre fille or demoiselle? Menez-vous votre fils à l’école tous les jours? Etes-vous allé à Saint Cloud à pied hier? Que m’apportez-vous ? Avez-vous gagné votre pari? Qui conduit votre grand-père aveugle ? Pouvez- vous vous passer de votre sœur aujourd’hui? 16. Does your mother often take a drive ? She drives to the Bois de Boulogne almost every afternoon. — Do you often ride ? Once or twice a week ; I take riding-lessons. — Will there be fire- works soon? I think there will be none this year. — Do you think I can go from here to Saint Cloud on foot? It is rather far ; however, if you are a good walker, it is not impossible. — If you can do without your brother for the afternoon, he will accompany me. He has time to go with you, for I believe he has very little to do to-day. — Tell him, if you please, that I shall wait for him at my house about one o’clock. He will be there ; you can depend upon it. A CHILD'S LETTER. 311 Shall you go to see Mr. H. ? Yes, for I must take him a book he has asked for. — You do not take your young brother away with you? It is too far ; he could not go and return on foot. — At wliat hour do you intend to come back? I don’t know, but I think w^e shall be back about seven o’clock. — When shall you bring us your sisters ? I will tell them that you wish to see them ; r.nd I am sure they will be very happy to come and see you. — Would you be so kind as to bring one of your English gram- mars? I wish to study English. " Honesty is the best Policy, Charles was twelve years old when he had the misfortune to lose his father. He had therefore no longer anybody to provide for him (pour pourvoir à ses besoins) ; for his mother was in such a poor state of health that she could hardly support herself with her work. Charles resolved to help himself (de se suffire), in order not to be a burden (à charge) to his mother. He took leave of her, and went to (alia trouver) one of his father’s friends, wEo was a prosperous merchant, and begged that he would give him employment (un emploi). Mr. Martin, the merchant, was ready to take him into his house if he would engage to serve him faith- fully and honestly. This (ce que) Charles promised with such frankness that Mr. Martin thought he could trust him (avoir con- fiance en lui). Nevertheless (toutefois), he wished to try him. One day he purposely put a piece of gold in an empty paper that had contained money, to see wdiether Charles would be honest enough not to keep it. The boy found the piece of gold in the presence of one of his master’s servants. “That’s a godsend!” (une bonne aubaine) said the servant; “keep it, and we will have a good time” (nous nous amuserons). But instantly (aussitôt) Charles returned the money to Mr. Martin, who was so much pleased with the boy, that, having no children of his own, he made him his heir. 312 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. SEVENTEENTH LESSON — Dix-septième Leçon. A needle^ une aiguille. A pin^ une épingle. A nail, un clou. A hammer, un marteau. Some paste, de la colle. A thimble, un dé. An anvil, une enclume. An ax, une hache. A file, une lime. To e.vpress one's self. To make one's self understood. To he puzzled, embarrassed. Do you easily express yourself in French f No, but I can make myself under- stood. As for me, I am always puzzled when I talk with a French- man. To let to, to hire from, A suite of rooms. A lease. A quarter's rent. I have just let my house. He has hired a suit of rooms. We pay a thousand francs per quarter. To get into bad scrapes. To get out of a bad scrape. My son often gets into bad scrapes. A shuttle, une navette. A shovel, une pelle. A rider, une règle. A saw, une scie. A sieve, un tamis. A pair of pincers, des tenailles. A screw, une vis. A pair of scissors, des ciseaux. A chisel, un ciseau. S’exprimer. Se faire comprendre. Etre embarrassé. Vous exprimez-vous facilement en français ? Non, mais je puis me faire com- prendre. Quant à moi, je suis toujours embarrassé quand je parle avec un Français. Louer {to praise). Un appartement. Un bail (pl. baux). Un terme. J e viens de louer ma maison. Il a loué un appartement. Nous payons mille francs par terme. Se faire or s’attirer de mauvaises affaires. Se tirer d’affaire or d’un mauvais pas. Mon fils s’attire souvent de mau- vaises affaires. USEFUL IMPLEMENTS. 313 You have got me out of a had scrape. With all my heart. Every one in his own way. Do n’t mention it. It matters not ; never mind. Vous m’avez tiré d’un mauvais pas. De tout mon cœur. Chacun à sa manière. Il n’y a pas de quoi ; de rien. Cela (ça) ne fait rien; peu importe. EXAMPLES. I should like to have a needle and some thread. Do you want white thread f White or black ; it matters not. Here is what you want. I am much obliged to you. Do n’t mention it. Peter., bring me a hammer and some nails. Have you any paste f No, but I know where there is some. I have hired a country-house. Go and buy an ax, a file, and a pair of pincers. You know that our saw is broken. Buy another. Whose pretty gold thimble is this f Mine. Will you lend me your scissors f I can not make myself understood. I have got out of that bad scrape. I owe two quarters’ rent. Every one works in his own way. I am often puzzled when I speak French. D. F. M. 27. Je voudrais bien avoir une ai- guille et du fil. Vous faut-il du fil blanc ? Du blanc ou du noir ; cela ne fait rien. Voici votre affaire. Je vous suis bien obligé. Il n’y a pas de quoi. Pierre, apportez-moi un marteau et des clous. Avez-vous de la colle ? Non, mais je sais où il y en a. J’ai loué une maison de cam- pagne. Allez acheter une hache, une lime, et des tenailles. Vous savez que notre scie est cassée. Achetez-en une autre. A qui est ce joli dé en or ? A moi. Voulez-vous me prêter vos ciseaux ? Je ne puis me faire comprendre. J e me suis tiré de cette mauvaise affaire. Je dois deux termes de loyer. Chacun travaille à sa manière. Je suis souvent embarrassé quand je parle français. 314 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. CONVERSATION. Avez- vous une lime? Pourriez-vous me prêter des tenailles? Que voulez-vous déclouer {unfasten) f Pourriez-vous me donner quelques clous? Avez-vous un gros marteau? Pouvez-vous vous exprimer en allemand? Pouvez-vous vous faire comprendre en français ? Pourquoi êtes-vous quelquefois embarrassé quand vous parlez avec M. N.? Votre fils a-t-il loué une grande chambre? Y a-t-il beaucoup de chambres à louer dans cet hôtel? Combien y a-t-il de chambres dans cet appartement? Pourquoi vous attirez-vous si souvent de mauvaises affaires? Comment votre ami s’est-il tiré de cette mauvaise affaire? Combien a-t-il perdu? Qui a gagné au whist? 17. Have you any pins at my service ? There are some ; take as many as you please. — Thank you. Don’t mention it. — Could you lend me a ruler? Unfortunately, I have none. — Are all your rooms let? No, we have two more to let. — I should like to see them. Please to w^alk up stairs; I will show them to you (montrer). — Have you a long lease? We have a lease of eighteen years. — Have you been living long in this house? It will soon be seven years. — What is that called in English? It is called a shuttle. — And that? A sieve. — You know English very well. Pretty well ; however, I am often puzzled to find my words ; above all, when I wish to speak fast. — Do you un- derstand that Englishman when he speaks French? Not at all; he speaks so badly that he can not make himself understood. Do you love your country well ? I love it with all my heart. — May I take away your little sister to the garden of the Luxem- bourg? Why (mais), certainly; she will be very glad to accom- pany you. — At what o’clock must I bring her back ? AVhen you please ; provided she is here for dinner-time (l’heure du dîner) ; it is all I ask ; only she is not well dressed. Never mind; we are merely going to take a little walk. — Have you seen the balloon pass over the town? I have not (seen it); it probably passed while I was in the cellar (la cave). — A count, or an earl (comte), is above a baron, is he not? Yes; but in a republic all the citizens (citoyens) are equal (égaux) ; they differ only by personal merit. THEATRICAL TERMS. 315 The Drummer-Boy^, In the war with France previous^ to the Eevolution, an English drummer, not more than fifteen years of age, having wandered^ from his camp too near the French lines, was seized and brought before the French commander. On being asked by the general who he was, he answered, ‘‘A drummer in the English service.’’ This not being believed, a drum"^ was sent for, and he was desired to beat a couple of marches, which he accordingly did The Frenchman’s suspicions being, however, not quite re- moved^’, he desired the drummer to beat a retreat. A retreat, sir?” replied the youthful Briton; don’t know what that is.” This answer pleased the French officer so much, that he dismissed^ the drummer, and wrote to his general commending^ his spirited behavior. ^ le tambour ; ^ avant ; ^ s’étant écarté ; ^ tambour ; ^ fit de suite ; ^ concevant encore des soupçons ; ^ renvoya ; ^ louant ; brave. EIGHTEENTH LESSON — Dix-huitième Leçon. The saloon, le foyer. A box, une loge. The pit, le parterre. m. The orchestra, l’orchestre. The curtain, le rideau. The stage, la scène. The ticket, le billet. The tragedy, la tragédie. The comedy, la comédie. The drama, le drame. The opera, l’opéra, m. A character, un rôle. The manager, le directeur. The prompter, le souffleur. The upper gallery, le paradis. The scenery, les décorations, or décors. A check, une contre-marque. The first gallery, la première galerie. To show a desire to. To look pleased with. To look cross at. Paire mine de. Paire bonne mine à. Paire mauvaise mine à. 316 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, A good-looking man. A bad-looking man. That foreigner shows a desire to‘ approach us. Charles looks cross at Paul. But he looks pleased with Arthur. In vain. In vain you cry ; nobody can hear you. To mean. What does that mean f That means nothing. To mind. Mind what you say. When you talk with Mr. T., mind what you say. To play a trick on some one. I will play a trick on B. They have played me a trick. Nothing hut. To suit. That cloth does not suit me. Un homme de bonne mine. Un homme de mauvaise mine. Cet étranger fait mine de s’ap- procher de nous. Charles fait mauvaise mine à Paul. Mais il fait bonne mine à Arthur. Avoir beau. Vous avez beau crier ; personne ne peut vous entendre. Vouloir dire, signifier. Qu’est-ce que cela veut dire ? Cela ne veut rien dire. S’occuper de, faire attention à, songer à. Songez à ce que vous dites. Quand vous parlez avec M. T., faites attention à vos paroles. Jouer un tour à quelqu’un. Je vais jouer un tour à B. On m’a joué un tour. Ne . . . que. Convenir. Ce drap ne me convient pas. EXAMPLES. Have you hired a box at the opera ? Avez- vous loué une loge à l’opéra ? No<) I have taken tickets for the first Non, j’ai pris des billets de gallery. première galerie. THE THEATER. 317 I go to the pit ; it is cheaper. Do you like dramas? No, I prefer comedies. Mr. C. is the manager of that tliea- . ter. Should you like to be an actor ? No, I could not learn my parts. Mrs. S. looks pleased with every body. Still, yesterday she looked cross at me. I am astonished at it. Mind what you say when you speak to her. I have been told that you have played a bad trick on D. What do you mean? It is useless to laugh ; you were seen. Does it suit you to go out ivith Jane ? Do these pens suit you? I have nothing but vexations. Moi, je vais au parterre; c’est meilleur marché. Aimez-vous les drames? Non, je préfère les comédies, M. C. est le directeur de ce thé- âtre. Aimeriez-vous à être acteur? Non, je ne pourrais pas ap- prendre mes rôles. Madame S. fait bonne mine à tout le monde. Cependant, hier elle m’a fait mauvaise mine. J’en suis étonné, or, Cela m’étonne. Pensez à ce que vous dit^s quand vous lui parlez. On m’a dit que vous aviez joué un mauvais tour à D. Que voulez-vous dire ? Vous avez beau rire ; on vous a vu. Vous convient-il de sortir avec Jeanne ? Ces plumes vous conviennent- elles ? Je n’ai que des ennuis. CONVERSATION. Allez-vous quelquefois au théâtre? Allez-vous souvent à Topera? Aimez-vous la musique? Pourquoi faites-vous mau- vaise mine à M. T.? Est-ce parce qu’il a joué un tour à votre ami? Que voulez-vous dire? Vous conviendrait-il de venir de meilleure heure demain? Pourquoi ne prenez- vous pas une leçon tous les jours? M. K. n’a que des ennemis, n’est-ce pas? Quelle en est la cause? Connaissez-vous le directeur de notre théâtre? Combien y a-t-il qu’il est directeur? Combien y a-t-il d’acteurs? Qui est le meilleur? Comment s’appelle la première actrice? 318 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. 18. We all go to the theater to-night (ce soir); I have hired a box for the whole family. — How much did you pay for that box? I paid twenty francs. — It is very dear. Why (mais), no. They are to play Tartufe, a comedy of Molière. As for me, I never go to the theater. We, also, go very seldom; in the evening we are tired, and we go to bed early. — Who is that woman who shows a desire to enter that grocer’s? I don’t know her; she is a bad-looking woman, and I should not be astonished if she should try to rob the grocer of something. She will not dare, because she knows we see her. — Do you often see Mrs. L. ? From time to time. Mind what you say when you talk with her, because she is rather inquisitive. Where are you running so fast? I am running after that little boy who has beaten my little daughter. — You run in vain ; you will not be able to reach him (l’attraper) ; he runs faster than you. — Does this cloth suit you? Have you not any stronger? Here is the strongest I have ; I have nothing but cloths of the first quality. — What did Mr. B. mean yesterday evening? He meant that ^Irs. V.’s children are very badly brought up (mal élevés). — That actress does not know her part well. She does not play so well as Miss C. There is a great difference between them. — How old may she be? About thirty. The Diligent Girl. Caroline displayed (montra) from her earliest (tendre) child- hood a strong desire of acquiring useful knowledge (des connais- sances utiles). When she saw something new, she would not rest until she knew exactly what it was. If she could not discover this herself, sne would never stop (elle ne cessait) asking questions until she had obtained the desired information. When she had a new book, her joy was very great (bien grande). She was clever in almost all woman’s works, particularly in sewing and knitting (le tricot) ; and, in order to become more skillful, she offered her services to a seamstress (couturière), who consented to teach her her trade (état) upon condition that she would work for her from morning till evening, without any salary, for a whole year. She USE OF QUE, 319 accepted, and became proficient that she afterwards had the satisfaction, not only of being able to maintain herself (se suffire à elle-même), but also to be the support (soutien) of her old mother. She thus won the esteem of all good people. Was not Caroline a noble girl and a kind daughter? Try to imitate her example, and be diligent in whatever you undertake. Que. Que is used fot the following expressions: 1st. For hut, only, nothing hut, in connection with ne; as: He gave me hut five francs, I have only ten francs to spend. I drink nothing hut water, 2d. For unless, till, uyitil; as: I will not sing unless he goes out. I will not go out till I have finished. II ne me donna que cinq francs. J e n’ai que dix francs à dépenser. Je ne bois que de l’eau. Je ne chanterai pas qu’il ne sorte. Je ne sortirai pas que je n’aie fini. 3d. For how,how much, how many, in exclamatory sentences; as: How modest she is! Qu’elle est modeste! Hoiu tcdl your son is ! Que votre fils est grand ! How much money we have lost ! Que d’argent nous avons perdu ! Hoîv many cousins you have ! Que de cousins vous avez ! How many obligations I am under Que d’obligations je lui ai! to him! 4th. For why, what, when, because, yet; as: Why did he not speak f What were you saying f The day when you come. r Que ne parlait-il ? or, (Pourquoi ne pàrlait-il par? Que disiez-vous? Le jour que vous viendrez. 320 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD, If I say nothing, it is because I know nothing. Should T give him ally he would yet complain, 5th. For whether, as, than, in Whether he come or I go. Rich as you are. He is not such as you believe him. He is quite other than you believe him. Give me some money, in order that (or that) I may pay him. Si je ne dis rien, c’est que je ne sais rien. Je lui donnerais tout, qu’il se plaindrait encore. order that; as: Qu’il vienne ou que j’aille. Tout riche que vous êtes. Il n’esti pas tel que vous le croyez. Il est tout autre que vous ne le croyez. Donnez-moi de l’argent que je le paie. Que is used in the following and similar expressions : What a fine house yours is ! What good servants ours are! As it is public, and everybody knows it. He says he will; he will not. Tant . . . que, Both by sea and land. Both breakfast and dinner. Quelle belle maison que la vôtre! Quels bons domestiques que les nôtres. Comme c’est public, et que tout le monde le sait. Il dit que oui ; que non. Tant par mer que par terre. Soit par mer, soit par terre. Et par mer, et par terre. r Tant le déjeuner que le dîner. -] Soit le déjeuner, soit le dîner. V Et le déjeuner, et le dîner. soit . . . soit, et . . . et. Whether he come or remain. Soit qu’il vienne, soit qu’il reste. UN COUP. 321 NINETEENTH LESSON — Dix-neuvième Leçon. A knock. The discharge of a gun. The discharge of a cannon. A clap of thunder. A gust of wind. A kick. A hloiD with the fist. A stab with a knife. A stroke of a hammer. A stroke of a hell. A slap in the face. To please, to he pleased. To please some one. To take delight in, to like, to please one’s self. You may take it if you please. This hook does not please me. He is pleased to go to bed late. Sing, if you please. That servant does not please my wife. I take delight in teasing him. I please myself in Paris. Un coup à une porte. Un coup de fusil. Un coup de canon. Un coup de tonnerre. Un coup de vent. Un coup de pied. Un coup de poing. Un coup de couteau. Un coup de marteau. Un coup de cloche. Un soufflet. Plaire à, se plaire. Plaire à quelqu’un. Se plaire à. Vous pouvez le prendre si cela vous plaît. Ce livre ne me plaît pas. Il lui plaît de se coucher tard. Chantez, s’il vous plaît. Ce domestique ne plaît pas à ma femme. Je me plais à le taquiner. Je me plais à Paris. Can not is sometimes translated hy savoir; as: I can not do that. Je ne saurais faire cela. Hoio to help it f Qu’y faire ? I can not help it. He can't help it. How can she help it. Je ne sais, or saurais, qu’y faire. Il n’y peut rien. Qu’y peut-elle faire ? 