Edue T 2118,49,645

Harvar

cilege Librai

July 1, 1915

Gift of

Mrs. A Lawrence Lowell

Entered, according to an Act of Congress, in the year 1848,

BY D. APPLETON & COMPANY,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern
District of New York.

NOTICE.-A KEY to the Exercises of this Grammar is published in a separate Volume.

P R E F A CЕ.

THE superiority of OLLENDORFF'S METHOD of teaching languages is now so universally acknowledged, both in the United States and in Europe, that an adaptation of it to the EUPHONIC CASTILIAN, or SPANISH LANGUAGE, must be considered as a desideratum to persons wishing to learn it. Divested of the abstractedness of Grammar, it contains, however, all its elements; but it develops them so gradually, and in so simple a manner, as to render them intelligible to the most ordinary capacity. The difficulties are met singly, thoroughly analyzed, and made familiar by dint of a varied and interesting repetition, the most effectual means to impress them on young and unlearned minds, generally averse to thought or reflection, and always prone to trust to their undisciplined memory, a power often treacherous from want of proper direction. It is, therefore, hardly possible to go through this book with any degree of application, without becoming thoroughly conversant with the colloquial, idiomatic, and classic use of the Spanish language. Consequently, persons transacting business in the countries of which the Spanish is the vernacular tongue, will find this work to be their best guide in learning to speak it with propriety.

For the benefit of persons grammatically acquainted with the English, or other languages, a Synopsis of the Spanish has been annexed as an Appendix, containing tables of the regular conjugations of the verbs, copious lists of the irregular verbs, general rules of etymology, syntax, &c., by means of which they may learn all the peculiarities of the Spanish, and make themselves perfect masters of it in a very short time, without the assistance of a teacher.

To enhance, if possible, the importance and utility of this Method, the pronunciation of the Spanish letters is explained and exemplified, in so simple, clear, and easy a manner, as to render it comprehensible to every capacity.

Consulting also the benefit of the learners, and with a view. to render this work a complete course for Reading, Speaking, and Writing the Spanish language, Models of Familiar and Commercial Letters are added to it, containing directions for all the usual commercial transactions, by the aid of which, young learners, and persons who instruct themselves, may transact, in writing, any business.

It is hardly necessary to remark, that the English phrases in the Exercises are not always models worthy of imitation; but they are made use of in order to instruct the scholar how to express them properly in Spanish, and thereby to teach him its idioms.

NEW YORK, February, 1848

The irregular verbs are designated by a star (*).

The figures 1, 2, 3, placed after the verbs, denote that they are regular, and indi-
cate the conjugations to which they respectively belong.

The figures 1, 2, 3, placed before the verbs, denote the persons, either singular or
plural.

N. 1, N. 2, &c., are used to designate the simple tenses of the verbs.

N. 1, p., N. 2, p., &c., designate the compound tenses of the verbs.

Expressions which vary either in their construction or idiom from the English,
are marked thus †.

A hand () denotes a particular remark

THE SAGACIOUS STARLING.

A THIRSTY starling found a decanter of water, and attempted to drink from it; but the water scarcely touched the neck of the decanter, and the bird's bill could not reach it.

He began to peck at the outside of the vessel, in order to make a hole in it; but in vain, the glass was too hard.

He then attempted to upset the decanter. In this he succeeded no better; the vessel was too heavy.

At length the starling hit upon an idea that succeeded: he threw little pebbles into the decanter, which caused the water gradually to rise till within the reach of his bill.

Skill is better than strength: patience and reflection make many things easy which at first appear impossible.

EL ESTORNINO SAGAZ.

UN estornino sediento halló una garrafa llena de agua, é inmediatamente procuró beber; pero el agua á pénas llegaba al cuello de la garrafa, y el pico del pájaro no podia alcanzarla.

Se puso luego á picar la garrafa á fin de hacer un agugerito; pero se esforzó en vano, porque el vidrio era muy grueso.

Entónces intentó voltear la garrafa para derramar el agua; pero no pudo hacerlo, porque era muy pesada.

Al fin concibió una idea, que se le logró: echó poco a poco en la garrafa una cantidad tan grande de piedrecitas, que hicieron subir gradualmente el agua á la distancia que su pico podia alcanzar, y luego apagó su sed.

Mas valo maña que fuerza: la paciencia y la reflexion hacen fáciles muchas cosas, que parecian imposibles á primera vista.