H E N R Y W A L L O P P E. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , L H O N E V R L' A P P V Y E. 9 , 1 , 11 , 3 , 2 , 6 , 4. 10 , 8 , 12 , 13 , 7 , 5 , 14.

THe first and chiefest degree of learning ( gentle Reader ) is a mutuall loue and agreement , betweene him that doth teach , and him that doth learne : I hope that both are both in you and me . In you , because you seeke for me , and hauing found me , keepe me in your companie , and delight to talke with me . In me , because I haue with very great payne and care , compiled this booke , onely for you , I spare no tyme to doe you good , and preferre your furtheraunce before myne owne studies . But before we goe any further , it is my duety to teach you faithfully , the methode that you ought to keepe , if you will shortly reape the fruite of your hope , and gather the sweet premisses of my liberall promise : you being then so desirous to be taught of me , as I am willing to instruct you , I doe not doubt , but you will be so carefull to obserue both my methode and my rules , so warie to performe the same , and so constant to continue in them , as I haue bene painefull and earnest to inuent them , diligent to prescribe , and am willing to further you by them . They be fewe , and so the more easie to learne , and lesse hard to practise : and thus much for our mutuall loue . And as for the other , you meane to learne quickly , and I purpose to teach you speedely , and so we agree . But as I haue taken great paynes in gathering these rules , so you must spare no labour in learning them , and so we shall agree to . For do not thinke that my booke is able by himself to make you a good Frenchman , except for your part you will play the diligent studient , as for it , it will teach you faithfully . There is nothing though neuer so easie if one goe vnwillingly about it , and besides be not well taught , but he shall finde it most hard . There is nothing though neuer so hard , if one go with a desire to it , an earnest labour about it , vse diligence in it , and be well taught , but is quickly learned , and founde most easie . Therefore if you will willingly obserue my rules , and carefully keepe my methode , I doe not doubt , but you shall finde the French toung so easie , as other before haue tried it hard : and shall receiue such benefit thereby , that you wil neuer repent to haue learned of me , nor I to haue taught you . For I hope that shortly you shall receiue the fruite of your hope , the profite of your labour , and I thankes for the reward of my payne .

The first thing I desire you to obserue is , that you will vouchsafe to learne perfectly , and aboue all things both your letters and your syllables . Be not loth to spend three or foure dayes about them , for those foure dayes will do you more profit , then foure monethes spent without the learning of them .

Secondly , when you haue them perfectly , begin to read , but before , spell foure or fiue times euery word , though neuer so small , one after another : And for the beginning take but three or foure lines at once , or more or lesse according as your capacitie can reach , and your pacience permit . And in your spelling & reading , let not passe any letter nor syllable , without bringing them to the tryall of your rules , to know if either they must be sounded after the English fashion or no , what difference there be betweene them , what letter must be pronounced & what not : and why it is pronounced or not . I haue spoken of them particularly , so that if you haue neede of any of them , you shal finde them in their order , and the generall rules after .

Thirdly , when you can read truely , and pronounce perfectly , them go about to English it , you haue in this booke the English translation word for word , to teach it you . When you vnderstand it , and are able to English it , then copie out the French , and write it in some paper booke , the which you shall haue prouided for that purpose . Then after hauing shut your French Alphabeth , write vnder the French , the English that you can giue to it : that being done , conferre your translation with your booke , and amende your faultes if you haue committed any . After that lay away from you the French , and trye if you can put your English translation into French againe . Continue this order for a moneth euery day , repeating three or foure tymes , both your letters and your syllables , & reading and Englishing as many times your old , from the beginning , till your later lesson : least in learning the one , you should forget the other , and besides that , the old may be a helpe to the new . Being once able to read and pronounce perfectly with your rules two or three leaues of your booke at the most , I can assure you , that there is not any Frenche booke , though neuer so hard , but you shall be able to read and pronounce it as truely as can be wished for . For in lesse then in a leafe of your booke , all your rules are to be obserued , three or foure tymes at least . For there is no word but in it is one or two rules to be noted . This way will seeme to you at the beginning very hard , and so though it be more painefull then hard , it is in deede the hardest of the French toung , except it be faithfully taught , and also diligently learned . But though in it selfe it is without teaching , not onely the hardest , but also , as if it were impossible to attaine , you shall finde it the most easiest , if you will learne , and be ruled by these rules .

Fourthly , when you know all the rules of your true pronounciation , and can exactly obserue them in reading , then go forward speedely in your booke , and euery day translate of it out of French into English , and out of English into French , as much as you can , repeating often your old , least you should forget it . This is the only readiest way to instruct you , not only in the right reading , and naturall pronounciation of the French toung , and in the perfect knowledge and vnderstanding of the same , but also to make you write it truely , and speake it accordingly . Without chaunging of methode , keepe this order still , not letting passe any day without learning some thing , and you shall finde , in lesse then fiue or sixe weekes , your labour and diligence , afforde you such profite and aduauncement , that you will wonder at it , and much greater then I dare promise you .

Furthermore when you are pretely furthered in it , get you acquainted , if it be possible , with some French man , to the end you may practise with him , by dayly conference together , in speech and talke , what you haue learned . And if you be in a place , where the Frenchmen haue a Church for themselues , as they haue in London , get you a French Bible , or a new Testament , and euery day goe both to their Lecture and Sermons . The one will confirme and strength your pronounciation , and the other to vnderstand when one doth speake .

Finally , if you haue a desire both to vnderstand perfectly the hardest and most eloquent French , and to speake it naturally , you must prouide you some French Dictionarie , and the hardest booke you can finde , then translate it , after the maner that I haue prescribed you before , or if you will not take the payne to translate ( though it be the surest and shortest way ) read it diligently and picke out in some booke , both the hardest wordes , and the best phrases to serue your turne , either to speake or to write , when you haue neede of .

But because without Grammar it is almost impossible to speake perfectly , but with a very great labour , and long tract of tyme , if this my French-Alphabeth , whom I send you for an herbenger of my great loue , and good will I beare you , can finde any fauour at your handes ; I will shortly sent you a FRENCH TVTOR , that will teach you in so short and easie way , as may be both , by the perfect knowledge of the partes of your speeches and Syntaxe , not onely to speake perfectly , but also to know if one doth not speake well , to reproue him when he doth speake ill , and to teach him how to amend his bad speeche , a thing which yet before hath neuer bene taught . The promise is great , but the performance shall not be lesse , if this be acceptable vnto you . If I satisfie you , I doe satisfie my selfe , desiring the one , because I wishe for the other . But if my wishes doe not aunswere to your expectation , I pray you let your fauorable curtesie washe my fault in the streames of the good will I beare you : And in that deuotion . I bid you farewell .