322 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. To he in one's power. It is in his power to prevent it. It is' in your power to come. Far from it. He has not a thousand francs ; far from it. Ne tenir qu’à. Il ne tient qu’à lui de l’empêcher. Il ne tient qu’à vous de venir. Tant s’en faut, etre loin de. Il n’a pas mille francs ; tant s’en faut. EXAMPLES. Somebody is knocking at the door. What do you want f Charles has given me a blow with his fist. Did you not give him a slap in the face f What a clap of thunder ! We can not help it. Are you pleased at Mr. H.'sf I am pleased every-where. It is in his power to grant it to me. I am not so strong as you; far from it. I am far from having as many books as you. Don't kick my dog. That child takes delight in the mud. I am far from pleasing Henry. It is in your poiver to be happy. Who has just fired a gun ? -48 you like, as you please. Quelqu’un frappe à la porte. Que désirez- vous ? Charles m’a donné un coup de poing. Ne lui avez-vous pas donné un souflaet ? Quel coup de tonnerre! Nous n’y pouvons rien faire. Vous plaisez- vous chez M. H. ? Je me plais partout. Il ne tient qu’à lui de me l’accorder. Je ne suis pas si fort que vous; tant s’en faut. Il s’en faut de beaucoup que j’aie autant de livres que vous. Ne donnez pas de coups de pied à mon chien. Cet enfant se plaît dans la boue. Je suis loin de plaire à Henri. Il ne tient qu’à vous d’être heu- reux. Qui vient de tirer un coup de fusil ? Comme vous voudrez, comme il vous plaira. CONVERSATION. Qui vous a donné un soufflet? Qu’avez-vous fait? Avez-vous vu cet homme donner un coup de couteau à un autie homme CONVERSATION, 323 avec lequel il se querellait {he was quarreling) f Etaient-ils ivres {drunk) f L'homme a-t-il été arreté? Cela arrive-t-il souvent? Notre pays vous plaît-il? Combien de temps y a-t-il que vous êtes à A.? Ne tient-il qu’à vous d’empêcher votre ami de tant boire? Votre chambre vous plaît-elle? S’en faut-il de beaucoup qu’elle soit aussi grande que celle de votre ami? Combien la payez- vous par mois? Est-elle bien meublée? Y a-t-il deux fenêtres? Y a-t-il un tapis? 19. Somebody knocked (on). Come in. I should like to speak to Mr. J. ? It is I ; what do you want Sir, I took the liberty to come in to tell you that a servant of yours has given a stab to my dog. Please sit down ; I will call my servant. Why did you stab the gentleman’s dog? Because that little animal is very vicious, and he bit (mordu) my leg. Perhaps you teased him. No, sir. Could you not correct him without stabbing him? I know I was wrong. It shall be as this gentleman pleases whether or no I send you away (renvoie) from my house; you acted very badly. Should you be pleased to come to the theater with me this evening (or to-night) ? I should be much pleased to accompany you; but I must go to my uncle’s, who is very ill. What is the matter Avith him? He fell from his horse and had his arm broken. I pity him with all my heart. Is he older than your father? * He is older by far (de beaucoup). I can not speak German as well as you; far from it. Miss V. is angry with me ; I can not help it. Does this dress please you ? It pleases me A^ery much; how much did you pay for it? A hundred and nineteen francs. I am far from being as rich as you. It is in your power to become as rich. Invitations^ etc. Mr. and Mrs. D. present their kind ^ compliments to Mr. and Mrs. B., and beg^ the honor of their company at dinner on Tuesday next, at six o’clock. ^ empressés ; ^ les prient de leur faire l’honneur, etc. 324 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD, Mrs. B., being ^ obliged to go into the country to-morrow, desires ^ Mr. G. not to give himself the trouble to call upon her. Mrs. B. will be glad to see Mr. G. the day after to-morrow, at any hour^ that may be most convenient to him. ^ se trouvant ; ^ prie ; à l’heure. I have just arrived from the country. If you are at leisure^ to give me a call, I have news to impart^ that will afford you pleasure. I shall be at home the whole day, so that you may choose your time. ^ si VOS occupations vous permettent ; ^ apprendrai. I am glad^ to hear that you are at last^ returned from the country. Had I no other motive than that of congratulating you on your happy arrival, after so long an absence, that alone ^ would induce me'^ to call on you. You may therefore depend upon seeing me this evening about six o’clock. ^ charmée ; ^ enfin ; ^ seul ; ^ m’engagerait. Mrs, C. to Mrs, B, Answer, TWENTIETH LESSON — Vingtième Leçon. Tenir, to hold. To heep a hotel. To keep open table. To keep the window open. To keep one^s eyes open. To keep one’s head upright. To keep one’s luord. To he attached to, to value. To be a mother to. Tenir un hôtel. Tenir table ouverte. Tenir la fenêtre ouverte. Tenir les yeux ouverts. Tenir la tête droite. Tenir sa parole. Tenir à. Tenir lieu de mère. TENIR, RAPPELER, ETC. 325 To fit. To become. Aller bien. Seoir. That jacket fits you very well. That bonnet does not become you, Mary. Yellow does not become you. Cette jaquette vous va très-bien. Ce chapeau ne vous sied pas, Marie. Le jaune ne vous sied pas. The turn. Le tour. Every one in his turn. It is your turn to play. My turn will come. Chacun à son tour. C’est à vous à jouer. Mon tour viendra. To do oneh best. Faire de son mieux. My daughter does her best. Ma fille fait de son mieux. To take care not to. Prendre garde de. Take care not to fall. Prenez garde de tomber. To hinder from, to prevent from. Empêcher de. You hinder me from reading. Vous m’empêchez de lire. To approach, to come near. S’approcher de. Approach the table. Let him come near me. Approchez-vous de la table. Qu’il s’approche de moi. To sit. To sit, to be seated. S’asseoir. Etre assis, e. Sit down, take a seat. Asseyez-vous. To remember, to recollect. Se rappeler, se souvenir de. 1 I remember your grandmother. \ [ Je me rappelle votre grand’mère; Je me souviens de votre grand’- mère. 326 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, EXAMPLES. My cousin keeps a hotel at Lyons. Keep your head upright. I am attached to my birth-place. That hat fits you. It is Mr. C.’s turn to speak. He does his best to speak well. Let him take care not to make mis- takes. Do not hinder him from speaking. Why do you not sit down f I prefer standing up. Do you remember that boy f I remember him very ivell. You have not kept your word. Mr. H. has been a father to us. That physician does not regard the lives of his patients enough. Mon cousin tient un hôtel à Lyon. Tenez donc la tête droite. Je tiens à mon lieu de naissance. Ce chapeau vous va bien. C’est à M. C. à parler. Il fait de son mieux pour bien parler. Qu’il prenne garde de se trom- per. We l’empêchez pas de parler. Pourquoi ne vous asseyez-vous pas ? Je préfère rester debout. Vous souvenez-vous de ce gar- çon ? Je me le rappelle très-bien. Vous n’avez pas tenu votre pa- role. M. H. nous a servi de père. Ce médecin ne tient pas assez à la vie de ses malades. CONVERSATION. Pourquoi tenez- vous votre porte ouverte? N’avez-vous pas peur de vous enrhumer? Ne pouvez-vous pas tenir vos yeux ouverts? Cet habit me va-t-il bien? Le rouge ne sied-il pas à votre sœur ? A qui est-ce à aller à Paris ? Quand viendra votre tour? Faites- vous de votre mieux pour plaire à vos parents? Prenez-vous gardé de faire de la peine à votre sœur {to hurt your sister^ s feelings) f- Pourquoi êtes- vous assis si loin de moi ? Pourquoi ne vous approchez-vous pas de la table? Vous rap- pelez-vous votre leçon d’hier? Ne vous rappelez-vous pas ce que cette expression veut dire? Vous en irez-vous bientôt? 20 . Why de you stand up? be seated.^ Thank you, I have not time to sit down; moreover, I am not tired. — Has not your NOTES, 327 aunt been a mother to you? Yes; and I love her just (tout) as much as a daughter can love her mother. — Has your mother been dead long? She has been dead seven years; I remember her very well, though I was very young when she died. — Did she not keep a hotel? Yes, she kept a hotel at Lyons. — Have you cast an eye (jeté un coup d’œil) upon that book? I have not had time ; I have been so busy the whole morning. — Take care you do not fall while (en) going down the staircase. Who sits (est assis) near Mrs. P. ? It is an English lady who comes to pass the time with her. — How do you like our church? I like it very well (trouve très-belle); is it not too small? Do you know how many persons it can accommodate (contenir) ? A thousand persons, perhaps. More than that; it may hold more than three thousand persons (personnes). — Do you some- times go hunting? Very seldom. — What prevents you from going? My business (occupations). — Will your book soon be finished? I hope it will be printed (imprimé) at the end of next month. — How many pages will there be? About tw^o hundred. — For how much will it be sold (se vendra-t-il) ? I do not know yet. — Do you remember the address (adresse) of Mr. B. ? I believe it is 56, rue Richer. Mr, C, to Mr, D, Please to return me^ the book I lent you, as soon as you have read it; Miss M. would like to read it after you. You are too polite not to use all possible dispatch ^ to oblige me. ^je vous prie de vouloir bien me renvoyer; mettre toute la promptitude. Mr, E, to Mr, F, I beg ^ you will not expect me to-night, for I shall be engaged the whole evening. The bearer ^ will explain^ to you the rea- sons which compel'^ me to postpone'’^ the pleasure of seeing you. I am persuaded you will approve of them ; and believe me to be, with profound respect, etc. ^ je vous prie de; ^porteur; ^expliquera; m’obligent ; *^de différer. 328 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. Receipt. I hereby acknowledge^ that I have received of Mr. George Smith the sum of four hundred and fifty francs forty-five cen- times, which I had lent him on his note of hand^ of the 18th April last. Paris, Jaly 13, 1872. ^ je reconnais avoir reçu ; ^ sa reconnaissance. TWENTY-FIRST LESSON — Vingt et unième Leçon. A pimple, un bouton. Blind, aveugle. One-eyed, borgne. A fall, une chute. An aneurism, un anévrisme. A wound, une blessure. Hunch-hacJced, bossu, e. A chap, une crevasse. A chilblain, une engelure. By, on, to. He lives by teaching. You will succeed by working hard. On seeing you, he appeared aston- ished. On arriving in Paris, I went to see my uncle. I am going to Germany, As. The marshal was dressed as a pri- vate gentleman. They are dressed as men. Consumption, la phthisie. t sourde-muette. The small-pox, la petite vérole. A sprain, une entorse. A chill, un frisson. A disease, une maladie. The measles, la rougeole. A fever, une fi.èvre. En (preposition). 11 vit en enseignant. Vous réussirez en travaillant beaucoup. En vous voyant, il parut étonné. En arrivant à Paris, j’allai voir mon oncle. Je vais en Allemagne. En. Le maréchal était habillé en bourgeois. Elles sont habillées en hommes. imEASES. 329 As, comme (a conjunction). Like, comme (an adverb). As cold as ice. Froid comme glace. Do as I do. Faites comme moi. She is like her mother. Elle est comme sa mère. The whole year. The whole night. All at once. The right hand. The left hand. On the right, on the left. Straight on. This side, this way. That side, that way. At dinner-time. Toute rannée. Toute la nuit. Tout à coup. La main droite. La main gauche. A droite, à gauche. Tout droit. Par ici, de ce côté-ci. Par là, de ce côté-là. A l’heure du dîner, etc. To make fun of. Se moquer de. He makes fun of me. II se moque de moi. EXAMPLES. Mr. 0. died of an aneurism. Captain C. was wounded at G. Mr. F.^s son is hunch-hacked. I have pimples on my face. It is a pity that this child is one- eyed. In winter I always have chaps and chilblains. That young girl is consumptive. I had the small-pox on arriving here. He was cured hy drinking some tea. Do as he does. I have beeij, writing the whole day. Come this way ; we shall keep to the right. D. F. M. 28. M. O. est mort d’un anévrisme. Le capitaine C. a été blessé à G. Le fils de M. F. est bossu. J’ai des boutons à la figure. C’est dommage que cet enfant soit borgne. En hiver j’ai toujours des cre- vasses et des engelures. Cette jeune fille est poitrinaire. J’ai eu la petite vérole en arri- vant ici. Il s’est guéri en buvant du thé. Faites comme lui. J’ai écrit toute la journée. Venez par ici; nous allons pren- dre à droite. 330 DUFFET^S FFENCH METHOD, My father arrived at dinner time, I have a wound in my left foot. Why do you make fun of her, I never laugh at any one. This stone is as cold as ice. Mon père est arrivé pour le dîner. J’ai une blessure au pied gauche. Pourquoi vous moquez-vous d’elle ? Je ne me moque jamais de personne. Cette pierre est froide comme glace. CONVERSATION. Avez-vous eu la rougeole ? Etes- vous resté en Allemagne toute une année? Votre entorse est-elle guérie? Pensez-vous que Madame E. meure de cette maladie? Avez-vous visité Fécole des sourds-muets? Qu’a dit M. J. en vous voyant de si bonne heure? Comment avez- vous appris à parler si bien le français? Comment vous êtes-vous guéri de vos engelures? Faut-il que j’aille à droite ou à gauche? Qu’avez- vous fait à votre arrivée en France? Se moquait-on de vous à cause de votre prononci- ation anglaise? Etes- vous resté là tout l’été ? Votre grand’ mère n’est-elle pas aveugle? 21 . My son was wounded at the battle (la bataille) of Champigny ; I think he will remain lame (boiteux). — Had you not the small- pox in your childhood? Yes; I was still in the cradle (au ber- ceau). — Do you sometimes have chilblains in winter? I have chilblains and chaps the w'hole winter ; do n’t you know any remedies (remèdes) to cure them? Every one gives his remedy; but none cures. — How did you learn to speak English so well? By often speaking with Englishmen. — What did you do this morning on arriving? I wrote to my aunt to let her know (pour lui dire) that I should arrive at her house at dinner time. Which is the shortest way (chemin) to go to the Bourse? Go straight on at first, and then take the second street on the right, and the Bourse is at the end (bout). — My wife has had a toothache the whole night. — Do you know that old Tom has had a fall, and has broken his right leg? What will he do. COMMERCIAL LETTER. 331 since he only lives by begging (demandant l’aumône) ? His neighbors will take care of him (en auront soin) ; he is so good a man. — Have your children had the measles ? No, never. Is it not breakfast-time ? Not yet; it is only a quarter past ten. I thought it was later; I begin to be hungry. Take a bit of cake (gâteau) while waiting for the breakfast. No, thank you, it is not worth while; I shall wait. Commercial Letter — Lettre de Commerce. With the hope ^ of increasing ^ the number of our corre- spondents in England, we have desired^ several of our friends to inform us^ of the houses of that country with which we could do business "' with safety ^ As we have been assured of your integrity", and of the good commissions you give for the sale and purchase of various goods, we beg of you to accept our services, which we offer you on all occasions, our principal commerce consisting in the purchase and sale of silk goods'*^. We flatter ourselves that, when you know our method of transacting business and of consulting the interest of our customers you will readily consent to carry on a connection which can be equally useful and advantageous to both parties. You can, on your part'^, make inquiries of whom you please concerning our firm^^; we are persuaded that nobody will say any thing to our disadvantage. We hope that you will favor us^^ with your orders. Be assured of our attention and vigilance in striving to promote’^ your interest. Believe us to be, gentlemen, with the best wishes. Yours truly Dumont, Sons & Co. ^ dans l’espérance ; " d’augmenter ; ^ avons prié ; ^ nous faire connaître ; " négocier ; en toute sécurité ; " probité ; ^ nous vous prions; soieries ; notre manière d’opérer; et de ménager les intérêts de nos commettants ; vous vous prêterez volontiers à continuer; de votre côté; prendre des informations; ^'^sur notre maison; vous nous honorerez; à vous bien servir; agréez, messieurs, nos salutations empressées. 332 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD. TWENTY-SECOND LESSON — Vingt-deuxième Leçon. A town, une ville. A capital, une capitale. A chief town, un chef-lieu. A hamlet, un hameau. A ward, un quartier. A country town, un bourg. A cemetery, un cimetière. The suburbs, les faubourgs. A blind alley, une impasse. The pavement, le pavé. The sidewalk, le trottoir. A quay, a wharf, un quai. A street lamp, un réverbère. A parish, une paroisse. A crossway, un carrefour. A sewer, un égout. A street, une rue. A house, une maison. To introduce any one {to). To inquire after some one. To trust some one. To distrust some one. To laugh in a person^ face. To dislocate one’s arm. To resign one's situation. To seize, to take possession of. To behave one's self. To trouble one's self, to be uneasy. Présenter quelqu’un (à). S’informer de quelqu’un. Se fier à quelqu’un. Se défier de quelqu’un. Bire au nez de quelqu’un. Se démettre le bras. Se démettre de sa place. S’emparer de. Se comporter, se conduire. S’inquiéter. To meddle with. Se mêler de. To be thoroughly acquainted with. Etre au fait, au courant de. To afford. Avoir les moyens de. You can afford to buy a horse. Vous avez les moyens d’acheter un cheval. To pity. To complain of. Plaindre. Se plaindre de. I pity you with all my heart. I do not complain. Je vous plains de tout mon cœur. Je ne me plains pas. TOWN AND CITY, 333 To execute a commission. She has executed my commission. It depends on circumstances. To give up. I give up gambling. To he the question. It is a question of work. To he horn. To raise, to cause. S’acquitter d’une commission. Elle s’est acquittée de ma com- mission. Cela dépend des circonstances. Renoncer, abandonner. Je renonce au jeu. S’agir de. Il s’agit de travailler. Etre né. Faire naître. EXAMPLES. Do you live at the capitcd ? No, I live in a chief town. Are there fine streets in that town f No, it is full of crossways and blind alleys, and the pavements are disagreeable. Can not the town afford to have better pavements laid ? They have been obliged to get sewers made. You always complain. Have you given up smoking f I have ; it is a question of economy. I introduce my brother-in-law to you. I do not trust our servant. Demeurez- vous à la capitale ? Non, je demeure dans un chef- lieu. Y a-t-il de belles rues dans cette ville ? Non, elle est pleine de carrefours et d’impasses, et les pavés en sont désagréables. La ville n’a-t-elle pas les moyens de faire faire de meilleurs pavés ? On a été obligé de faire faire des égouts. Vous vous plaignez toujours. Avez- vous renoncé à fumer ? Oui ; il s’agit de faire des écono- mies. J e vous présente mon beau-frère. Je ne me fie pas à notre domes- tique. 