The plan of this Introduction requires some explanation. Its object is to enable the student, as soon as he can decline and conjugate with tolerable facility, to translate simple sentences after given examples and with given words; the principles trusted to being those of imitation and very frequent repetition. It is at once a Syntax, a Vocabulary, and an Exercise-book; the Syntax being in substance that of Buttmann's excellent School Grammar.

One object I have steadily kept in view, that of making the general construction of sentences of more importance than the mere government of cases, which is nearly all that most Exercise-books pretend to teach. The Exercises are adapted for vivâvoce practice; but if the book is so used, they should by all means be written down afterwards. The Vocabularies, if possible, but at all events the Examples, should be committed to memory and carefully kept up.

It is due to Mr. Ollendorff, whose Introduction to German is, I see, about to appear in English, to state that the publication of a work like the present was suggested to me by the advantage I myself derived from the use of his book. I had originally drawn it up exactly on his plan; but the probable expense of publication has deterred me, for the present, from publishing it in that shape. The present work differs therefore from his, in requiring from the pupil a general acquaintance with the Accidence.