ADVICE TO THE STUDENT.
1. The lessons, etc., in this text-book are arranged to meet what must be the great aims of an International language, viz.:
(1). To read it with facility.
(2). To speak it with facility.
(3). To write it with facility.
2. And, in order to fulfil these ends, the Lessons have been divided into three sections, namely: Exercises, Conversations, and Specimens of Correspondence. All these can be taken in their order, but there is nothing to prevent a student from working at the Conversations before the Exercises (Section I.) have been finished. The Correspondence (Section III.), however, should not be attempted until the Exercises and Conversations are thoroughly mastered.
3. In order to facilitate the study of the language, I would advise the student to give his careful attention to the following suggestions:—
4. Do not begin the Exercises until the sound value of every letter in the Alphabet is thoroughly mastered.
5. Even when this point is attained, let no day pass without reading aloud the words of, at least, one Exercise; this for three reasons—firstly, as an exercise in pronunciation; secondly, to accustom the ear to the sound of the words; thirdly, for a better remembering of the words, one sense here materially helping the other.
6. Keep well before the mind, for this end, the fact that the language is phonetic, one letter having always and everywhere one sound, and, finally, remember there are no silent letters.
7. In mentioning the letters it is well to give them the names by which they are universally known; this is done by adding an O to each consonant. Thus the