334 BUFFET'S FBENCH METHOD. I do not meddle with the affairs of others. It depends on the persons. Bo n't trouble yourself about that. Always behave well. That raises suspicions in my mind. Je ne me mêle pas des affaires des autres. Cela dépend des personnes. Ne vous inquiétez pas de cela. Conduisez-vous toujours bien. Cela fait naître des soupçons dans mon esprit. CONVERSATION. Avez-vous visité les égouts de Paris? Quels sont les noms des faubourgs de Paris? Y a-t-il de larges trottoirs? Combien y a-t-il de cimetières? Y a-t-il de grands quais? Paris est-il bien éclairé la nuit? Quelle est votre église paroissiale. Dans quelle rue demeurez-vous? Pensez-vous que mes moyens me permettent de louer un appartement dans votre quartier? Fau- drait-il que je me démisse de ma place? Pourrais-je trouver une autre place à Paris? Où êtes-vous né? N’êtes-vous pas né la même année que moi? Avez-vous renoncé à la pêche? 22. Of what do you complain? I complain because every time I try to speak English, instead of helping me (m’aider), they laugh in my face. Why, it is very bad ; I sincerely pity you, and I regret that I am not able to put an end (mettre fin) to your troubles (ennuis). I can no longer trust any one, and I am entirely discouraged. You ought to go to London to practice (pour vous exercer) speaking. I should like to do so, but I can not afford it. — Madam, I have the honor of introducing my father to you; he (qui) very frequently inquired of you and your family (des vôtres). I am very happy, sir, to make the acquaintance of our young friend’s father. The troops have taken possession of the little town of X. ? What a misfortune! — Do you distrust your neighbor? On the contrary, we have the greatest confidence (confiance) in him. — The conduct (la conduite) of that man has raised suspicions in my mind. — Our purpose is, not to play, children, but to work seriously. — May I rely upon you? Yes; we will try hard to do your pleasure. — When did you dislocate your arm, Charles? EXERCISE FOR TRANSLATION 335 Yesterday, while (en) running after Arthur, I fell down in the street, on the pavement, and I dislocated and almost broke my arm. Have you seen the surgeon (chirurgien)? Yes; he told me it w’ould be of no consequence. I see you are courageous. The Horse and the Beet-root, ^ When Louis XI was Dauphin, he used frequently, in his walks, to visit the family of a peasant, and partake of^ their frugal meals^. Sometime after the accession^ of this prince to the throne of France, the peasant presented him an extraordi- nary beet-root, the production of his garden. Louis, to reward the poor man for his attention, and to show that he had not forgotten the rustic cottage^, gave him a thousand crowns^. The village ’squire", on hearing of the peasant’s good luck, thought if he gave a good horse to the king, his fortune \vould be made. He therefore procured a very handsome one, went to the palace, and begged the king to do him the honor of ac- cepting it. Louis thanked him for his polite attention, and ordered one of his })ages to fetch the beet-root. When it was brought, he presented it to the ’squire, saying, “Sir, as you seem to be an admirer of the works ^ of nature, I beg you to accept one of its extraordinary productions. I paid a thousand crowns for this root, which can not be matched^, and I am happy to have so good an opportunity of rew^arding your disin- terested loyalty.” ^ betterave ; ^ prenait part ; ^ repas ; ^ avènement ; ^ chaumière ; ^écus; ^le notable, lo principal du village; ^œuvres, ^ qui n^a pas sa pareille. 336 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. TWENTY-THIRD LESSON — Vingt-troisième Leçon. A mahogany table, A brick house. A stone house. A wind-mill. A coffee-mill. A ivater-mill. Gunpowder. A two-horse carriage. A four-wheeled carriage. 'A table for six persons. A repeater. The rabbit man. The man with the gray coat. To withdraw from. I To go away from. / Do nH go away from the fire. To take notice of, to notice. I noticed my error. By all means. . Fortunately. For more good luck. Unfortunately . . For more bad luck. He wishes by all means to he paid. Unfortunately, I have no money. To lose one^s wits. That woman has lost her wits ; she does not know what to do. To manage. f To go about a thing, i How do you manage to do tJmtf Une table d’acajoii. Une maison de brique. Une maison de pierre. Un moulin à vent. Un moulin à café. Un moulin à eau. Poudre à canon. Une voiture à deux chevaux. Une voiture à quatre roues. Une table à six couverts. Une montre à répétition. L’homme aux lapins. L’homme à l’habit gris. S’éloigner de. N’e vous éloignez pas du feu. S’apercevoir de. J e me suis aperçu de mon erreur. A toute force. Pour surcroît de bonheur. Pour surcroît de malheur. Il veut à toute force être payé. Pour surcroît de malheur, je n’ai pas d’argent. Perdre la tête. Cette femme a perdu la tête ; elle ne sait que faire. S’y prendre. Comment vous y prenez-vous pour faire cela? MISCELLANEOUS CONVERSATION. 337 Notwithstanding j still. He will succeed, notwithstanding he is 7nuch embarrassed. To apply to some one. Apply to Mr. A. Just a little. Ne laisser pas de. Il réussira, mais il ne laisse pas d’être bien embarrassé. S’adresser à quelqu’un. Adressez-vous à M. A. Tant soit peu. EXAMPLES. What a beautiful mahogany table ! My daughter wishes by all means to have it. That is a new four-horse carriage. Look at that man with the gray beard. I think he has lost his wits. Still, he is very covetous. Unfortunately, he says he has been robbed of some money. Do not apply to him to borrow money. How do you mariage to do your exercises without a dictionary f I do not need a dictionary, since I use only those words which I have learned in my method. Let us go and see that wind-mill. It is too fatiguing to ascend so high. I notice that you are a little lazy. Do you perceive that house yonder. Quelle belle table d’acajou ! Ma fille la veut à toute force. Voilà une voiture neuve à quatre chevaux. Voyez cet homme à la barbe grise. Je crois qu’il a perdu la tête. Il ne laisse pas d’être bien avare. Pour surcroît de malheur, dit-il, on lui a volé de l’argent. Ne vous adressez pas à lui pour emprunter de l’argent. Comment vous y prenez-vous pour faire vos thèmes sans dictionnaire ? Je n’ai pas besoin de diction- naire, puisqre je ne me sers que de mots que j’ai appris dans ma méthode. Allons voir ce moulin à vent. C’est trop fatigant de monter si haut. Je m’aperçois que vous êtes un peu paresseux. Apercevez-vous cette maison là- bas ? D. F. M. 29. 338 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. CONVERSATION. Avez-vous voyagé dans le nord de la France? Avez- vous remarqué quelles élégantes maisons de briques il y a? Y a-t-il des maisons de briques à Paris? Ne sont-ce pas généralement des maisons de pierre? Combien avez-vous payé votre montre à répétition? Est-elle de Genève? A qui est cette voiture à quatre chevaux? N’est-ce pas celle de l’ambassadeur d’Angle- terre? Conduisez-vous quand vous prenez votre voiture à deux roues? Pourquoi vous éloignez-vous de notre société? A qui pensez-vous qu’il faille m’adresser pour avoir une place pour mon petit-fils? Comment cette dame s’y prend-efle pour faire tant de choses en si peu de temps? Ne perd-elle pas la tête de temps en temps. 23. Are there wind-mills in your country? I don’t know; I never saw any; I think there are only water-mills. — Do they use two- wheeled carriages much? Yes; almost everybody has his own in the country town I live in. — Have you seen the lady with the yellow dress? Why do you ask? She is from my village. Whether she be (qu’elle soit) from your village or not (qu’elle n’en soit pas), I confess (avoue) that that has very little interest for me, as I do not know her. — Have you been able to get rid of that importunate man (importun)? He wished by all means that I should lend him two thousand francs; I had great trouble to make him understand that I not only could not lend him money, but, on the contrary, wanted to borrow some myself. — That poor man has lost his wits, I believe ; he owes so much that his creditors do not leave him anything; and for more bad luck, his eldest son has just lost his situation on account of his bad conduct. I pity him with all my heart; some people are born for bad luck (le malheur). — Did you notice the bad humor of Mrs. B. ? No, but I know she is not in good spirits every day. Cousin Deborah. Cousin Deborah was an old, unmarried lady\ who had no other property than a moderate life annuity^. The furniture^ of her house was faded and antique ; the linen was well darned ; MARRIAGE. 339 the plate was scanty'^, and worn thin'’ with use and frequent scouring^; the books were few", and in no very good condition. She had no jewels or trinkets®; her days were passed in a dreary state of tranquility — stitching^, stitching*^, stitching - forever with her beloved, huge work-box at her elbow That^^ wanted nothing, for it was abundantly fitted up^^ with worsted, cotton, tape buttons, bodkins needles, and such a multiplicity of reels and balls that to enumerate them would be a tedious task. Cousin Deborah particularly prided herself on her darning; carpet, house linen, stockings, all bore unim- peachable testimony to this branch of industry. ^ vieille fille ; ^ modeste rente annuelle ; ® ameublement ; ^ mes- quine ; ^ aminci ; ® nettoyage ; ‘ rares ; ® colifichets ; ^ à tirer l’ai- guille ; à la tirer encore; à la tirer toujours; immense; à son côté ; ^"^ce panier; ^’fourni; le ruban; ^^passe-lacets; pelotons ; fatigant ; irréprochables. TWENTY-FOURTH LESSON — Vingt-quatrième Leçon. The betrothed^ le fiancé. The betrothal^ les fiançailles. >^16 marriage A mariage. Matrimony, ) The bridegroom, le nouveau marié. The bride, la nouvelle mariée. The wedding, la noce. The groomsman, le garçon d’hon- neur. I have married my daughter to C. F. Paul has married the young widow M. Mr. H. and Miss G. are married. My sister is going to be married. The bridesmaid, la fille d’honneur. Wedding presents, la corbeille de mariage. To get married, se marier. To marry, se marier, se marier avec, épouser. A widower, un veuf. A widow, une veuve. A bachelor, un célibataire. J’ai marié ma fille avec C. F. Paul a épousé la jeune veuve M. [mariés. M. H. et Mademoiselle G. sont Ma sœur va se marier. 340 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. To move, to move away. We shall soon move. After the French fashion. I dress after the French fashion. To he silent, to hold one^s tongue. Be silent, or hold your tongue. Déménager. Nous déménagerons bientôt. A la française. Je m’habille à la française. Se taire. Taisez-vous. The present participle is not used so frequently in French as in English ; it is translated sometimes by a noun, sometimes by an infinitive; as: His coming rejoices us. A singing master. Reading good authors is instructive. Going too frequently to the theater is fatiguing. 1 saw you running. You have seen me swimming. I can not help weeping. To amuse one's self. To he in the way of some one. Willing or not willing. Sa venue nous réjouit. Un maître de chant. Lire les bons auteurs est in- structif. Aller trop souvent au théâtre est fatigant. Je vous ai vu courir. Vous m’avez vu nager. Je ne puis m’empêcher de pleu- rer. S’amuser. Gêner quelqu’un. Bon gré, mal gré. EXAMPLES. Arthur has married a cousin of mine. Whatever you may say or do, you will not prevent my marrying. The bishop married my sister. When I marry, I will invite you to the wedding. Arthur a épousé une de mes cousines. Vous avez beau dire et beau faire, vous ne m’empêcherez pas de me marier. L’évêque a marié ma sœur. Quand je me marierai, je vous inviterai à ma noce. MARRIAGE. 341 That widow is married to my cousin. Do you not intend to get married? No, I will remain a bachelor. Were you not to move ? Yes, but moving is expensive. You always dress after the English fashion. Hold your tongue; you speak too much. I have seen you drinking brandy. I can not help drinking it. That does not prevent her loving you. Did you amuse yourselves yester- day ? Most of those children are amusing themselves. Cette veuve est mariée avec mon cousin. N’avez-vous pas l’intention de vous marier. Non, je resterai vieux garçon. Ne deviez- vous pas déménager? Oui, mais déménager c’est coû- teux. Vous vous habillez toujours à l’anglaise. Taisez-vous; vous parlez trop. Je vous ai vu boire de l’eau- de-vie. Je ne puis m’empêcher d’en boire. Cela ne l’empêche pas de vous aimer. Vous êtes- vous amusés hier? La plupart de ces enfants s’amu- sent. CONVERSATION. Connaissez-vous les deux fiancés? Quand doivent-ils se marier? Avez-vous la corbeille de mariage? N’êtes-vous pas invité à la noce? Qui doit être le garçon d’honneur? Ne désirez-vous pas vous marier ? Pourriez-vous m’indiquer un bon maître de danse ? Pourquoi ce jeune anglais ne s’habille-t-il pas à la française? N’êtes-vous pas étonne que je vienne si tard? Ce garçon ne peut-il pas se taire? Ne peut-il pas s’empêcher de crier? Est-ce que je vous gêne? Votre père n’aime-t-il pas que vous alliez à l’opéra avec S.? Votre sœur a-t-elle un maître de chant ? 24. It is reported (dit) that Henry D. will marry Miss R. I have not heard of it. Miss R. is a good match (parti) ; besides her 342 BUFFET'S FF EN CH METHOD. being rich (qu’elle est), very rich, she is an accomplished young lady; she is gentle, well-informed (instruite), a good musician, of religious feeling (religieuse), and, what spoils (gâte) nothing, she is very pretty. Her betrothed is also an accomplished young man; he has been a partner with his father for a few months. I have been told that you will (vous allez) move; is it true? Yes, we are to move on the 15th of next month. — Where will you live? No. 118 Boulevard Haussmann. — Are you not pleased here? Yes, but we have not room enough (place). — How many bedrooms have you? We have only two, and we want twice as many. — How many persons can your dining-room hold (contenir)? About twelve. — There is a little boy who can’t stay still (tranquille). He is never quiet, and we can not prevent him from talking at random (à tort et à travers). — Charles, thou art not good; why art thou not obedient (obéis- sant) ? Thou laughest, but I speak in earnest (sérieusement) ; I tell thee (t’avertis) that, if thou dost not behave better, I will punish thee, and thou wilt not be my little friend any longer. I beg your pardon ; it is true, I have not been good, but I promise you (promets) that you shall be satisfied with me henceforth (dorénavant). The Traveler and the Humming-Bird^. A certain scholar ^ who had a taste for traveling after having gone over^ Europe, India Egypt, and China®, had just arrived in America. He was fatigued by such a walk (one would be so for less), and stopped in the shade of a cocoa-tree^, thinking of taking some rest there. But he was hardly in his first sleep, when he (qu’il) was roused from his sleep® by a singular buzz- ing^. The noise frightened him ; he hastily springs on his feet^®, seizes his gun, and keeps himself ready for any event At last, perceiving nothing, he determines on firing into the branches of the tree from which he believes he had heard the noise coming He then saw coming out from it a bird not larger than a May-bug whose wings reflected the colors of the rainbow^®. “How,” said he; “it is this mean fly^’ which made all that uproar^® just now!” “What art thou astonished MENTAL QUALITIES. 343 answered the humming-bird; ‘‘dost thou not know, that with birds as with men, the weakest and least to be feared is always he who makes most noise?” 1 colibri; ^ savant; ^le gout des voyages; ^parcouru; ^l’Inde; ® la Chine ; ^ cocotier ; ^ fut réveillé en sursaut ; ^ singulier bour- donnement; se lève en chancelant; événement; d’où ; partir; hanneton ; reflétaient ; l’arc-en-ciel ; chétif mou- cheron ; vacarme ; qu’y a-t-il donc là qui doive t’étonner ; chez; le plus faible. TWENTY-FIFTH LESSON — Vingt-cinquième Leçon. Virtues, vertus. Vices, vices. Faith, la foi. Hope, l’espérance. Charity, la charité. Hatred, la haine. Boldness, la hardiesse. Joy, la joie. Cowardice, la lâcheté. Gayety, mirth, la gaîté. Greediness, la gourmandise. Slander, la médisance. A remembrance, un souvenir. A lie, a falsehood, un mensonge. Carelessness, la nonchalance. Lightness, la légèreté. Lying, le mensonge. A liar, un menteur. Obedience, l’obéissance. Pride, l’orgueil. Proud, orgueilleux, fier. A scruple, un scrupule. To drive, to ride in a carriage. To ride, to go on horseback. To go on foot. To get on horseback. To be dear living. To be good living. To pass by a place. To recognize, to acknowledge. To agree to, to agree about. To agree. Aller en voiture. Aller à cheval. Aller à pied. Monter à cheval. Faire cher vivre. Faire bon vivre. Passer auprès d’un endroit. Reconnaître. Convenir de. S’accorder. That is to say {i. e.). C’est-à-dire. Skilfully, cleverly. Adroitement. 344 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. Awkwardly. At last, at length. So long as. On a small scale. On a large scale. Alternately, by turns. Slight figure. A masterpiece. At all events. Maladroitement. Enfin. Tant que. En petit. En grand. Tour à tour. Taille svelte. Un chef-d’œuvre. En tout cas. EXAMPLES. Faith, hope, and charity are called theological virtues. Greediness, cowardice, slander, and lying are vices. Lightness and carelessness are faults. 1 can not succeed in correcting that liar. You are very joyful to-day. So long as you are obedient, you will be loved. It is dear living in Paris. You go about it awkwardly. Jt is an undertaking on a large scale. At all events, I have lost nothing. You come at last. I passed by the market. Those children can not agree. We have agreed about the price. We shall drive to Saint Cloud. Read by turns. I acknowledge my error. La foi, Pespérance, et la charité sont appelées vertus théolo- gale«s. La gourmandise, la lâcheté, la médisance, et le mensonge sont des vices. La légèreté, et la nonchalance sont des défauts. Je ne puis parvenir à corriger ce menteur. Vous êtes bien joyeux aujourd’- hui. Tant que vous serez obéissant, on vous aimera. Il fait cher vivre à Paris. Vous vous y prenez maladroite- ment. C’est une entreprise en grand. En tout cas, je n’ai rien perdu. Enfin, vous voilà. J’ai passé près du marché. Ces enfants ne peuvent pas s’ac- corder. Nous sommes convenus du prix. N ous irons en voiture à St. Cloud. Lisez tour à tour. Je reconnais mon erreur. CONSCIENCE. 345 CONVERSATION. Avez-vous reconnu Anthony? Avez-vous jamais vu un tel menteur que K.? Combien de fois avez- vous été là? Avez-vous remarqué comme cet homme est orgueilleux? Cette peinture n’est-elle pas un chef-d’œuvre? Par qui est-elle? Appartient- elle aux héritiers du peintre? M. V. n’est-il pas accusé de lâcheté? 'Ne plaignez- vous pas Madame Z. pour l’orgueil de son mari? Pourquoi êtes-vous si gai aujourd’hui? N’avez-vous pas de scrupule de vous réjouir tant, pendant que votre sœur est si triste? N’avez-vous pas entrepris cette affaire trop en petit ? 