Edward H. Magill 
Reading French Grammar 
A Short Method of Learning to Read the French Language

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. No exercises in writing French are given in this grammar, for the Simple reason that it seems to the author best that a student Should, by reading, first learn how others write French before attempting to do it for himself. The time often spent in turning good English into poor French is believed to be worse than wasted, and prevents the rapid acquisition of a reading knowledge of the language. Written exercises in French are of great value and really indispensable, but they properly come later, after acquiring a considerable familiarity with the printed page. And these exercises need not be printed in a separate volume, but may be best taken from the French readers used, the student being trained in turning back into French what he has first translated into English. He thus writes with a correct model of construction constantly before him. This is of far more value than the labori ous construction of doubtful sentences by the aid of grammar and dictionary. All reference to pronunciation is omitted in this volume, simply because instruction upon this subject, to be of any practical value, must come from the lips of the living teacher, who should be either a native of France or one who has had much personal intercourse with educated French people. This knowledge cannot be imparted satisfactorily by any printed page. This little work, after many years of experience in teaching French, has been thoroughly tested by the practical work of the class-room, and it is earnestly commended to my fellow-teachers, in the hope that they may find it a practical and easy key to the delightful treasures of French literature.