ST. AGNES. Deep on the convent roof the snows The shadows of the convent towers Still creeping with the creeping hours Make Thou my spirit pure and clear Or this first snowdrop of the year As these white robes are soiled and dark, So in my earthly house I am, To that I hope to be. Break up the heavens, O Lord! and far, Draw me, Thy bride, a glittering star, He lifts me to the golden doors; And deepens on and up! the gates For me the Heavenly Bridegroom waits, To make me pure of sin. The sabbaths of Eternity, One sabbath deep and wide A light upon the shining sea The Bridegroom with his bride! TENNYSON. LONDON PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE & CO. NEW-STREET SQUARE ELEMENTARY FRENCH WORKS FORMING A COMPLETE Course of Modern French FOR STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES; And carefully adapted for use in Young Ladies' Schools. BY LÉON CONTANSEAU PROFESSOR OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE IN THE ROYAL INDIAN MILITARY COLLEGE, ADDISCOMBE; FRENCH EXAMINER FOR MILITARY AND CIVIL APPOINTMENTS, FOR ADMISSION TO ADDISCOMBE, ETC. ETC. In Use in the Royal Indian Military College, Addiscombe ; The Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; King's College, London; Harrow School; Cheltenham College, Marlborough College, Christ's Hospital, and in the Schools and Colleges of the United Kingdom. A NEW PRACTICAL DICTIONARY OF THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES. IN TWO PARTS: FRENCH AND ENGLISH-ENGLISH AND FRENCH. Containing the following Improvements : 1. New Words in general use in each Language not to be found in other Dictionaries -2. Compound Words not translated literally.-3. Prepositions annexed to the French Verbs and Adjectives, showing what Case they govern.-4. Acceptations of the Words separated by Figures, with directions as to the proper Word.-5. Examples of the most familiar Idioms and Phrases.-6. The principal Tenses of all Irregular Verbs. Fourth Edition, in 1 vol. post 8vo. pp. 970, price 10s. 6d. bound. London: LONGMAN, GREEN, and CO. Paternoster Row. 2 Contanseau's Elementary French Works. OPINION OF VICE-CHANCELLOR SIR W. P. WOOD. (Judgment given in favour of M. Contanseau in Spiers versus Brown.) The learned judge, after having put aside Dr. Spiers' School Dictionary as not to be compared with M. Contanseau's Practical French Dictionary, says: "M. Contanseau has produced an entirely different work from that of the plaintiff, and unquestionably a most valuable and ingenious practical work.” OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. "A close examination of this volume leads us to prefer it for all practical purposes to any similar work we have ever met with..... We can conscientiously recommend this volume as the best for practical tuition, and for purposes of general reference, that has ever fallen under our notice. We do not doubt that the care and intelligence bestowed by Mr. Contanseau on its preparation will be amply repaid by the standard reputation it must attain." PRESS, Jan. 31, 1857. "We have no school dictionary of the French and English languages at all approaching to Mr. Contanseau's in fulness, correctness, and the assistance which it affords to the pupil..... While this dictionary is admirably adapted to the use of schools, it will be found quite sufficient for all the wants of more advanced students, and those who only occasionally require the assistance of such a work.” LEEDS MERCURY, Jan. 10, 1857. "Very portable as to its form, and very complete as to its matter. It includes fully the French and English of the present day, by inserting such new words as photograph, revolver, stereoscope, and many more; it includes familiar English compounds representing simple words in French; it gives French for every sense in which an English word is taken-thus, there are twelve senses to the word match, all of course to be translated differently. It gives with French verbs the prepositions required after their infinitives or adjectives; it illustrates idioms; it gives the principal tenses of irregular verbs; and it is so printed as greatly to assist the eye in finding any information sought." EXAMINER, Jan. 10, 1857. "The fruit of seven years' toil, by a teacher occupying a distinguished position, this Dictionary has strong claims to favourable consideration. The plan is admirable, and the execution worthy of the plan.... The typographical arrangement is remarkably clear, consistent, and convenient for practical purposes. We must mention, as another excellence, the insertion of the principal tenses of irregular verbs, both French and English." ATHENEUM, March 21, 1857. "It is a pleasant thing to be able to say to a man, 'You have done your work well.' This, after a careful examination of the new French School Dictionary before us, we say to its author.... This useful work requires only to be known to supersede our old torments of the school-room. The carefulness of the whole is worthy of high recommendation." GLOBE, Feb. 2, 1857. *** Twenty more of the principal journals of England have given on this work favourable reviews, which space does not allow to insert in this prospectus. A FRENCH GRAMMAR WITH A SERIES OF Exercises upon the Ten Parts of Speech and all the Rules of Syntax: WITH FOOT-NOTES, TO SERVE AS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GUIDE TO FRENCH TRANSLATION Third Edition, revised and improved, 12mo. 4s. bound. Contanseau's Elementary French Works. 