25. It seems to me (il me semble) that you have a great hatred for that foreigner (étranger). Imagine (figurez-vous) that he has had the cowardice to give a slap to my little daughter, because she could not help laughing at his bad accent. They say he is very proud. I do not doubt it. I know that my daughter ought not to have laughed, but we excuse the lightness of children. Is it dear living in your country? No, every thing is cheap, except wine ; all the rest is cheaper than here. — Here we are at the twenty -fifth lesson ; do you begin to understand and speak ? I already know a great many words ; I understand almost all that is said to me. Yesterday I could translate to my father a long article in a French newspaper. I advise you to read French newspapers and books; hut use your dictionary, and look for the w^ords you don’t know; in that manner (de cette manière) you will learn the language well. What I need (ce qui me manque) is the opportunity of speaking. Do you not know any English in Paris? I only know a young man who has come to France to learn French, and who, consequently (par conséquent), wishes to speak only French. Did not your father intend to send you to England? Yes; but he can not do without me, because there is much to do in the house. Conscience. Nothing is more astonishing than the idea of God which we bear at the bottom' of our hearts. That incomprehensible idea 346 DUFFET^S FRENCH METHOD. makes ^ us like to God, notwithstanding our imperfections. But the wicked man^ tries to exaggerate to himself his meanness^ and nothingness ; to establish an immense disproportion be- tween God and him ; to become to himself a sort of divinity, by satisfying all his disorderly"' passions. We are delighted to attribute to God such a superiority, that, from that height 6, he deigns neither to observe us, nor to be interested about us, nor to reward, nor to punish us. But how is it possible " that he who makes our ears to hear, our eyes to see, our mind to know, can neither see, nor hear, nor know us? Vain efforts! Before doing evil, conscience reproaches us; after having done it, remorse agitates us. Conscience is the eye of God; remorse is his voice, which says to Cain, What hast thou done ? — Fénêlon. ^ au fond ; ^ rend ; ^ méchant ; bassesse ; ^ déréglées ; ^ hauteur ; ' mais comment done veut-on que. Miscellaneous Phrases — Phrases Mélangées. 1 . Many thanks. I am much obliged to you. You are very kind. You are really too kind. I must really beg you to excuse my indiscretion. I thank you for your kind attention. Do not mention it. Will you have the goodnessj or the kindness., to say to. ..f Will you do me the favor to come ? Bien des remerciements. Je vous suis bien obligé. Vous êtes bien bon, bonne. Vous êtes vraiment trop aimable. Je dois en vérité vous prier d’excuser mon indiscrétion. Je vous remercie de vos atten- tions. IN’en parlez pas, or, il n’y a pas de quoi. Voulez-vous avoir la bonté de dire à ... ? Voulez- vous me faire le plaisir de venir? Oserais je vous demander si vous irez ? May I ask you ivhether you will gof MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES, 347 I ask it of you as a favor. Can you oblige me with an umbrella? Permit me to ask you a question. I have another question to ask. 2 . Have you anything to say to me ? 1 have come to speak to you about that affair. Have you any more to say ? Do you approve of my conduct ? That is not the question. We only drank two bottles between us. I know it to a certainty. That is a matter of course. But you are improving. I should much like to stay, hut I am compelled to go. I introduce my eldest brother to you. Willingly ; but how ? I believe that you are ivrong. Have you any objection ? I have no objection to it. Do you feel inclined to run ? I must give it myself. As you please. Whenever you please. Je vous le demande comme une faveur. Pouvez-vous me prêter un para- pluie ? Permettez-moi de vous faire une question. J’ai encore une question à vous faire. Avez-vous quelque chose à me dire ? Je suis venu pour vous parler de cette affaire. Avez-vous quelque chose de plus à dire ? Approuvez-vous ma conduite ? Il ne s’agit pas de cela. Nous ne bûmes pas plus de deux bouteilles. Je le sais avec certitude. Cela va sans dire. Mais vous vous améliorez. Je voudrais bien rester, mais je suis forcé de partir. Je vous présente mon frère aîné. Volontiers; mais comment faire ? Je croirais que vous avez tort. Cela vous contrarierait-il ? Cela m’est indifférent, or, je ne m’y oppose pas. 3. Vous sentez-vous disposé à cou- rir? Il faut que je le donne moi- même. Comme il vous plaira. Quand il vous plaira. 348 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. As you think •proper. If it is agreeable to you. I decidedly wish it. Could you recommend me to Mr. H f Can you give me his address f There is nothing easier. It is a very easy matter. What is your advice f You should ask his advice. 4 You have been well advised. It is not advisable. What would you advise me to do f I was thinking of it. What are you thinking of? What do you think of him? I think he is a very agreeable man. Feiu people think so. What a misfortune! He lives in grand style. Can I rely on his promise? Bo not be uneasy about that. I ivlll not promise you. I am sorry to trouble you. I will not trouble you any f urther. 5 I do not wish to give you that trouble. We shall meet again to-morrow. If you like, I will call at your house. Comme vous le jugerez couve- nable. Si cela vous est agréable. Je le veux absolument. Pourriez-vous me recommander à M. H.? Pouvez-vous me donner son adresse ? Il n’y a rien de plus facile. C’est une chose bien facile. Quel est votre avis ? Vous devriez lui demander son avis. On vous a donné un fort bon conseil. On ne peut pas conseiller cela. Que me conseillez-vous de faire ? J’y pensais. A quoi pensez-vous? Que pensez-vous de lui? Je pense que c’est un homme très-agréable. Peu de gens pensent ainsi. Quel malheur ! Il a un grand train de maison. Puis-je me fier à sa promesse ? Ne vous en inquiétez pas. Je ne veux pas vous promettre. Je suis fâché de vous déranger. Je ne vous dérangerai plus. Je ne veux pas vous donner cette peine-là. Nous nous reverrons demain. Si vous voulez je passerai chez vous. MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES. 349 When ivill you calif I will call on you one of these days. I shall take the first opportunity. Indeed ! Come at any time, and you shall he welcome. When shall I see you again? You must come and, see me. 1 dine alone. Will you come and take tea with us on Saturday? I am delighted to see you. The more I know you, the more I like you. Quand passerez-vous? Je passerai chez vous un de ces jours. Je profiterai de la première oc- casion. Vraiment ! En quelque temps que vous veniez vous serez toujours bien reçu. Quand vous reverrai-je ? Il faut venir me voir. Je dîne seul. Voulez- vous venir prendre le thé avec nous samedi? Je suis enchanté de vous voir. Plus je vous connais, plus je vous aime. 6 . Do you recollect me? To the best of my recollection. I recollect it. I can not for the life of me. I do not quite remember. Take a seat. Be seated. Where do you come from? From ivhom do you come? That is nothing. Never mind. It ’s no matter. That is of no consequence. I agree ivith you. I do not exactly agree with you. Nor I either. That is nothing to me. Me reconnaissez-vous? Autant que je puis m’en sou- venir. Je me le rappelle. Je ne le peux pour tout au monde. Je ne me rappelle pas bien. Prenez un siège, or, asseyez- vous. Asseyez-vous. D’où venez-vous ? j De la part de qui venez-vous ? j- Cela ne fait rien. Je suis de votre avis. Je ne suis pas tout à fait d’ac- cord avec vous. Ni moi non plus. Ça ne me fait rien. 350 DUFFET^S FRENCH METHOD. It is all one. It is all the same to me. I do not think so. I have been to see Mrs. C. She is very amiable. Have you seen her lately? Who is that lady in that open carriage ? Nobody knows her. She is very ladylike. I know that gentleman by sight. What is his name? He is a very agreeable man. He is a very obliging person. We bowed to him. 8 He has just gone out. I knoiu him by sight. I will go and see him. I will just go and speak to him. There is a gentleman ivho has come to speak to you. Let him come in. I am quite alone. Leave me alone. I met him a little while ago. I am going to meet my sister. She is anxious to see you. Give my regards to your brother. My kind regards to your father^ if you please. C’est la même chose. Cela m’est égal. Je ne le pense pas. J’ai été voir Madame C. Elle est très-aimable. L’avez- vous vue depuis peu ? Quelle est cette dame dans cette voiture découverte ? Personne ne la connaît. Elle a un air très-distingué. Je connais ce monsieur de vue. Comment s’appelle-t-il ? C’est un homme très-agréable. Il est très obligeant. Nous l’avons salué. Il vient de sortir. Je le connais de vue. J’irai le voir. Je vais aller lui parler. Voici un monsieur qui est venu pour vous parler. Faites-le entrer. Je suis tout seul. Laissez-moi tranquille. Je l’ai rencontré il n’y a pas longtemps. Je vais au devant de ma sœur. Elle désire beaucoup vous voir. Faites mes amitiés à votre frère. Mes compliments à votre père, je vous prie. 9 . How old do you take me to be ? I am quite thirty. She is like you. Quel âge me donnez-vous ? J’ai trente ans accomplis. Elle vous ressemble. MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES. 351 I must go. I am off. Wait a minute. Wait a little. It is almost night. You must excuse me. You always say so. It is getting late. I will wait for you. I expect my father this evening. We have company to-day. I will tell you when I am ready. I am sorry to have kept you waiting. II faut que je m’en aille. Je m’en vais. Attendez une minute. Attendez un peu. Il est presque nuit. Il faut que vous m’excusiez. Vous dites toujours cela. Il se fait tard. Je vais vous attendre. J’attends mon père ce soir. Nous avons du monde aujour- d’hui. Je vous le dirai quand je serai prêt. Je suis fâché de vous avoir fait attendre. 10 . Go down stairs. Go up stairs. Take care you do not fall. Here is to-day's newspaper. Let me see, or, let us see. It is of little consequence to me ; I do not trouble myself about it. You must not feel offended. I do n't mind what people say. Do not disturb yourself. That is too bad. That can not be. It is as I tell you. What does that prove ? It appears to me. Descendez, or, allez en bas. Montez, or, allez en haut. Prenez garde de tomber. Voilà le journal d’aujourd’hui. Voyons un peu. Peu m’importe ; je ne m’en in- quiète pas. Il ne faut pas le prendre en mauvaise part. Je ne m’embarrasse pas de ce qu’on dit. Ne vous dérangez pas. C’est trop fort. Ca ne peut pas être. C’est comme je vous le dis. Qu’est-ce que cela prouve ? Il me paraît. 11 . As I am informed. A ce que j’apprends. It is no such thing. Il n’en est rien. 352 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, It is a shame. It is no great matter. It is a mistake. Are you sure of itf It is a false report. That is all stuff and nonsense. Go and open the door. Bolt the door. Lock the door. What a number of people ! There were very few people there. There is a great number of car^ riages. Some one knocks. Who is there f We must have a fire. Will you stir the firef What are you looking for ? He knows nothing about it. Have you found what you wanted? Have you succeeded? You should inquire about it. We must inquire. You had better inquire, I will inquire about it. I do not know what to think about it. I do not know ivhat to do. You have no right in it, I was not aware of that, I ask your pardon. I did not do it on purpose. It is to be regretted. Not the least in the world. C’est une honte. Ce n’est pas grand’chose. C’est une erreur, une faute. En êtes-vous sûre ? C’est un faux bruit. Tout cela c’est de la bêtise. Allez ouvrir la porte. Fermez la porte au verrou. Fermez la porte à clef. Que de gens ! Il y avait très-peu de monde. Voilà un grand nombre de voi- tures. On frappe (à la porte). Qui est-ce qui est là ? Il faut allumer le feu. 12 . Voulez-vous attiser le feu? Que cherchez-vous? , Il n’en sait rien. Avez-vous trouvé ce dont vous aviez besoin? Avez-vous réussi? Vous devriez vous en informer. Il faut que nous nous informions. Il vaut mieux demander. Je m’en informerai. Je ne sais qu’en penser. Je ne sais que faire. Vous n’y avez aucun droit. Je ne savais pas cela. Je vous demande pardon. Je ne l’ai pas fait exprès. 13 . C’est à regretter. Pas le moins du monde. MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES. 353 I am rather annoyed in Huit re- sped. You have no occasion to complain. That is the case. If that is the. case. That is the truth. I paid no attention to it. I will do all I can. I do not doubt it, or, I ham no doubt of it. I am cd your service. I will avail myself of your polite offer. I shall be at leisure to-morrow. I got up early this morning. The noise in the street prevented my sleeping. I am very sleepy. Je suis assez peiné à cet égard. Vous n’avez pas sujet de vous plaindre. C’est ainsi. S’il en est ainsi. Voilà la vérité. Je n’y ai fait aucune attention. Je ferai tout mon possible. Je n’en doute pas. Vous pouvez disposer de moi. Je profiterai de votre ofîre obli- geante. Je serai libre demain. Je me suis levé de bonne heure ce matin. Le bruit de la rue m’a empêché de dormir. J’ai grande envie de dormir. 14. He is asleep. 1 have not seen him these three days. Is it a long time since ? He does all in his power. That is cdl you can e.rpect. Have those gentlemen arrived, f We expect them. They have invited me to go and see them. I am at leisure, or, I have time. Were I in your place, or, if I were in your place. That w'ill be better. Money answers all purposes. I ivould not do it for anything. II dort. Il y a trois jours que je ne l’ai vu. Y a-t-il longtemps ? Il fait tout ce qu’il peut. C’est tout ce que vous pouvez attendre. Ces messieurs sont-ils arrivés ? Nous les attendons. Elles m’ont invité à aller les voir. J’ai le temps. Si j’étais à votre place. Ce sera mieux. L’argent sert à tout. Je ne le ferais pas pour tout l’or du monde. D. F. M. 30. 354 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. There is a time for every thing. That is nothing. I know nothing about it. I did not say that. What is the use of thatf Where shall I put it ? Are you in earnest f I believe so, I believe not. As you ought to do. What pains you take ! I am not a good, judge. You may depend upon it. I have been told that you sent for me. What are you laughing at f As occasion shall offer. Translate that word for word. Repeat what I said. With all my heart. Did I pronounce well. Is your father up stairs f I think he is in the court-yard. I saw him go out. Just now (for the past), presently. Let us take a short walk. Let us walk faster. I want a steel pen. I make a great many mistakes. Speak louder — lower. You read too fast. What ! is it you f When will you set out again f II faut que chaque chose soit faite à temps. 15 . Ce n’est rien. Je n’en sais rien. Je n’ai pas dit cela. A quoi cela sert-il ? Où faut-il que je le mette ? Parlez-vous sérieusement ? Je crois que oui — que non. Comme vous devez faire. Que de peines vous prenez ! Je ne suis pas bon juge. Vous pouvez y compter. On m’a dit que vous m'aviez envoyé chercher. De quoi riez- vous ? Comme l’occasion s’en pré- sentera. 16 . Traduisez cela mot à mot. Répétez ce que j’ai dit. De tout mon cœur. Ai-je bien prononcé ? Votre père est-il en haut ? Je crois qu’il est dans la cour. Je l’ai vu sortir. Tout-à-l’heure. Faisons un tour de promenade. Marchons plus vite. J’ai besoin d’une plume mé- tallique. Je fais bien des fautes. Parlez plus haut — plus bas. Vous lisez trop vite. 17 . Quoi! est-ce vous? Quand repartirez-vous? MISCELLANEO US PHRASES. 355 There, it is striking two. I am going to the post-office. Let us go this way — that way. The weather is very changeable. Write straight. Make haste. Do nH run so fast. It is very slippery. Take care. Seal the letter. Direct it. Take it to the post-office. It is not post-paid. Pay the postage. Voilà deux heures qui sonnent. Je vais à la poste. Allons par ici — par là. Le temps est très-variable. Ecrivez droit. Dépêchez-vous. Ne courez pas si vite. Il fait bien glissant. Prenez garde. Cachetez la lettre. Mettez-y l’adresse. Portez-là à la poste. Elle n’est pas affranchie. Affranchissez-la. 18. I shall not go there this year. Nor shall I. What part of the town do you live inf I prefer Paris to London. So do I. What play do they perform f Do the performers act well f Taste these apricots. Everybody likes them. I donH. Have you seen my pictures f Get out of the light, if you please. This room is rather dark. Bring a light. This pen is too hard. Je n’irai pas cette année. Ni moi non plus. Dans quel quartier demeurez- vous ? Je préfère Paris à Londres. Et moi aussi. Quelle pièce joue-t-on ? Les acteurs jouent-ils bien? Goûtez ces abricots. Tout le monde les aime. Pas moi. Avez-vous vu mes tableaux ? Otez-vous de mon jour, s’il vous plaît. Cette chambre est un peu ob- scure. Apportez de la lumière. Cette plume est trop dure. How do you like my room f Do you like that luine f I like it very much. 19. ♦Comment trouvez-vous ma cham- bre ? Trouvez-vous ce vin bon ? Je le trouve excellent. 356 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD, That coat Jits you very well. Black becomes you. The sleeves are too tight. The heat is suffocating. To-day, It is very close, or sultry. We shall have a storm. Stop, coachman ; I want to get out. Is your toothache gone f Yes, I feel no more pain. Bo you want any blotting-paper f My son obtained two prizes. Who is there ? It is I; it is he . Do me that favor. Do what I tell you. Where do you come from f I have just been for a walk. Please to sit down, I have ordered a cake. Bring me the newspaper. There is yesterday's paper. Here is a piece of good news. Do you know the particulars f Somebody calls you. Go and see who it is. Where shall you spend your holi- days ? I shall spend them in the country. Come along. Get habit vous va très-bien. Le noir vous sied bien. Les manches sont trop étroites. Il fait une chaleur étouffante. Aujourd’hui. Il fait un temps bien lourd. Nous aurons de l’orage. Arrêtez, cocher; je veux des- cendre. Votre mal de dents est-il passé? Oui, je ne souffre plus. Vous faut-il du papier buvard? Mon fils a remporté deux prix. Qui est là ? C’est moi ; c’est lui . . , 20 . Faites-moi ce plaisir. Faites ce que je vous dis. D’où venez-vous ? J e viens de la promenade. Donnez-vous la peine de vous asseoir. J’ai commandé un gâteau. Apportez-moi le journal. Voilà le journal d’hier. Voilà une bonne nouvelle. En savez- vous les détails ? On vous appelle. Allez voir qui c’est. Où passerez-vous vos vacances ? J e les passerai à la campagne. Venez donc. 21 . Have you seen all the curiosities of this town ? No ; but I have seen, for instance, the Tower of London. Avez-vous vu toutes les curiosi- tés de cette ville ? Non; mais j’ai vu, par exemple, la tour de Londres. MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES, 357 I do not like that man. Nor do I, He is so conceited. He has too good an opinion of him- self. What is he f He is an architect. Do you attend any lectures f Does this hour suit you f Bring my spectacles. Our piano is out of tune. You should have it tuned. Do you play the piano f Je n’aime point cet hormne-la. Ni moi non plus. II est si prétentieux. Il a trop bonne opinion de lui- même. Qu’est-il ? Il est architecte. Suivez- vous des cours ? Cette heure vous convient-elle ? Cherchez mes lunettes. Notre piano n’est pas d’accord. Vous devriez le faire accorder Jouez-vous du piano ? 