National Republican., 1882-11-11
NEW PUBLICATIONS,

THE FRENCH LANGUAGE sELF-TAUGHT. BY
ALFRED sARDoU. New York ID. Appleton q Co.
The system Of teaching French by the oral
method has been in use for several years. but In
very imperfect way. Mr.. sardou has conceived
the Idea OF putting II in tho form OF conversation,
systematically arranged, which will enable the
student not only to learn rapidly but at the same
time without the drudgery of grammar rules
which can be taken up after, he knows
how to speak auently. This, is on ne
same principle that the child OF we'll
bred parents learns TO speak correctly
first, and is then sent TO study the rules II is cs-
llmated that IN the cities OF washington, George
town, and Alexandria about 5000 people stnuy
French and that nearly 100 persons are Engaged IN
the occupation of teaching this accomplishment.
OF these teachers probably not more than dozen
are natives of France, and 1t is doubtless from this
reason that the system of oral teaching is not more
generally employed. In conversation win FRO,
fesSor G. Ginesi, an accomplished gentleman
from Nice, France, who has been a teacher OF
his native language for the past six years IN the
principal schools in Washington, Georgetown,
and Alexandria, II was ascertqned that MS
experience with the oral system had been most
satisfactory: that while with the old method four
years rarely suficed to learn The French language,
with the conversational system pupil can III SIX
months be able TO read, write, and translate per-
fecty and speak fuently. As French is the polite
without knowledge OF how to read and speak 1t.
and this new method should receive general ap-
proval.
SIGHTS AND SCENES IN EUROPE, +, ny WI WII1; <
Bushnell, Publishers, Flint city, Mich.
A good book 1t is printed on clean, whlte
paper, with neat type and fine illustrations, while
the mechanical execution generally is first Class
1t is such book of travel as will interest alarge
class of readers, 1t presents in concise and a.
tractive form large mass OF facts and figures
relative to the historical places, great
cities, public buildings, palaces, art galleries
routes OF travel, in eresting euriosities, So
OF England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Swtzer-
land, Germany, aud Belgium The authors OBJ
servations were made during the summer eud
autumn of 1881. His book is the outcome OF what
he saw and heard, and in MI tf which he shows
himself to be as industrious in the pursuit of in:
formation among the interesting scenes OF the OLD
world as he is keen and sententious i'll the eN-
preston of his views relating thereto without
further enlargement, we have only 70 add: Get
tue book and read for yourself; 1t will repay Pc
rlsal.
CURFEw MUST NOT RING TONIGHT. BY
Rosa HARTwICK THORPE. Profusely Illustrated
by f. 4. Merrill anu Il. H. Garrett in fullpase and
letter-press drawings, engraved by Andrews.
Boston: Lee & Shepard. Washington: j. Brad
ley Adams.
Few American ballads have taken a stronger
hold upon the reading public than the one now
before u.s. Itpossesses pathos that is irresisti-
bly, attractive, and since 1t was first printed
In local newspaper 1t has been copied
far and wide; has been translated into
foreign languages; has been set TO music,
and been acted in characters. The volume
now before us is one of the most elegant that has
emaiiated from any publishing house, and is II
fitting dress for the touching ballad II contains.
1t will make a beautiful holiday gift, being
masterpiece of topographic art. while the Illus.
tratlons are thoroughly appropriate in design aud
most attractive books brought out this fall, and
will be widely sought as holiday souvenir.