3 ABRÉGÉ D'HISTOIRE DE FRANCE, From the Earliest Times to the Year 1860. Compiled from the works of Guizot, Sismondi, de Barante, Thiers, Michelet, &c. expressly for the use of Schools and Students graduating for the Oxford Middle Class School Examinations, and of Candidates for Appointments One Vol. 12mo. price 5s. 6d. bound. ***The object of this work is to present within the limits of a small volume a plain but animated summary of the History of France, omitting no event of importance, and narrating the essentials of the French historical annals in language that may easily be committed entire to memory by pupils. The want of a carefully-written history of France on such a plan is admitted both by teachers and scholars, and has long been severely felt by the large and increasing class of candidates who are graduating for the competitive examinations. To render the present work as available as possible for the use of these classes, the more remote and less generally interesting sections of French history have been related with comparative brevity; while the modern period, from the fifteenth century to the middle of the nineteenth, is treated with a completeness which cannot be said to characterise any history of France now in use in English schools. The ordinary arrangement under books and chapters has been discarded; and the work is divided into short paragraphs, each with a characteristic heading in black type, with a view to facilitate the student's examination by questions. As an additional aid to the memory and to the eyesight, the principal words in every paragraph are likewise printed in a more conspicuous type ;an arrangement which will be found in use to exhibit the leading events of French history in chronological sequence at a single glance, and to mark with distinctness the dates, personages, and events with which it is the historical student's aim to familiarise his mind. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. "Mr. Contanseau's volume is adapted particularly to schools and students graduating for the competitive examinations. The author's great experience as a popular instructor and examiner for military and civil appointments has availed him well in the compilation of this work, which, taking up French history from the earliest times to the present year, constitutes a perfect analysis of the subject, written with the most conscientious desire of truth, in the best taste and with striking impartiality, while the style in which the book is penned is as pure in language as its accuracy of statement and attention to chronology are commendable." JOHN BULL, March 24, 1860. "Mr. Contanseau has well and honourably fulfilled the rather difficult task to which he had applied himself.... On the whole we can speak highly of this volume, and conscientiously recommend it to those for whom it is chiefly intended, students in schools, and young men preparing for competitive examinations." LITERARY GAZETTE, March 17, 1860. "An admirable class-book of French history, deducing the course of events from the Gauls down to the present period, and useful alike in our English schools both for French and historical exercises.' CRITIC, March 10, 1860. "Mr. Contanseau's Abrégé de l'Histoire de France is unique in its plan, and is conscientiously and most carefully composed.... To all young gentlemen who are preparing for competitive or other examinations in which the French history and language are comprised, we recommend M. Contanseau's Abrégé as a really useful, impressive, animated, and elegantly written book of study." CIVIL SERVICE GAZETTE, March 17, 1860. "We cannot but recommend the book heartily to all who are reading, or desirous of becoming acquainted with, French history." SCOTTISH PRESS, April 4, 1860. ** Twelve more journals have given favourable reviews on this work. 4 Contanseau's Elementary French Works. PROSATEURS et POETES FRANÇAIS OR SELECTIONS FROM THE BEST FRENCH AUTHORS; AN INTRODUCTION OF EASY PIECES. WITH Arranged in Chronological Order, from the Age of Louis XIV. to the Present Day. With Biographical Sketches. Fifth Edition, 12mo. pp. 540, price 6s. 6d. bound. |