22 . How do you like the words of this song f They are very pretty. I do not like that color; it is too gaudy. You are joking ; it is dark. Remember me to Mr, J. How do you like this dish f I like it very much, I am very glad it is to your taste. Give my kind regards to Mr, F, I will not fail. What is the name of that professor f Has he a great deal to do f He has. Comment trouvez-vous les pa- roles de cette chanson P Elles sont fort jolies. Cette couleur ne me plaît pas; elle est trop voyante. Vous plaisantez; elle est foncée. Rappelez-moi au souvenir de M. J. Comment trouvez-vous ce plat ? Je le trouve fort bon. Je suis bien aise qu’il soit de votre goût. Faites mes amitiés à M. F. Je n’y manquerai pas. Comment s’appelle ce profes- seur ? Est-il très-occupé ? Oui. The fire is going out. Stir it. Where is the poker ? Give me the tongs. 23 . Le feu va s’éteindre. Attisez-le. Où est le fourgon ? Donnez-moi les pincettes. 358 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. You have let it go out. It was not my fault. My shoes hurt me. They will get wider by wearing. The soles are not thick enough. That bread looks nice. What is the day of the month f Which stuff have you chosen ? This color suits you very well. Tell him to wait. I am engaged at present. Vous l’avez laissé s’éteindre. Ce n’était pas ma faute. Mes souliers me blessent. Ils s’élargiront en les portant. Les semelles ne sont pas assez épaisses. Ce pain a l’air bon. Quel quantième du mois avons- nous ? Quelle étoffe avez-vous choisie ? Cette couleur vous sied très-bien. Dites-lui d’attendre. Je suis occupé maintenant. 24. Your dictation is full of errors. Will you be good enough to correct it? Write that out again. You are improving in French. Charles is coming down directly. It is daylight ; let us get up. It has rained all night. Show me your drawings. That is well done. That is done in a hurry. You have a good drawing-master. He teaches very well. He is a distinguished artist. Behave well. Always obey your master. Votre dictée est pleine de fautes. Voulez- vous bien la corriger? Recopiez-moi cela. Vous faites des progrès en fran- çais. Charles va descendre tout-à- l’heure. Il fait jour; levons-nous. Il a plu toute la nuit. Montrez-moi vos dessins. C’est bien fait. C’est fait à la hâte. Vous avez un bon maître. Il enseigne très-bien. C’est un artiste distingué. Conduisez-vous bien. Obéissez toujours à votre maître. 25 . The project of a journey. What do you intend doing next shimmer ? I have a great mind to go to London. Projet de voyage. Que comptez-vous faire l’été pro- chain ? J’ai bien envie d’aller visiter Londres. MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES. 369 Shall you stay there long f Three weeks, or a month at the farthest. Will you come with me f Well, I conclude to go with you. When shall we start f Let us set out next Thursday. Agreed. We shall pass through Dover in going, and we shall return by Havre. Shall we stop on the journey ? I think we had better go direct to London, As you like. Y resterez-vous longtemps ? Trois semaines, ou un mois tout au plus. Voulez-vous venir avec moi? Allons, je me décide à partir avec vous. Quand partons-nous? Partons jeudi prochain. C’est convenu, entendu. Nous passerons par Douvres en allant, et nous reviendrons par le Havre. Nous arrêterons-nous en route? Je crois que nous ferons mieux d’aller droit à Londres. Comme vous voudrez. The eve of departure. You are going to leave us, then ? You set offf I set out to-morrow morning. Have you packed, your trunks f They are ready. Ido not take much baggage, because it is very cumbersome. Yes, certainly; especially when one makes a long journey. I want a padlock for my carpet- bag. Is there a lock on your portman- teau f Yes ; her., is the key. I wish you much enjoyment. 26. La veille du départ. Vous allez donc nous quitter? Vous partez? Je pars demain matin. Avez-vous fait vos malles ? Elles sont prêtes. Je prends peu de bagage, parce que c’est fort embarrassant. Oui, vraiment ; surtout quand on fait un long voyage. Il me faut un cadenas pour mon sac de nuit. Y a-t-il une serrure à votre valise ? Oui ; voilà la clef. Je vous souhaite beaucoup de plaisir. 27 . Une rencontre. Quel heureux hasard de vous rencontrer ici ! A meeting. How lucky to meet you here ! 360 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, Whence do you come ? Where are you going? 1 arrived this morning in the steam- boat. Had you a good passage f Pretty good; the sea was rather rough. I have been sick; to tell you the truths I am a very bad sailor. The passage has been rather rough, but it is over. Where do you lodge ? Two steps from here; come to my house. Willingly. I follow you. I have half an hour to spend with you. Then let us make haste. D’où venez-vous P Où allez- vous? Je suis arrivé ce matin par le bateau à vapeur. Avez-vous eu un bon passage ? Assez bon; la mer était un peu agitée. J’ai été malade ; à vous dire la vérité, je suis très-mauvais marin. La traversée a été un peu rude, mais c’est passé. Où logez-vous ? A deux pas d’ici; venez chez moi. Volontiers. Je vous suis. J’ai une demi-heure à vous don- ner. Alors, dépêchons-nous. 28 . At the post-office. I expect letters from London. I am going to inquire at the post- office if there is anything for me. The post-office is at the end of this street. The third house on the left. The fourth gate on the right. At the bottom of the court. Have you any letters for Mr. S. ? You must ask at the post-office. The office is opposite to this, I am much obliged to you. We expect the courier. A la poste. J’attends des lettres de Londres. J e vais m’informer à la poste s’il y en a pour moi. La poste est au bout de cette rue. La troisième maison à gauche. La quatrième porte cochère à droite. Au fond de la cour. Avez-vous des lettres pour M. S. ? Il faut vous adresser à la poste restante. Le bureau est en face de celui-ci. Je vous suis bien obligé. Nous attendons le courrier. MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES. 361 I will return to-morrow morning. Je reviendrai demain matin. Very well, sir. Très-bien, monsieur. London, What an immense city London is ! The city itself is not very large. Which do you consider your finest street f I should say Regent street. Have you seen the Houses of Par- liament f Yes, and Westminster Abbey, too. What is that tower ? It is the Victoria Tower, Let us go and see Buckingham Palace. It is not very imposing. How many public parks are there in London f Six : Green Park, Hyde Park, Saint James's Park, Regent's Park, Kensington Park, and Victoria Park. Here ive are in Saint Paul's church- yard. It is, indeed, a magnificent structure. 29 . Londres. Quelle ville immense est Lon- dres ! La cité elle-même n’est pas très- étendue. Laquelle de vos rues pensez-vous être la plus belle ? Je pense que c’est Regent street. Avez-vous vu le palais du Parle- ment ? Oui, et l’abbaye de Westminster, aussi. Quelle est cette tour ? C’est la tour Victoria. Allons voir le palais de Bucking- ham. Son aspect n’est pas bien impo- sant. Combien de parcs publics y a-t-il à Londres ? Six: Green Park, Hyde Park Saint James’s Park, Regent’s Park, Kensington Park, et Victoria Park. Nous voici à la place de la ca- thédrale de Saint Paul. C’est vraiment un monument magnifique. 30 . What do you ask for this ? It is too dear. It is the usual price. I hardly gain any thing by it. Can you not let me have it lower ? Combien ceci? C’est trop cher. C’est le prix ordinaire. Je ne gagne presque rien dessus. Vous ne pouvez pas me le donner à moins ? D. F. M. 31. 362 BUFFET \S FRENCH METHOD. Let us split the difference. What is the price of this walking- stick f What is the price of that f How much are these peaches f How much is this a yard f How much is it a pound f What do you call these f Where does this road lead to f Which is the shortest ivay to the opera f Partageons la différence. Combien vendez-vous cette canne ? Quel est le prix de cela P Combien ces pêches ? Combien vendez-vous ceci le mètre ? Combien la livre ? Comment appelez-vous cela ? Où conduit ce chemin ? Quel est le plus court chemin pour aller à l’opéra? Selections. 1 . Sobriété. Un des rois de Perse envoya au Calife Mustapha, un très- habile^ médecin, qui, en arrivant, demanda quelle était la manière 2 de vivre à cette cour^. On lui répondit qu’on man- geait quand on avait faim, et qu’on ne satisfaisait jamais en- tièrement son appétit. ‘‘Je me retire,” dit-il; “il n’y a rien à faire ici.” ^ skilful; ^ style ; ^ court. 2 . Affection Conjugale. Les médecins déclarèrent au fils de Guillaume le Conquérant, Eobert, qui avait été blessé par une flèche empoisonnée \ qu’il ne pourrait se guérir qu’en faisant sucer la blessure au plus vite^. “Alors je veux mourir,” dit-il; “je ne serai jamais assez cruel pour permettre à qui que ce soit d’exposer sa vie pour moi.” Pendant son sommeil la princesse Sybille, sa femme, suça la blessure, et perdit la vie en sauvant celle de son mari. ' poisoned arrow ; ^ by causing the wound to be speedily sucked. SELECTIONS, 363 3 . Opinion de Jefferson sur le Peuple Français, Je ne puis quitter ce grand et bon pays sans exprimer mon opinion 1 sur la supériorité ^ de son caractère parmi toutes les nations de la terre. Je n’ai jamais connu de gens plus bien- veillants, ni ayant plus de chaleur et de dévouement dans leurs amitiés choisies. Leur bonté pour les étrangers est incompara- ble ^ et l’hospitalité de Paris surpasse ^ tout ce que j’avais imaginé de praticable dans une grande cité. Leurs capacités, aussi, dans les sciences, le caractère^ communicatif de leurs savants^, la politesse, la facilité, et la vivacité de leur conversa- tion, donne un charme à leur société qu’on ne trouve nulle part ailleurs. Dans une comparaison avec les autres peuples, nous pouvons donner un aperçu de leur primauté, ce qui fut dit au sujet de Thémistocle après la bataille de Salamis. Chaque gén- éral vota pour lui-même la première récompense de valeur, et la seconde pour Thémistocle. Ainsi si on demandait à un voyageur de quelque pays que ce fût: “Dans quel ]Kiys sur la terre préféreriez- vous vivre?” “Certainement dans le mien, où sont tous mes amis, mes parents, et les plus douces affections et les souvenirs de mon enfance et de toute ma vie.” “Quel serait votre second choix?” “La France.” ^ sense; its pre-eminence ; ^unparalled; ^ is beyond; ^dispositions; ® scientific men. 4 . Le Philosophe Vaincu}, Un savant philosophe étant très-occupé dans son cabinet^, une petite fille vint lui demander du feu. “ Mais,” dit le docteur, “vous n’avez rien pour le mettre^; ” et comme il allait chercher quelque chose pour cet objet'*, la petite fille se baissa^ vers l’âtre^, et prenant des cendres^ froides dans une main, elle mit dessus avec l’autre main de la braise allumée^. Le docteur étonné jeta ses livres par terre, disant: “Avec tout mon savoir^, je n’aurais jamais trouvé cet expédient.” * the philosopher outdone; study ; ^to take it in; ^purpose; ^stooped down; ^ at the fire-place; ashes; ^ burning embers ; ^ my learning. 364 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, 5. Le Page. Fréderic-le-Grand ayant un jour sonné, et s’apercevant que personne ne venait, ouvrit la porte de l’antichambre, et trouva son page endormi sur une chaise. En allant le réveiller, il vit un papier écrit qui pendait hors de sa poche. Cela excita la curiosité et l’attention du roi ; il le retira, et vit que c’était une lettre de la mère du page, dans laquelle {wherein) elle remerciait son fils pour sa bonne assistance en lui envoyant une partie de ses gages ^ ; car le ciel disait-elle, le récompenserait certaine- ment, s’il continuait à servir fidèlement sa majesté. Le roi alla immédiatement chercher un rouleau^ de ducats et le glissa avec la lettre dans la poche du page. Bientôt après, il sonna, et réveilla le page, qui parut devant lui. Le garçon bégaya^ une partie d’excuse, et une partie de confession, et mettant la main dans sa poche, il trouva, à sa grande surprise, le rouleau de ducats. Il le sortit de sa poche pâle et tremblant, et in- capable d’articuler une syllabe. Qu’y a-t-il ? ” dit le- roi. ‘‘ Hélas, votre Majesté ! ” dit le page, en tombant à genoux, “ ma ruine est projetée”. Je ne sais rien de cet argent.” ‘^Sachez,” dit le roi, que quand ^ la fortune vient, elle vient en dormant; vous pouvez envoyer cela à votre mère, avec mes compliments, et l’assurer que j’aurai soin^ de vous.” ^ wages; ^for heaven; ^roll; ^slipped; ^stammered; ^he drew it out; ’^intended; ^whenever; ^ provide for you. 6 . Manière de Demander un Sou^. On a souvent dit que les membres de la Société des Amis possèdent dès leur jeunesse une part plus qu’ordinaire de finesse d’esprit". Le fait suivant peut servir de preuve à cette assertion. Il y a quelque temps M. N., très-respectable fondeur^ de Bir- mingham, découvrit que son fils, garçon de cinq ans, avait l’habitude ^ de demander aux messieurs qui venaient à la maison, de lui donner de l’argent ; et immédiatement il lui fit promettre de ne plus réitérer cette demande-^. Le lendemain M. H., l’associé de son père, vint faire une visite^, et le garçon SELECTIONS. 365 éluda de violer" la promesse, en disant: ‘‘Mon ami, connais-tu quelquMn qui voudrait me prêter un penny, et ne pas me le redemander^.” ^ liow to ask for a penny ; ^ acuteness ; ^ iron-founder ; ^ was accus- tomed; '^extorted a promise ^ he would not do so again; ^called; 'evaded a breach of promise ; ^ not require it of me again, 7. Priere cLun Enfant Une petite fille, âgée de cinq ans, avait une égale affection pour sa mère et pour sa grand’mère. Au jour de naissance de celle-ci^, sa mère lui dit: “Ma chère enfant, il vous faut prier Dieu de bénir (or, qu’il bénisse) ^ votre grand ’maman et qu’elle devienne très-vieille'^'.” L’enfant regarda avec quelque surprise sa mère, qui s’en apercevront, dit: “ Eh bien, ne voulez-vous pas prier Dieu qu’il bénisse votre grand’mainan, et qu’elle devienne très-vieille?” “Ah, maman!” dit l’enfant, “elle est déjà très- vieille, je prierai plutôt pour qu’elle devienne jeune.” ^ the latter; ^ to bless; ^that she may become very old, 8 . La Fille de Robert Un garde-chasse^ nommé Eobert, résidant dans une maison solitaire près de W., était un jour allé à l’église avec sa famille, laissant à la maison une fille âgée de seize ans. Il n’y av'ait pas longtemps qu’ils étaient partis (gone) quand un vieillard, à demi- inort de froid, apparut à la porte. Touchée de sa situation, la jeune fille le fit entrer et alla à la cuisine pour lui préparer de la soupe. A travers une fenêtre qui communiquait avec la chambre dans laquelle elle l’av^ait laissé, elle s’aperçut qu’il av^ait laissé tomber 2 la barbe qu’il portait en entrant (uLen he entered) , et qu’il paraissait alors (now) un homme robuste, et marchait dans^ la chambre avec un poignard à la main. Ne voyant'^ aucun moyen d’échapper (of escape)^ elle, s’arma d’un couperet^ d’une main, prit la soupe bouillante de l’autre, et entrant dans la chambre où il était, elle lui jeta d’abord la soupe 366 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. à la figure, puis le frappa sur le cou avec la hachette \ ce qui rétendit par terre insensible. A ce moment, on frappa de nouveau à la porte, la jeune fille regarda par une fenêtre du haut, et vit un étrange chasseur, qui voulait absolument entrer {demanfied admittance), et qui, sur son refus, menaça d’enfoncer^ la porte. Elle prit aussitôt le fusil de sou père, et comme il continuait (was proceeding) à mettre sa menace à exécution, elle tira sur lui et lui perça l’épaule gauche^, sur quoi il se retira^ dans la forêt. Une demi-heure après, une troisième personne vint et demanda après un vieillard qui devait avoir passé par là^. La jeune fille dit qu’elle ne l’avait pas vu; ayant par des menaces inutiles essayé de la gagner pour qu’elle l’ouvrît, il se disposait à enfoncer la porte, lorsqu’elle tira sur lui et le tua raide Sentant s’afiaiblir le courage qui l’avait animée jusque là^^, notre héroïne se mit à tirer des coups de fusil par les fenêtres et à crier jusqu’à ce qu’enfin quelques personnes furent attirées à la maison ; mais rien ne put la décider (induce) à ouvrir la porte jusqu’au retour de la famille de l’église. ^game-keeper; ‘^dropped; Spacing ; ^finding no mode; ^chopper; ® break open ; 7 shot him through the left shoulder ; ^ made his way hack to ; ^ that way ; threats ; endeavored ; to prevail upon her ; ^ shot him dead on the spot ; the incitements to her courage being now at an end, her spirits began to sink ; she fired and screamed, 9. Uetrange Nageur^. En Mars mil huit cent seize (1816), un âne appartenant au Capitaine Dundas, E. N., alors à Malte, fut embarqué^ sur le Ister, Capitaine Forrest, partant'^ de Gibraltar pour cette île. Le vaisseau (ship) alla frapper^ sur un banc de sable ^ audelà^ de la Pointe de Gaëte, et on jeta l’âne à la mer^ dans l’espoir qu’il pourrait peut-être (possibly) nager jusqu’à terre (to land), ce qui cependant paraissait promettre peu de chance, car la mer était si haute, qu’un bateau qui avait quitté le vaisseau fut perdu. Quelques jours après, quand on ouvrit les portes® le matin, les gardiens furent surpris par Vaillant (ainsi nommait-on l’âne) SELECTIONS. 367 qui se présentait pour entrer. En entrant, il se rendit^ de suite à l’écurie qu’il avait occupée autrefois, et qui appartenait à M. Weeks, négociant. Le pauvre animal avait non seulement nagé sauf jusqu’au rivage mais encore sans guide, sans boussole ni carte de voyage, il avait trouvé son chemin de la Pointe de Gaëte à Gibraltar, distance de plus de deux cents milles, et cela à travers un pays montagneux, embarrassé et entrecoupé de courants qu’il n’avait jamais traversés auparavant, et en un espace de temps si court qu’il ne pouvait avoir fait un seul détour ^swimmer; shipped ; ^ hound; ^struck on; ^ some sands ; ^off; ^ overboard ; ® the gates ; '^proceeded ; stable; shore ; compass ; intricate ; ^"^intersected; streams ; short a period of time; one false turn, 10 . La Fuite^ Heureuse. Une dame avait un oiseau apprivoisé^ qu’elle laissait tous les jours sortir de sa cage. Un matin qu’il becquetait^ des miettes^ qui étaient sur. le tapis, son chat qui avait toujours été l’ami de l’oiseau, le saisit tout à coup, et, le prenant dans sa gueule^, il sauta sur la table. La dame commençait à s’alarmer sur le sort^ de son favori; mais en se retournapt, elle vit bientôt pourquoi le chat s’en était emparé: on avait laissé la porte ouverte, et un autre chat s’était introduit dans la chambre. Après qu’elle l’en eut chassé Minet descendit de sa retraite, et vint déposer l’oiseau sur le tapis sans lui avoir fait le moindre mal. ^escape; ^tame; ^picking up; ^crumbs; ^her mouth; ^fate; ’^turned out. 11 . Les Gages d\n Roi. Dans un de ses voyages, Louis XI., roi de France, entrant incognito dans la cuisine d’une auberge, y remarqua un jeune garçon^ qui tournait une broche Il lui demanda son nom et 368 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. ce qu’il était. Le garçon lui répondit trés-ingônûment^, qu’il s’appelait Berringer; qu’il n’était pas elfectivement^ un très- grand homme, mais que néanmoins il gagnait autant que le roi de France. “Et que gagne donc le roi de France, mon ami?” dit Louis. “Ses gages, qu’il tient de Dieu; et moi, je gagne les miens que je tiens du roi.” Louis XI. fut si satisfait de cette réponse, qu’il emmena ce garçon, et l’attacha à son service ^ lad ; ^ spit ; ^ with great simplicity ; ^ indeed ; gave him a situation to attend on his person. 12 . Danger de la Désobéissance. Dans un délicieux^ village des bords de la rivière Medway, était située la maison de M. Williams. Il n’avait pas d’enfants, mais il avait adopté^ Thomas, un des fils de son frère. Près de la maison de M. Williams, demeurait un gentilhomme qui avait un fils à peu près du même age que Thomas ; ce voisinage les rendit bientôt amis intimes; ils passaient ensemble presque tous leurs moments de loisir^. Le jardin de M. Williams s’étendait jusqu’au bord de la rivière, où il y avait un petit bateau, dans lequel lui et ses amis faisaient souvent de petites promenades; mais sachant le danger auquel ce bateau pouvait exposer son neveu, M. W. lui enjoignit* l’ordre de n’y jamais entrer à son 'insu ^ Pendant quelque temps Thomas se conforma^ aux ordres qu’il avait reçus; mais les instances^ de son ami l’emportèrent à la fin, et un jour ils sautèrent tous deux dans le bateau. D’abord, ils ne firent qu’agiter^ les rames; mais y trouvant du plaisir, ils détachèrent^ bientôt la chaîne, et le bateau se trouva emporté par la rapidité du courant. Ils essayèrent en vain de l’arrêter, et tous les deux commencèrent à s’effrayér, et à se repentir de leur imprudence. Ils avaient été ainsi violemment emportés à plus d’un mille, lorsqu’un bachot vint à leur secours. En voyant leur détresse, les hommes qui le mon- taient^^, s’informèrent à qui le bateau appartenait. ^pleasant; ^Jiad taken ; ^play-hours ; ^ gave him strictest w junctions ; ^icithout his knowledge; ^maintained; '^entreaties; ^paddled a little SELECTIONS. 369 away with the oars ; ^ slipped ; was hurried along ; wherry ; the men in it, 13. Lorsqu’ils en furent informés, comme ils remontaient la rivière, ils attachèrent le ])ateau à leur ba(.*hot, et le tirèrent ou le re- morquèrent ainsi', jusqu’à ce qu’ils arrivèrent^ au jardin de M. W. Avec quelle joie Thomas se vit-il hors de danger^! Après avoir remercié ces hommes pour leur secours, lui et son camarade entrèrent au pavillon 4 où ils restèrent quelque temps, puis Charles prit congé de son ami. Des affaires importantes exigeaient'" alors toute l’attention de M. Williams; il ne remarqua pas le malaise ^ que trahissait ^ la physionomie ^ de son neveu. Quinze jours après, Thomas alla dîner chez Charles, et dans l’après-midi ils se décidèrent"' à faire une longue promenade. Ils avaient à peine parcouru'^ un mille, qu’ils s’assirent pour se reposer à l’ombre'^ d’une petite haie, qui formait la clôture'^ du jardin d’une charmante petite chaumière Il faisait extrême- ment chaud; ils mouraient de soif; ils cherchaient de tous côtés où ils pourraient se désaltérer'^, quand ils aperçurent un arbre chargé de belles cerises. Charles proposa de passer par-dessus la haie pour aller en cueillir'^; Thomas s’y opposa'® comme à une action déshonnête'^, mais la rhétorique de son ami dis- sipa bientôt ses scrupules, et ils se glissèrent^' tous deux dans le jardin. ^ towed it along; ^came; ^ in safety; ^summer-house; ^ took leave; ® require ; ^ uneasiness ; ® showed ; ^ countenance ; proposed ; " pro- ceeded; under; fence; neat little cottage; to allay their thirst; laden; gather ; objected to it; dishonest; removed; crept softly. 14. Ils regardèrent autour d’eux pour voir s’ils étaient observes; ne découvrant personne, ils se mirent à se régaler' de cerises, et, non contents d’en avoir tant mangé, ils en remplirent leurs chapeaux et leurs n^ouchoirs. Ils se disposaient à partir, quand le bruit ^ de quelques pas^ leur fit peur. Ils sautèrent précipitam- ment ^ tous deux par-dessus la haie, et Charles disparut^ à l’in- stant. Thomas retourna chez son oncle et ne tarda pas à tomber 370 DUFFET^S FRENCH METHOD, extrêmement malade®, et quoiqu’il guérit à la fin", il languit quelque temps dans d’affreuses^ soufirances. Charles, dans sa chute, reçut, à la hanche un coup dont il ne put jamais être entièrement guéri. ^ they began to revel ; ^ sound ; ^footsteps; hastily ; ® was out of sight; ® began to feel extremely ,ill ; ^finally ; ^ dreadful ; ^ hip, 15. Le Voleur de Grand Chemin^. Un jeune garçon ayant vendu une vache à la foire ^ de H. fut à son retour guetté^ par un voleur de grand chemin, qui, à un endroit propice lui demanda la bourse. A cette demande®, le garçon s’enfuit à toutes jambes®; mais, rattrapé' par le voleur, il tira de l’argent de sa poche, le jeta çà et lèU, et pendant que le voleur le ramassait, il sauta sur le cheval, et retourna chez lui^. En cherchant dans les arçons^®, il y trouva douze livres en argent et deux pistolets chargés ^highwayman; ^fair; ^waylaid; ^convenient; ^ on this ; ^ took to his heels and ran away; "^overtaken; ^ strewed it about ; ^ rode home; saddle-bags ; ^ ^ loaded pistols, 16. Le Cœur d^une Mere, Après la mort de son mari, qui lui avait laissé douze enfants, Cornôlie, l’illustre mère des Gracques, se voua' au soin de sa famille, avec une sagesse et une prudence qui lui acquirent l’estime universelle. Trois seulement sur^ les douze vécurent jusqu’à l’âge ^ de maturité: une fille, Sempronie, qu’elle maria avec le second Scipion Africain, et deux fils, Tibère et Caïus, qu’elle éleva ^ avec tant de soin, que, quoiqu’on reconnût® gé- néralement qu’ils étaient nés avec les plus heureuses dispositions, on jugea qu’ils étaient encore plus redevables® à l’éducation qu’à la nature. La réponse qu’elle fit^ à leur sujet ^ à une dame de Campanie est très-fameuse, et renferme® en soi une grande instruction pour les femmes et les mères. Cette dame, qui était très-riche, et aimait la pompe et l’éclat '®, après avoir, dans une visite qu’elle lui faisait, étalé ses diamants. SELECTIONS. 371 ses perles, et ses bijoux les plus riches, pria instamment Cornélie de lui montrer aussi ses joyaux. Celle-ci tourna adroitement^^ la conversation sur un autre sujet, pour attendre le retour de ses fils, qui étaient allés aux écoles publiques. Quand ils revinrent, et qu’ils entrèrent dans l’appartement de leur mère, elle dit à la dame, en les montrant: “Voilà mes bijoux, et les seuls ornements que j’estime Et de tels ornements, qui sont la force et le soutien de la société, ajou- tent un plus beau lustre à la beauté que tous les bijoux de l’Orient. ^ applied herself to ; ^ out of ; ^ to years ; ^ brought up ; ^ acknoivledged ; ^indebted; * gave; ^concerning; ^includes; ^^show; earnestly ; ^‘^dex- terously ; ornaments ; prize ; support; brighter; fair» 17. Scarron. Comme les infirmités de Scarron augmentaient de jour en jour \ il dit à un de ses amis, qui allait en Guinée : Je mourrai bientôt. Si je sens du regret de quitter ce monde, c’est parce que j’y laisse, désespérée et sans fortune, une femme que j’ai tant de raisons d’aimer: je vous la recommande, ainsi qu’à toutes mes connais- sances. Peu de temps avant sa mort, il fit ses adieux^ à sa femme; mais il ne put se contenir, et ses larmes coulèrent^. Après l’avoir remerciée de toute sa bonté, il là recommanda vivement à M. d’E., son exécuteur testamentaire'^; puis, faisant un dernier effort pour lui donner la main, il ajouta: “Pensez quel- quefois à moi. Je vous laisse sans fortune^; et quoique la vertu ne la donne pas, cependant je suis sûr que vous serez toujours vertueuse.” Il expira alors sans se plaindre® et en s’écriant: “Je n’aurais jamais cru qu’il fût possible de voir la mort avec tant de résignation.” ^ daily ; ^ bade adieu ; ^flowed ; ^ executor ; ^ wealth ; ® a groan. 18. Absence d' Esprit de Neivton. Le Dr. Stukely, ami intime de Newton, vint un jour le voir pour dîner avec lui ; il arriva au moment où le dîner était déjà 372 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, servi, mais avant que Newton eût apparu dans la salle à manger» Le Dr. Stukely ayant attendu quelque temps, finit par perdre patience, et enleva le couvercle ^ qui était sur un poulet, qu’il mangea; puis, remettant les os^ dans le plat, il replaça le cou- vercle. Peu de temps après^. Newton entra dans^ la salle à manger, et, après les compliments d’usage s’assit pour dîner; mais en levant le couvercle et en ne voyant que des os, il dit^’ avec quelque surprise: ‘‘Je pensais n’avoir pas dîné, mais main- tenant je vois" que j’ai mangé.” * removed the cover ; jmtting the hones back; ^ after a short interval; ^ came into ; usual ; ^ observed ; " now find that I have, 19. Activité et Indolence. Plus on fait, plus on peut faire ; plus on est occupé, plus on a de loisir. Si on possède un avantage à un haut degré on peut apprendre presqu’autant qu’on veut ^ en employant ses moments libres^, et en cultivant les facultés incultes"* de son esprit. Pendant qu’une personne est à se décider-'^ sur le choix d’une profession ou d’une étude, une autre aura fait fortune, ou gagné une réputation méritée. Pendant que celui-ci est à rêver sur la signification d’un mot, celui-là aura appris plusieurs langues. Ce n’est pas l’incapacité, mais l’indolence, l’indé- cision, le manque d’imagination, et un penchant^ à une espèce de tautologie (répétition inutile) à répéter les images et à tourner dans le même cercle^ qui nous laisse si pauvres, si bornés'"^, si inertes que nous sommes dépourvus de connaissances, et de . ressources. Pendant que nous nous promenons *** de Charing- Cross à Temple-Bar, nous pourrions faire le grand tour d’Europe, et visiter le Yatic’an et le Louvre. * considerable degree ; ^he may make himself master of nearly as many more as he pleases; ^ spare time; ^ ivaste ; ^ is determining; ^ a prone- ness; tread the same circle; ^clull;^ naked; we are walking back- ward and forward between. 20 . Henri IV. Henri IV. dont la mémoire glorieuse et bénie est si chère * au cœur de tous les Français, fut un des plus grands et des meil- SELECTIONS. 373 leurs monarques qui aient jamais illustré ^ les annales du monde. Pour arriver^ à le faire connaître, nous ne pouvons manquer d’être agréable, en racontant'* les anecdotes suivantes, qui, quoi qu’elles soient familières à presque tout le monde, ne peuvent être répétées trop souvent et trop hautement admirées. A la première entrevue de Henri avec le duc de Mayenne, après leur réconciliation, il fatigua ce dernier en le conduisant autour de son jardin, après quoi il lui dit: ‘^Donnez-moi la main*", mon cousin, voilà ma seule vengeance'.” Quelques années après la paix, il fut informé que quelques fanatiques, reste envenimé de la ligue, continuaient à dé- clamer contre lui, et refusaient même** de le mentionner dans les prières publiques. “Attendons un peu,” dit-il; “ils sont encore fâchés.” ^embalmed; ‘^graced; ^to attain; ^in relating; ^ and then; ^ shake hands; only vengeance; ^envenomed remnant; even. 21 . Ce qui suit* est un des mille traits de son héroïque bonté: A la bataille d’Aumale (1592), il fut blessé d’un coup de pistolet dans les reins plus tard, il ordonna Vitry, capitaine de ses gardes, de recevoir dans sa compagnie le soldat qui avait tiré sur lui. Le maréchal d’Estrées étant un jour dans la voiture du roi, Henri lui dit, en indiquant le garde à cheval, à la por- tière de sa voiture: “Voilà le soldat qui me blessa à la bataille d’Aumale.” Circonstance singulière et contradictoire qui ne peut avoir lieu qu’après une guerre civile et sous un prince aussi bon que Henri IV.! Il avait choisi pour garde le soldat qui s’était battu corps à corps ^ avec lui, et il est probable que cet homme devint un de ses sujets les plus fidèles et les plus dévoués. — Andrieux. ^the folloiving ; ^ loins; ^he afterward gave orders to ; ^ hand to hand. 22 . Politesse Rustique. Le père du lord Abingdon actuel était remarquable par la fierté * de ses manières. Un jour qu’il traversait à cheval un village du voisinage^ d’Oxford, il rencontra un jeune paysan 374 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD, qui traînait" un veau derrière lui Voyant le seigneur venir à lui, ce villageois^ s’arrêta et se mit à le regarder en face^. Le seigneur^ lui demanda s’il le connaissait. “Oui,” répliqua l’autre.” “Comment me nomme-t-on?” “Lord Abingdon,” reprit le jeune garçon. “ Alors pourquoi n’ôtes-tn pas ton chapeau?” “C’est ce que je vais faire,” dit-il, “si vous voulez tenir mon veau.” ^ stateliness ; " vicinity ; ^ dragged ; ^ behind him ; ^ this cottager ; ^ stared him ; ^ his lordship, 23 . Sterne, Sterne, qui avait l’habitude de maltraiter sa femme vantait un jour à Garrick d’une manière des plus sentimentales l’amour conjugal et la fidélité. “Le mari,” disait Sterne, “qui se conduit mal envers sa femme mérite qu’on le brûle dans sa maison.” “Si vous le pensez,” dit Garrick, “j’espère que votre maison est assurée.” ^ used his wife very ill ; ^ behaves unkindly to his wife, 24 . ' Anecdote de Tompion. Ce célèbre horloger, qui de son temps tenait un rang aussi élevé ^ dans l’art auquel il appartenait que sir Joshua Eeynolds dans l’art de la peinture, ou le duc de Malborough dans l’art de la guerre, fut tout à coup acosté par un homme du nom de Walker, qui était un ouvrier bien inférieur dans la même pro- fession Tompion, qui ne le reconnaissait pas, fut un peu ré- servé^. “Quoi! vous ne me connaissez pas?” s’écria Walker. “Pas précisément^,” répliqua Tompion. “C’est étrange,” ré- pondit l’autre, “car vous et moi nous sommes les plus célèbres’'^ de notre profession dans la cité.” Eemarquant^ la surprise de Tompion à cette déclaration, il ajouta: “Il est vrai que vous êtes célèbre pour être le meilleur horloger de Londres, et moi je suis célèbre pour en être le plus mauvais.” ^ as high ; ^ in the same line ; ^ not recollecting his face, Tompion^s behavior was rather distant; '^exactly ; ^famous; ^observing. SELECTIONS, 375 25. Anecdote d^un Grenadier, Tin grenadier de Tarmée du maréchal de Saxe ayant été pris pour avoir pillé fut condamné^ à être pendu. Ce qu’il avait volé n’était que de la valeur de cinq schellings. Sur quoi le maréchal lui dit: ‘‘Il faut que vous soyez bien malheureux^ pour risquer votre vie pour cinq schellings.” “Je vous demande pardon, général; je la risque tous les jours pour deux pence et demi.” . Le maréchal sourit et lui pardonna. ^ in the act of plundering ; ^ sentenced; '^pitiful. 26. La Chevre Reconnaissante^. Après la bataille de Preston, un gentilhomme qui avait pris une part" active dans la rébellion de mil sept cent quinze (1715), se réfugia (escaped) dans les montagnes^ de l’ouest, où une dame, sa proche parente, lui donna asile ^ Un domestique fidèle le conduisit à l’entrée d’une caverne'', et le fugitif, pourvu^* d’une grande abondance de^ provisions, se glissa par une basse ouverture^, en traînant ses provisions derrière lui. Quand il eut atteint une ouverture plus large et plus haute il trouva un autre obstacle devant lui. Il tira sa dague mais il ne voulut pas frapper de peur d’ôter*^ la vie à un com- pagnon de séclusion ; en se baissant, il découvrit une chèvre étendue sur le sol avec son chevreau à côté d’elle. Il s’aperçut bientôt que l’animal souffrait beaucoup*'^; et touchant son corps et ses membres^'', il s’assura qu’elle était blessée^®. Il banda la blessure avec sa jarretière, et lui offrit une part du pain qui était à côté de lui ; mais elle allongeait la langue comme pour lui dire^'^^ que sa bouche était desséchée de soif. Il lui donna alors de l’eau qu’elle but sur le champ elle mangea ensuite du pain. Après minuit, quand tout fut tran- quille, il se hasarda à sortir de la caverne et à cueillir une brassée d’herbe et de tendres rejetons que la chèvre accepta avec des signes de joie et de reconnaissance. Il la caressa ten- drement et lui donna à manger ^ the grateful goat ; share ; ^ highlands ; ^ afforded him an asylum ; ^cave; ^furnished; an abundant stock of ; ^aperture; '^loftier; ^^dirk; 376 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD. ^^lie might take the life of; stretched ; ^'^kid; was in great pain ; limbs; fractured; hound up; stretched ; as to apprise him; ^parched; readily ; ventured out; armful; twigs; ^^fed her, 27. L’homme qui était chargé^ de lui apporter ses provisions tomba malade ; un autre fut envoyé à la caverne, mais la chèvre s’opposa à ce qu’il entrât et donna des coups de cornes^ de tous côtés L’exilé, entendant du bruit s’avança^; le nouveau serviteur donna le mot d’ordre^, ce qui dissipa® tout doute sur sa bonne intention, et l’amazone de ce réduit^ obéit à son bien- faiteur en permettant à l’inconnu d’entrer. Le gentilhomme était convaincu*^ que si une troupe de soldats avait attaqué la caverne, sa reconnaissante malade serait morte pour le défendre. Les stratagèmes^^ de la chèvre pour soutraire ses petits au renard sont très-remarquables. Elle discerne son ennemi à une grande distance, cache son trésor dans un haillier^^, et s’oppose hardiment à l’approche du maraudeur. Il est notoire que les chèvres connaissent leur race pen- dant plusieurs générations, et que celles de chaque tribu vont ensemble en troupes sur les collines, ou se reposent dans la cabane-^, chacune séparément ^intrusted; ^opposed him; ^presenting her horns; ^directions; ^disturbance; ^ came forward; watchword; ^removed; ’^recess; ^\convinced; devices ; hide ; ^''^fox; treasure; thicket; and boldly intercepts the approach; singular fact ; progeny ; tribe; assemble in groups ; cot ; in a separate party, 28. Le Chien Fidèle^, Un fermier qui venait d’entrer dans^ un champ pour réparer une brèche® à une de ses clôtures, trouva, à son retour chez lui, le berceau'^ où il avait laissé son enfant unique endormi, ren- versé sens dessus dessous, les draps et les couvertures déchirés, et son chien couché à côté® tout ensanglanté". Il supposa de suite que l’animal® avait tué^ son enfant; aussitôt, il lui fendit la tête^® avec la hachette qu’il avait à la main. En relevant^' SELECTIONS. 377 le berceau, il retrouva son enfant sain et sauf^^, et un énorme serpent gisait mort sur le plancher, tué par le chien dont le courage et la fidélité, en conservant la vie de son enfant, méritaient une tout autre récompense Ces douloureuses circonstances lui donnèrent une leçon frappante, en lui prou- vant combien il est dangereux de s’abandonner trop vite à l’impulsion aveugle d’une passion soudaine. ^ the faithful dog ; ^ stepped into ; ^ to mend a gap ; cradle ; ^ the bed-clothes ; ^ lying near it ; ^ besmeared also with blood ; ^ creature ; ^destroyed; instantly dashed out his brains; ivhen turning up; unhurt; another kind of reward ; affecting; afforded; ^^too hastily; impulse. 29 . Le Maréchal Turenne. En passant le long des remparts, le maréchal Turenne fut attaqué par une bande ^ de voleurs, qui arrêtèrent son chariot. Il leur promit 2 cent louis d’or pour qu’ils lui permissent de garder^ une bague de beaucoup moins de valeur; ils lui accor- dèrent sa requête Le lendemain, un des voleurs eut l’audace d’aller chez lui, et, au milieu d’une nombreuse^ compagnie, de lui demander^’, tout bas à l’oreille^, l’accomplissement* de sa promesse. Turenne ordonna que l’argent lui fût payé ; avant de raconter l’aventure^, il lui donna le temps de s’échapper, ajoutant: Qu’un honnête homme doit tenir sa parole, même aux fripons. ^ gang ; ^ on his promising them ; ^ to allow him to retain; ^ granted his request; ^ great ; ^ to demand; in a whisper; ^fulfilment; ^re- counting the adventure ; rogues. 30 . Gustave Adolphe^. Le père de Gustave Adolphe, Charles X., dont le règne fut marqué par des cruautés, tua le père du général Banier. Un jour que Gustave était à la chasse avec le jeune Banier, il lui dit 2 de quitter la chasse, et d’aller avec lui à cheval dans le bois. Quand ils arrivèrent à une partie épaisse du bois, le roi, D. F. M. 82. 378 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD, étant descendu de cheval, dit à Banier: ‘‘Votre père a été vic- time de la cruauté du mien. Si vous désirez venger sa mort, tuez-moi immédiatement; si non, soyez mon ami pour toujours. Banier, vaincu^ et étonné de la magnanimité du monarque, se jeta à ses pieds, et lui jura'* une amitié éternelle. * Gustavus Adolphus ; ^ requested him ; ^ overcome ; ^ swore . ,,to him,, 31 . Le Mordeur Mordu^. Campbell alla un jour aux courses ^ de Paisley ; il fut extrême- ment^ intéressé à la première, et paria”* jusqu’à 50 livres, pour un cheval, contre le professeur Wilson. A la fin de la course, pensant qu’il avait perdu le pari, il dit à Wilson: “Je vous dois 50 livres; mais, réellement, quand je pense que vous êtes pro- fesseur de morale, et que parier est une sorte de jeu qui ne convient qu’aux escrocs^, je ne puis en conscience vous payer ce pari.” “ Oh ! ” dit Wilson, “ j’approuve beaucoup vos principes, et j’ai l’intention de les mettre en pratique h Au fait^'^. Yellow Cap, pour lequel vous avez parié, a gagné ; et, en conscience, je devrais vous payer les 50 livres, mais vous voudrez bien m’excuser.” ^ the hiter hit; Paisley races; ^prodigiously ; ^betted; ^gambling; ^ blacklegs; " I mean to act upon them; ^ in point of fact. , 32 . Mourir en Vain. Rembrandt, ayant besoin d’argent, et trouvant que ses tableaux se vendaient difficilement’, fit publier ^ sa mort dans les journaux, et annonça une vente ])ublique des peintures finies ou non finies qui étaient chez lui. La foule se porta à la vente désireuse”* de posséder une des dernières œuvres'^ d’un si grand maître. La moindre esquisse’' se vendit à un prix que des peintures finies n’avaient jamais atteint Après avoir recueilli le fruit de sa vente Rembrandt revint à la vie; mais les Hollandais, qui ressentent l’improbité, même dans un génie, ne voulurent plus jamais l’employer après sa résurrection. ^ went off heavily ; ^put; ^ crowds flocked to the auction; ^ eager ; ^ of the last efforts; ^sketch;- ^ had never brought before; ^ after col- lecting the proceeds. SELECTIONS. 379 33. L'' esprit Yorkshire. Un garçon du comté d’York^ entra dans une auberge^, où se trouvait un gentilhomme qui mangeait des œufs. Après avoir très-fixément ^ regardé celui-ci pendant quelque temps, le garçon lui dit: ‘‘Voulez-vous avoir la bonté de me donner un peu de sel, s’il vous plaît, monsieur?” “Certainement, mon garçon; mais pourquoi vous faut-il du sel?” “Peut-être, monsieur, allez- vous m’offrir^ de manger un œuf tout-à-l’heure, et je voudrais être prêt.” “De quel pays êtes-vous, mon garçon?” “D’ York- shire, monsieur.” “Je le pensais; tenez prenez un œuf.” “Je vous remercie,” dit le garçon. “Eh bien,” ajouta le gentilhomme; “on est grands voleurs de chevaux dans votre pays, n’est-ce pas?” “Oui,” répondit^ le garçon; “mon père, quoique honnête homme, volerait un cheval avec la même facilité^ que je boirais votre verre de bière A votre santé, monsieur,” ajouta-t-il, et il la but entièrement^. “C’est bon dit le gentilhomme; “je vois que vous êtes du comté d’York.” ^ Yorkshire ; ^public house; ^extremely hard; ^youdl ask me to eat; ^ there; ^rejoins; ~ would mind no more of stealing a horse than I would drinking; ^ale; drank it up; that ivill do. 34. Un Gros Ane. Un individu ^ alla trouver son curé ^ et lui dit, d’une mine très-longue, qu’il avait vu un fantôme^. “Quand et où?” dit le pasteur. “Hier soir,” répliqua l’homme. “Je passais i3rès de l’église, et debout contre le mur'^, j’ai vu le^ spectre.” “Sous quelle forme ^ s’est-il montré?” répliqua le prêtre. “Il a paru sous la forme d’un grand ane.” “Allez-vous en, et n’en parlez pas^,” dit*^ le pasteur; “vous êtes très-peureux^, et vous avez en peur de votre propre ombre ^fellow; ‘^parish priest; ^ ghost ; ^ up against the wall of it; ^ did I behold; ^ in what shape; '‘hold your tongue about it; ^rejoined; ^ timid man; your own shadow. 380 DUFF ET ^ S FRENCH METHOD, 35. Une Conscience Tendre, On envoya chercher un curé pour assister \ à son lit de mort, une pauvre vieille maîtresse d’école^. Elle avait un péché à con- fesser ; elle ne pouvait mourir en paix avant ^ de l’avoir confessé. Au milieu de paroles entrecoupées elle sanglotait^ hésitait, et sanglotait encore. “Je — je — je,” balbutia-t-elle, et elle se cacha la figure. “Il faut, il faut que je le dise, et puissé-je être par- donnée^! Vous savez, monsieur, que j’ai tenu^ une école pen- dant quarante ans — pauvre pécheresse ^ ^ Je — je — ” “ Ma bonne femme,” dit le curé*, “prenez courage'-^; il vous sera par- donné si vous êtes ainsi repentante J’espère que ce n’est pas un gros péché.” “Oh, si,” dit-elle; “et je vous en prie, ne m’appelez pas ma bonne. Je ne suis — pas — bonne (sanglotant). Hélas! Je vais le dire^h Je m’accuse d’avoir enseigné la gram- maire, et (sanglotant) je — je — ne la savais pas moi-même!” ^ to attend; ^schoolmistress; ^ till ; ^broken speech; ^ she sobbed; ^forgiven; ’^kepi; ^ sinf al creature ; ^comfort; thus penitent ; I will out with it; I put down that 36. Les Colons^, “Venez,” dit un jour M. Barlow à ses garçons, “j^ai une nouvelle pièce ^ pour vous. Je serai le fondateur*^ d’une colonie, et vous serez des gens de diverses industries'^ et professions, venant vous offrir pour aller avec moi. Qu’êtes- vous, A. ? ” A. — Je suis fermier, monsieur. M. B. — Très-bien. L’agriculture ^ est la principale ^ chose dont nous avons besoin de sorte que nous ne pouvons pas avoir trop de bras. Mais il faut que vous soyez un fermier travailleur, et non un fermier gentilhomme. Les ouvriers ^ seront rares parmi nous, et chacun doit mettre la main à la charrue^. Il y aura des bois à éclaircir des marais à drainer et un travail long et difficile à faire. A. — Je serai prêt à en faire ma part, monsieur. M. jB.— B ien, je vous engagerai volontiers, et d’autant plus volontiers que par votre profession vous pouvez plus rapporter. SELECTIONS. 381 Vous aurez assez de terre et d’ustensiles, et vous pourrez vous mettre travailler quand vous voudrez. Maintenant, à un autre. B . — Je suis meunier monsieur. M. B. — C’est une industrie trjs-utile. Le grain que nous ferons pousser devra être moulu ou il nous ferait peu de bien. Mais comment vous y prendrez-vous pour avoir un moulin, mon ami? B . — Je pense qu’il faudra que nous en fassions un, monsieur. M. B. — C’est vrai ; mais alors, pour cela^', il vous faut emmener avec* vous un constructeur de moulin Quant aux meules de moulin nous les emporterons avec a^ous. Qui vient ensuite ^colonists; play ; ^founder; ^trades; ^farming; ^ chief ; we have - to depend upon; ^laborers; ^ plow ; clear ; to drain; ^^land; you may fall to work; a miller; ice grow; ground ; for the purpose; mill-wriglil ; ^'^mill-stones; next. 37. C. — Je suis charpentier, monsieur. M. B. — L’homme le plus nécessaire qui pût s’offrir. Nous vous trouverons assez d’ouvrage, ne craignez rien. Il y aura des maisons à bâtir, des clôtures à faire, et toutes sortes de mobiliers de bois à procurer. Mais notre bois de charpente est debout h Vous aurez à travailler dur pour couper^ les arbres, scier des planches^, et aiguiser des poteaux^, etc.^. Il faut que vous soyez charpentier pour les champs aussi bien que pour les maisons. C. — Je le, serai, monsieur. M. B. — Très-bien; alors je vous engage, mais vous ferez bien d’emmener deux ou trois aides avec vous. D. — Je suis forgeron ", monsieur. M. B . — Excellent compagnon pour le charpentier. Nous ne pouvons nous passer ni de l’un ni de l’antre®; ainsi vous pouvez apporter votre grand soufflet ^ et votre enclume et nous établirons une forge pour vous aussitôt que nous serons arrivés. Mais, j’y songe nous aurons besoin d’un maçon pour cela. E. — J’en suis un, monsieur. M. C’est très-bien. Quoique nous puissions d’abord vivre 382 BUFFET’S FRENCH METHOD dans des maisons de bois il nous faudra des travaux en brique ou en pierre pour les cheminées, les âtres et les fours de sorte qu’il y aura de l’ouvrage pour un maçon. Mais si vous pouvez aussi faire les briques et la chaux vous serez encore plus utile. E. — Je tâcherai de faire ce que je pourrai, monsieur, if. B. — Aucun homme ne peut faire davantage. Je vous en- gage. Qui vient ensuite? ^ is all growing ; ^ in felling trees ; ^ sawing planks ; ^ shajnng posts ; ^ and the like; ^ two or three hands along ; " blacksmith ; ^ without either of you; ^bellows; anvil ; will set up; ^'^by the by; ^^log houses; ovens ; employment ; ^ ® lime. 38. F . — Je suis cordonnier, monsieur. M. B.—Ft nous ne pouvons pas nous passer de souliers. Mms pouvez- vous en faire avec ^ du cuir brut ^ ? Car je crains bien que nous ne puissions nous procurer de cuir^. F. — Mais je puis aussi tanner les peaux M. B. — Vraiment''? Alors vous êtes habile^; je désire vous avoir, et même je double vos gages. G. — Je suis tailleur, monsieur. if. B. — Bien. Quoiqu’il se passe ^ quelque temps avant que nous aj^ons besoin d’habits de fête cependant nous ne devons pas aller tout nus^, de sorte qu’il y aura de l’ouvrage pour le tailleur. Mais vous ne dédaignez pas de raccommoder et de rapetasser*^, j’espère, car il ne faudra pas nous effrayer** de porter des habits rapiécetés*^ pendant que nous travaillerons dans les bois. G. — Non, monsieur. M. i?.— Alors je vous engage aussi. H— Je suis tisserand*^, monsieur. M. B. — Le tissage *^ est un art très-utile, mais je doute que nous puissions trouver de la place pour cela dans notre colonie pour le présent. De longtemps *** nous ne ferons croître ni chanvre *^, ni lin *^, et ce sera meilleur marché pour nous d’im- porter notre toile *^ que de la faire. Dans quelques années, cependant, nous pourrons être très-heureux de vous avoir. I . — Je suis orfèvre^** et bijoutier-*, monsieur. SELECTIONS. 383 B. — Alors, mon ami, vous ne pouvez aller à un plus mau- vais endroit qu’à une nouvelle colonie pour y établir votre- in- dustrie. Vous nous ruinerez ou nous vous laisserons mourir de faim 23. /.—Mais je suis aussi horloger, je sais faire les pendules et les montres. M. B. — C’est un peu plus24 dans nos vues23, car nous aurons besoin de savoir comment le temps va. Mais je doute que nous puissions, de longtemps, vous donner assez d’encouragement. Pour le présent, vous ferez mieux de rester où vous êtes. ^ out oj ; ^ raw -hide ; ^leather; ^ dress hides; ^indeed; ^clever fellow ; " though it will he ; ^ holiday suits ; ^ naked ; botching ; we must not mind; patched ; weaver; weaving ; I question if; for some time to come ; hemp ; ^^flax; cloth; goldsmith ; jeweller ; 22 break ; 23 starvation ; 2 ^ somewhat ; 2 ^ to our purpose. 39. J . — Je suis barbier et coiffeur, monsieur. M. B. — Hélas, que pouvons-nous faire de vous? Si vous voulez raser la rude^ barbe de nos hommes une fois par semaine, leur couper 2 les cheveux une fois tous les trois mois^, et vous contenter d’aider le charpentier ou de suivre la charrue le reste du temps, vous serez récompensé en conséquence Mais vous n’aurez ni dames ni messieurs à coififer ^ pour un bal, ni per- ruques^’ à friser^ et à poudrer® pour le dimanche, je vous l’assure. Votre commerce ne tiendra pas par lui-même chez nous de longtemps. L. — Je suis médecin, monsieur. , M. B. — Alors, monsieur, vous êtes le bien venu^. La santé est le plus grand des biens et si vous pouvez nous la donner vous serez, vraiment un homme précieux. Mais j’espère que vous connaissez la chirurgie ^2 aussi bien que la médecine car il est probable que nous attraperons des coupures et des meur- trissures et qu’il y aura des os cassés accidentellement^'^. L. — J’ai aussi de l’expérience dans cette spécialité, monsieur. M. B . — Et si vous connaissiez la nature des plantes et leur usage dans la médecine et dans la diète cela augmenterait beaucoup votre utilité^®. L . — La botanique a été une de mes études favorites, monsieur ; 384 BUFFETTS FRENCH METHOD. et j’ai quelques connaissances en chimie ainsi que dans les autres parties de Thistoire naturelle. M. B. — Alors vous serez un trésor pour nous, monsieur, et je serai heureux de faire mon possible pour qu’il vaille la peine que vous partiez avec nous. M. — Monsieur, je suis avocat. M. B. — Monsieur, je suis votre très-obéissant serviteur. Quand nous serons assez riches pour avoir des procès nous vous le ferons savoir. N. — Je suis maître d’école, monsieur. M. B. — C’est une profession que je suis loin de déprécier ^ 2 . et aussitôt que nous aurons des enfants dans notre colonie, nous serons bien heureux de vos services. Quoique nous soyons de rudes et simples travailleurs^^, nous n’avons pas l’intention d’être ignorants, et nous nous ferons un point d’honneur que chacun sache au moins lire et écrire. En attendant vous pourrez tenir les comptes de la colonie. N. — De tout mon cœur, monsieur. ‘ M. B. — Alors je vous engage. Qui vient ici d’un air si hardi? ^ rough ; ^ crop ; ^ once a quarter ; ^ accordingly ; ^ dress; ^ wigs ; to curl; ^powder; "^welcome; blessings; valuable man indeed; understand surgery; physic; we are likely enough to get cuts and bruises; and bwJcen bones occasionally; ^^uses; diet ; ^^use- 'fidness ; chemistry ; to make it worth your tvhile to go; go to law ; luhich I am sure I do not undervcdue ; young folks ; we are to be hard-working ^ plain people ; in the mean time. 40. 0. — Je suis soldat, monsieur; me voulez-vous? 3L 5.— Nous sommes des gens paisibles \ et j’espère que nous n’aurons pas d’occasion de nous battre. Nous avons l’intention d’acheter honnêtement notre terfe des natifs, et d’être justes et loyaux^ dans toutes nos affaires avec eux. William Penn, le fondateur de la Pensilvanie, suivit ce plan ; et quand les Indiens étaient en guerre avec tous les autres colons^ européens, toute personne en costume de quaker pouvait passer à travers toutes leurs tribus les plus féroces^’ sans recevoir la moindre injure. Mon intention est, cependant, de faire tous mes colons, soldats. SELECTIONS. 385 de manière qu’ils puissent se défendre s’ils sont attaqués, et, le cas ôtant, nous n’aurons pas besoin de soldats par état^. P. — Je suis gentilhomme, monsieur; et j’ai grand désir de vous accompagner, parce que j’entends dire que le gibier est très-abondant dans ce pays-là. M. B . — Un gentilhomme, et quel bien nous ferez- vous, mon- sieur ? P. — Oh, monsieur, ce n’est pas du tout là mon intention. Je ne désire que m’amuser. M. B . — Mais voulez-vous dire, monsieur, que nous devrons payer votre amusement? P. — Quant à mon entretien j’espère pouvoir tuer assez de gibier pour ma propre nourriture, av^c un peu de pain et des légumes de votre jardin, que vous me donnerez. Alors, je serai content d’avoir une maison quelque peu meilleure que les autres ; votre barbier sera mon valet ; de cette manière je vous donnerai peu d’embarras. M. B . — Et je vous prie, monsieur, quelle raison ^ pourrions- nous avoir pour faire tout cela pour vous? P. — Mais [n'hy)j monsieur, vous aurez l’avantage (the credit) d’avoir un gentilhomme dans votre colonie. M. B. — Ah! ah! ah! voilà un homme facétieux, vraiment! Bien, monsieur, quand nous serons ambitieux d’une telle dis- tinction, nous vous enverrons chercher. ^ peaceable ; ^ to fight ; ^ honestly ; ^ dealings ; ^ settlers; ^ferocious ; trade; ^maintenance; ''^inducement. 41. Noces de Henri IV. Le lundi, dix-huitième jour du mois d’août 1572, il y avait grande fête au Louvre. Les fenêtres de la vieille demeure royale, ordinairement si sombres, étaient ardemment éclairées; les places et les rues attenantes, habituellement si solitaires dès que neuf heures sonnaient à Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois, étaient, quoiqu’il fût minuit, encombrées de monde. Tout ce concours menaçant, pressé, bruyant, ressemblait, dans l’obscurité, à une mer sombre et houleuse^ dont chaque flot^ faisait une vague grondante ; cette mer, épandue sur le quai, D. F. M. 33. 386 BUFFET'S FRENCH METHOD, où elle se dégorgeait '^ par la rue des Fossés-Saint-Germain et par la rue de TAstruce, venait battre de son flux^ le pied des murs du Louvre, et de son reflux^ la base de l’hotel de Bourbon, qui s’élevait en face. Il y avait, malgré la fête royale, et même peut-être à cause de la fête royale, quelque chose de menaçant dans ce peuple ; car il ne doutait pas que cette solemnité, à laquelle il assistait comme spectateur, n’était que le prélude^ d’une autre, remise à huitaine^, et à laquelle il serait convié et s’ébattrait^ de tout son cœur. La cour célébrait les noces ^ de Marguerite de Valois, fille de Henri II. et sœur du roi Charles IX., avec Henri de Bourbon, roi de Navarre. En effet, le matin même, le cardinal de Bourl)on avait uni les deux époux avec le cérémonial usité pour les noces des filles de France, sur un théâtre dressé à la porte Notre- Dame. Ce mariage avait étonné tout le monde et avait fort donné à songer à quelques-uns qui voyaient plus clair que les autres ; on comprenait peu le rapprochement de deux partis aussi haineux que l’étaient à cette heure le parti protestant et le parti catho- lique : on se demandait comment le jeune prince de Condé par- donnerait au duc d’Anjou, frère du roi, la mort de son père, assassiné à Jarnac par Montesquieu. On se demandait comment le jeune duc de Guise pardonnerait à l’amiral de Coligny la mort du sien, assassiné à Orléans par Poltrot de Méré. H y a plus: Jeanne de Navarre, la courageuse épouse du faible Antoine de Bourbon, qui avait amené son fils Henri aux royales fiançailles^^ qui l’attendaient, était morte, il y avait deux mois à peine, et dé* singuliers bruits s’étaient répandus sur cette mort subite. Par- tout ou disait tout bas, et en quelques lieux tout haut, qu’un secret terrible avait été surpris par elle, et que Catherine de Médicis, craignant la révélation de ce secret, l’avait empoisonnée avec des gants de senteur qui avaient été confectionnés par un nommé Réné, Florentin fort habile dans ces sortes de matières. Ce bruit s’était d’autant plus répandu et confirmé, qu’après la mort de cette grande reine, sur la demande de son fils, deux médecins, desquels était le fameux Ambroise Paré, avaient été autorisés à ouvrir et à étudier le corps, mais non le cerveau. Or, comme c’était par l’odorat qu’avait été empoisonnée Jeanne de Navarre, c’était le cerveau, seule partie du corps exclue de SELECTIONS. 387 l’autopsie, qui devait offrir les traces du crime. Nous disons crime, car personne ne doutait qu’un crime n’eût été commis. ^ rough; ^ wave ; ^ tvas overfloicing ; ^ flow ; ^ ebb ; ^prelude; ^ in the course of the week; ^ would have sport; "^wedding; ^^reconciliation; chancing; perfumed gloves; smell. 42. Le roi, le reine, le duc d’Anjou, et le duc d’Alençon faisaient à merveille ^ les honneurs de la fête royale. Le duc d’Anjou recevait, des huguenots, des compliments bien mérités sur les deux batailles de Jarnac et de Moncontour, qu’il avait gagnées avant d’avoir atteint l’âge de dix-huit ans. Le duc d’Alençon regardait tout cela de son œil caressant et faux. La reine Catherine rayonnait de joie, et, toute confite en gracieusetés, complimentait le prince Henri du Condé sur son récent mariage avec Marie de Clèves. Enfin, M. M. de Guise eux-mêmes souriaient aux formidables ennemis de leur maison, et le duc de Mayenne discourait avec M. de Tavannes et l’amiral de Coligny sur la prochaine guerre qu’il était plus que jamais question de déclarer à Philippe II. Au milieu de ces groupes, allait et venait, la tête légèrement inclinée et l’oreille ouverte à tous les propos, un jeune homme de dix-neuf ans, à l’œil fin, aux cheveux noirs, coupés très- courts, aux sourcils épais, au nez recourbé comme un bec d’aigle, au sourire narquois, à la moustache et à la barbe naissantes. Ce jeune homme, qui recevait compliments sur compliments était l’élève bien-aimé de Coligny et le héros du jour; trois mois auparavant, c’est-à-dire à l’époque où sa mère vivait encore, on l’avait appelé le prince de Béarn; on l’appelait maintenant le roi de Navarre, en attendant qu’on l’appelât Henri IV. De temps en temps, un nuage sombre et rapide passait sur son front ; sans doute, il se rappelait qu’il y avait deux mois à peine que sa mère était morte, et, moins que personne, il doutait qu’elle ne fût morte empoisonnée. Mais le nuage était passager et disparaissait comme une ombre flottante. A quelques pas du roi de Navarre, presque aussi pensif, presque aussi soucieux que le premier affectait d’être joyeux et ouvert, le jeune duc de Guise causait avec Téligny. Plus heureux que le Béarnais, à vingt-deux ans, sa renommée avait 388 BUFFET-^ S FF EN Q H METHOD, presque atteint celle de son père, le grand François de Guise. C’était un élégant seigneur de haute taille, au regard fier et orgueilleux, et doué de cette majesté naturelle qui faisait dire, quand il passait, que, près de lui, les autres princes paraissaient peuple. Tout jeune qu’il était, les catholiques voyaient en lui le chef de leur parti, comme les huguenots voyaient le leur dans ce jeune Henri de Navarre dont nous avons tracé le por- trait. Cependant, tout continuait d’être riant à l’intérieur, et même un murmure plus doux et plus flatteur que jamais courait en ce moment par tout le Louvre: c’est que la jeune fiancée après être allée déposer sa toilette d’apparat, son manteau traînant et son long voile, venait de rentrer dans la salle de bal, accompagnée de la belle duchesse de Nevers, sa meilleure amie, et menée par son frère Charles IX., qui la présentait aux prin- cipaux de ses hôtes. ^ marvelously tvell ; ^ bride. 43 . Cette fiancée, c’était la fille de Henri II., c’était la perle de la couronne de France, c’était Marguerite de Valois, que, dans sa familière tendresse pour elle, le roi Charles IX. n’appelait jamais que ma sœur Margot, Certes, jamais accueil, si flatteur qu’il fût, n’avait été mieux mérité que celui qu’on faisait en ce moment à la nouvelle reine de Navarre. Marguerite, à cette époque, avait vingt ans à peine, et déjà elle était l’objet des louanges de tous les poètes, qui la comparaient, les uns à l’Aurore, les autres à Cythérée. C’était, en effet, la beauté sans rivale de cette cour, où Catherine de Médicis avait réuni, pour en faire ses sirènes ^ les plus belles femmes qu’elle avait pu trouver. Elle avait les cheveux noirs, le teint brillant, l’œil voluptueux et voilé de longs cils, la bouche vermeille et fine, le cou élégant, la taille riche et souple, et, perdu dans une mule^ de satin, un pied d’enfant. Les Français, qui la possédaient, étaient fiers de voir éclore sur leur sol une si magnifique fleur, et les étrangers, qui passaient par la France, s’en retournaient éblouis de sa beauté, s’ils l’avaient vue seulement, étourdis de sa scâence, s’ils avaient causé avec elle. C’est que Marguerite était non seulement lax plus belle mais encore la plus lettrée^ des femmes de son temps, et l’on SELECTIONS. 389 citait le mot d’un savant italien qui lui avait été présenté, et qui, après avoir causé avec elle une heure en italien, en espa- gnol, en latin, et en grec, Tavait quittée en disant, dans son en- thousiasme: “Voir la cour sans voir Marguerite de Valois, c’est ne voir ni la France ni la cour.” Aussi, les harangues ne manquaient pas au roi Charles IX. et à la reine de Navarre ; on sait combien les huguenots étaient harangueurs. Force allusions au passé, force demandes pour l’avenir furent adroitement glissées au roi au milieu de ces harangues; mais à toutes ces allusions il répondait avec ses lèvres pâles et son sourire rusé'^: “En donnant ma sœur Margot à Henri de Navarre, je la donne à tous les protestants du royaume.” Mot qui rassurait les uns et faisait sourire les autres, car il avait réellement deux sens. * siren ; ^ slipper ; ^ literary ; ^ artful. 44. Ebice un Rêve? Pendant la nuit j’eus un rêve. Etait-ce un rêve? Jonathan, assis à mon chevet, me regardait d’un air moqueur. Eh bien! disait-il, monsieur l’incrédule, comment vous trouvez-vous de la traversée? Le voyage ne vous a pas trop fatigué? — Le voyage, murmurai-je, je n’ai pas bougé ^ de mon lit. — Non, mais vous êtes en Amérique. Ne vous jetez pas comme un fou à bas de votre lit. Attendez que je vous donne quelques instructions, afin que le saisissement ^ ne vous tue pas. D’abord, j’ai renversé votre maison. Dans un pays libre, on ne vit pas en caserne, pêle-mêle, sans repos et sans dignité. De chacun de ces tiroirs, que vous appelez des étages, j’ai fait une demeure à l’américaine^; je l’ai disposée et meublée à ma façon, j’y ai joint un petit jardin. Pour arranger ainsi les quarante mille maisons de Paris, cela m’a pris près de deux heures; je ne le regrette pas; vous voici maître chez vous, c’est la première de toutes les libertés. Désormais, vous n’avez plus à souffrir de vos voisins, et vous ne les faites plus soufîrir. Odeur de cuisine et d’écurie, cris des enfants, des femmes, et des hommes, aboie- ment ^ des ch*iens, miaulement ^ des chats et des pianos, tout est fini. Vous n’êtes plus un numéro de bagne ou d’hôifital, un 390 BUFFET^ S FRENCH METHOD. hareng encaqué^, vous êtes un homme; vous avez une famille et un foyer. — Ma maison renversée! Je suis ruiné! Qu’avez- vous fait de mes locataires? — Soyez tranquille; ils sont là, chacun dans une maison com- mode. Quant à vous, mon cher Lefebvre, vous voici devenu, par droit d’émigration, M. le docteur Smith, et membre de la plus nombreuse famille qui soit sortie de la souche anglo-saxonne. Faites fortune en tuant ou en guérissant vos clients du nouveau monde, ce ne sont pas les cousins qui vous manqueront. Je voulais appeler: les yeux de mon terrible visiteur me clouaient dans mon lit. A propos, dit-il en riant, vous serez un peu surpris d’entendre votre femme, vos enfants, vos voisins, parler anglais et nasiller. Ils ont laissé leur mémoire dans l’ancien monde, et ne sont plus que des Yankees pur sang. Quant à vous, monsieur l’incrédule, je vous ai laissé et vos préjugés et vos souvenirs. Je tiens à ce que vous jugiez de mon pouvoir en connaissance de cause. Vous saurez si Jona- than Dream est un spirite: vous voilà cousu dans une peau d’Américain, vous n’en sortirez que sous mon bon plaisir. ^ moved ; ^ shock ; ^ an American dwelling ; 4 harking ; ^ mewing ; ^herring in a barrel. 45. But I can not speak English, m’écriai-je. Je m’arrêtai brusque- ment, tout effrayé, de siffler comme un oiseau. — Pas mal, dit l’insupportable railleur; avant deux jours, vous confondrez shcdl et will, these et those avec toute la facilité, et la grâce d’un Ecossais. Adieu, ajouta-t-il en se levant; adieu, on m’attend à minuit chez la sultane favorite, au harem de Con- stantinople ; à deux heures, il faut que je sois à Londres, et je verrai lever le soleil à Pékin. Un dernier avis: rappelez-vous que le sage ne s’étonne de rien. Si vous voyez autour de vous quelque figure étrange, ne criez pas au diable, on vous enferme- rait avec nos lunatiques. Cela gênerait vos observations. Je me levai en sursaut; trois poignées^ de fluide reçues en plein visage me rendirent iinmobile et muet. Mon traître, alors, me salua d’un rire sardonique; puis, prenant un rayon de la SELECTIONS. 391 lune, qui traînait dans la chambre, il s’en fit une ceinture, traversa la fenêtre et s’évanouit dans les airs. Effroi, magné- tisme ou sommeil, je me sentis accablé. Quand je revins à moi, il faisait jour. Mon fils chantait à pleine voix le Miserere du Trovatore ; ma fille, élève de Tlialberg, jouait avec un hrlo incomparable les variations de Sturm sur un air varié de Donner. Dans le lointain, ma femme querellait la bonne qui lui répondait en criant. Kien n’était changé dans ma paisible demeure; les angoisses de la nuit n’étaient qu’un vain songe. Délivré de ces chimériques terreurs, je pouvais, suivant une douce habitude, réver les yeux ouverts, en attendant le déjeuner. A sept heures, selon l’usage, le domestique entra dans ma chambre, et m’apporta le journal. 11 ouvrit la fenêtre, écarta les persiennes^; l’éclat du soleil et la vivacité de l’air me firent l’effet le plus agréable. Je tournai la tête vers le jour ; horreur ! mes cheveux se hérissèrent, je n’eus même pas la force de crier. En face de moi, souriant et dansant, était un nègre, avec des dents comme des touches de piano, et deux énormes lèvres rouges qui lui cachaient le nez et le menton. Pour chasser ce cauchemar^ je fermai les yeux, le cœur me battait à me rompre la poitrine; quand j’osai regarder, j’étais seul. Sauter à bas du lit, me toucher les bras et la tête, ce fut l’affaire d’un instant. En face de moi, une suite de petites maisons, rangées comme des capucins de cartes, trois imprime- ries, six journaux, des affiches"* partout, l’eau gaspillée débor- dant dans les ruisseaux. Dans la rue, des gens affairés, silen- cieux, courant les mains dans leurs poches, sans doute pour y cacher des revolvers; point de bruit, point de cris, point de flâneurs, point de cigares, point de cafés, et, aussi loin que portait ma vue, pas un sergent de ville, pas un gendarme. C’en était fait! j’étais en Amérique, inconnu, seul, dans un pays sans gouvernement, sans lois, sans armée, sans police, au milieu d’un peuple sauvage, violent et cupide. J’étais perdu ! Plus abandonné, plus désolé que Robinson après son naufrage, je me laissai tomber sur un fauteuil, qui aussitôt se mit à danser sous moi. Je me levai tout tremblant, je me cherchai dans la glace, hélas! je ne me retrouvai même plus. En face de moi, il y avait un homme maigre, au front chauve parsemé de quelques cheveux rouges, à la face blême, encadrée de favoris 392 DUFFET\S FRENCH METHOD. flamboyants^ qui voltigeaient jusqu'aux épaules. Voilà ce que la malice du sort faisait d’un Parisien de la Chaussée d’Antiii! ^handful; ^shutters; ^nightmare; ^posters; ^flaming red side- whiskers. 46. Uhomme au Masque de fer. Quelques mois après la mort du cardinal Mazarin, il arriva un évènement qui n’a point d’exemple; et, ce qui est non moins étrange, c’est que tous les historiens l’ont ignoré. On envoj^a dans le plus grand secret au château de l’île Sainte- Marguerite, dans la mer de Provence, un prisonnier inconnu, d’une taille au-dessus de l’ordinaire, jeune, et de la figure la plus belle et la plus noble. Ce prisonnier, dans la route, por- tait un masque dont la mentonnière ^ avait des ressorts d’acier qui lui laissaient la liberté de manger avec le masque sur son visage; on avait ordre de le tuer s’il se découvrait. 11 resta dans l’île jusqu’à ce qu’un officier de confiance, nommé Saint- Mars, gouverneur de Pignerol, ayant été fait gouverneur de la Bastille l’an 1690, l’alla prendre dans l’île Sainte-Marguerite, et le conduisit à la Bastille, toujours masqué. Le marquis de Louvois alla le voir dans cette île avant la translation, et lui parla debout et avec une considération qui tenait du respect. Cet inconnu fut mené à la Bastille, où il fut logé aussi bien qu’on pouvait l’être dans ce château ; on ne lui refusait rien de ce qu’il demandait; son plus grand goût était pour le linge d’une finesse extraordinaire, et pour les dentelles; il jouait de la guitare. On lui faisait la plus grande chère et le gouver- neur s’asseyait rarement devant lui. Un vieux médecin de la Bastille, qui avait souvent traité cet homme singulier dans ses maladies, a dit qu’il n’avait jamais vu son visage, quoiqu’il eût souvent examiné sa langue et le reste de son corps. Il était admirablement bien fait, disait ce médecin; sa peau était un peu brune; il intéressait par le seul ton de sa voix, ne se plaignant jamais de son état, et ne laissant point entrevoir ce qu’il pouvait être. Cet inconnu mourut en 1703, et fut enterré, la nuit, à la paroisse de Saint-Paul. Ce qui redouble l’étonnement, c’est que, SELECTIONS. 393 quand on l’envoya dans File Sainte-Marguerite, il ne disparut dans l’Europe aucun homme considérable. Ce prisonnier l’était sans doute ; car voici ce qui arriva les premiers jours qu’il était dans l’île. Le gouverneur mettait lui-méme les plats sur la table, et ensuite se retirait après l’avoir enfermé. Un jour, le prisonnier écrivit avec un couteau sur une assiette d’argent, et jeta l’assiette par la fenêtre vers un bateau qui était au rivage, presque au pied de la tour; un pêcheur, à qui ce bateau ap- partenait, ramassa l’assiette et la porta au gouverneur. Celui-ci, étonné, demanda au pêcheur: ^‘Avez-vous lu ce qui est écrit sur cette assiette, et quelqu’un l’a-t-il vue entre vos mains?” Je ne sais pas lire,” répondit le pêcheur; “je viens de la trouver, personne ne l’a vue.” Ce paysan fut retenu jusqu’à ce que le gouverneur fût informé qu’il n’avait jamais lu, et que l’assiette n’avait été vue de personne. “Allez, lui dit-il, vous êtes bien heureux de ne savoir pas lire.” M. de Chamillart fut le dernier ministre qui eût cet étrange secret: le second maréchal de la Feuillade, son gendre, le con- jura à genoux, à sa mort, de lui apprendre ce que c’était que, cet homme qu’on ne connut jamais que sous le nom de Vhomme au masque de fer. Chamillart lui répondit que c’était le secret de l’Etat, et qu’il avait fait serment de ne le révéler jamais. ^chin-piece; ^best living. 47. Histoire d^un Lievre.^ J’ai dix ans bien comptés; je suis si vieux, que de mémoire de Lièvre il n’a été donné de si longs jours à un pauvre ani- mal. Je suis venu au monde en France, de parents français, le 1er Mai, 1830, là tout près, derrière ce grand chêne, le plus beau de notre belle forêt de Eambouillet, sur un lit de mousse que ma bonne mère avait recouvert de son plus fin duvet Je me rappelle encore ces belles nuits dè mon enfance, où j’étais ravi d’être au monde, où l’existence me semblait si facile, la lumière de la lune si pure, l’herbe si tendre, le thym^ et le serpolet si parfumés! S’il est des jours amers, il en est de si doux! J’étais alerte 394 BUFFET FRENCH METHOD. alors, étourdi paresseux comme vous; j’avais votre âge, votre insouciance et mes quatre pattes; je ne savais rien de la vie, j’étais heureux, oui, heureux! car vivre et savoir ce que c’est que l’existence d’un Lièvre, c’est mourir à toute heure, c’est trembler toujours. L’expérience n’est, hélas! que le souvenir du malheur. Je ne tardai pas, du reste, à reconnaître que tout n’est pas pour le mieux en ce triste monde, que les jours se suivent et ne se ressemblent pas. Un matin, dès l’aurore, après avoir couru à travers ces prés, j’étais sagement revenu m’endormir près de ma mère, comme le devait faire un enfant de mon âge, quand je fus réveillé soudain par deux éclats de tonnerre et par d’horribles clameurs. Ma mère était à deux pas de moi, mourante, assassinée! .... “Sauve-toi, me cria-t-elle encore, sauve-toi!” et elle expira. Son dernier soupir avait été pour moi. Il ne m’avait fallu qu’une seconde pour apprendre ce que c’était qu’un fusil, ce que c’était que le malheur, ce que c’était qu’un Homme. Ah ! mes enfants, s’il n’y avait pas d’Hommes sur la terre, la terre serait le paradis des Lièvres. Je suivis les conseils de ma mère: pour un Lièvre de dix- huit jours je me sauvai très-bravement, ma foi ; oui, bravement. Et si jamais vous vous trouvez à pareille affaire, ne craignez rien, mes enfants, sauvez-vous. Se retirer devant des forces supérieures, ce n’est pas fuir, c’est imiter les plus grands capitaines, c’est battre en retraite. Je m’indigne quand je pense â la réputation de poltronnerie ^ qu’on prétend nous faire. Croit-on donc qu’il soit si facile de trouver des jambes à l’heure du danger? Je courus donc, je courus longtemps; quand je fus au bout de mon haleine, un malheureux point de côté me saisit et je m’évanouis. Je ne sais pas combien de temps cela dura: mais jugez de mon effroi, lorsque je me retrouvai, non plus dans nos vertes campagnes, non plus sous le ciel, non plus sur la terre que j’aiîue, mais dans une étroite prison, dans un panier fermé. ^ kare ; down ; ^ thyme and creeping thyme ; ^ cowardice. ECLECTIC EDUCATIONAL SERIES. ECLECTIC HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. y^'2 pages. 12 mo,ftillcLoih with ornamental side stamp. “The present time seems eminently fitting for a new recital of the facts and principles of American History. “Increased attention of jurists and historians has been drawn to the Federal Constitution by the events of the last twenty years, and its features have been more thoroughly discussed than at any previous time since the adoption. “ Now that the str