Desires are nothing but torments, Ce sont des tourmens que les desirs. Even knowing how to set about learning a language is a great deal, C'est déjà beaucoup que de savoir étudier une langue. Real goodness makes true friends, and not talents alone, C'est la vraie bonté qui fait des amis, et non des talens seulement. I owe you all I possess, C'est à vous que je dois tout ce que je posséde. I wish to speak to Mr. B.-My name is B., Sir, C'était un grand homme que Howard! What I tell you, is the truth, Ce que je vous dis, c'est la vérité. What he is most anxious for, is to become learned, Your father is the man I like best, L'homme que j'aime le mieux, c'est votre père. A friend is a treasure! C'est un trésor qu'un ami! A man must be very wicked who does mischief for mischief's sake! C'est être bien méchant que de faire le mal pour l'amour du mal! Any one may be happy who will think himself so, C'est être heureux que de croire l'être. That is what may be called acting a friendly part, England is the country for horse-racing, C'est en Angleterre qu'il faut voir les courses de chevaux. Meaning because. If I have done wrong it is because I was not warned, Before devoir and sembler. That must be a very wicked man, You seem rather vexed, Vous êtes ce semble, un peu fâché. In asking questions, to ascertain, Est-ce. (Syntax, No. 323.) Did this gentleman do that? Est-ce monsieur qui a fait cela? To point to the object, Est-ce lá. (Syntax, No. 324.) Is that your house? Est-ce là votre maison ? To show astonishment, Est-ce que, before a verb. (Syntax, No. 325.) You are not married, are you? To denote previous knowledge, N'est-ce pas. (Syntax, No. 326.) Il pleut, n'est-ce pas ? To ascertain by the testimony of another, N'est ce pas que. (Syntax, No. 327.) N'est-ce pas que la nouvelle est officielle ? La nouvelle est officielle, n'est-ce pas ? Difference made between C'est and Il est. (Syntax, 339 C'est à ...... de. Il est de, implying duty. to, &c. C'est à mon frère de prendre votre parti, Il est d'un honnête homme de faire son devoir, It is my brother's duty to take your It is the part of an honest man to part. Est-ce à moi de faire cela? Is it my part to do that? do his duty. As the difficulty of Concord consists in the agreement of those parts of speech which are susceptible of inflexions, we beg to refer the learner to the Article, Adjective, Pronoun, and Verbs; but chiefly to the Adjective, and to the Verb, with regard to its Nominative, as well as to its Participle past, in the Syntax. We shall merely add the following rule : A verb following such an expression as un or une des, one of the,' with a superlative, is not only to be in the sub junctive, but also in the plural. C'est un des meilleurs hommes qui existent, He is one of the best men who exist. Son règne est un des plus longs qui aient été rapportés dans l'histoire, His reign is one of the longest which have been related in history. CONDITIONAL. The Conditional, besides its usual import, in French, also means surprise, astonishment. Comment! j'aurais travaillé toute ma vie pour si peu ! Tu aurais fait cela, toi! Could you ever be guilty of that! D * In order to understand the formation of the above conjunctions, &c. it will be advisable for the learner to bear in mind the original significations of à, de, pour, avec, par, en. A, to, at, indicates 'motion towards,' or 'stopping at a place.' DE, of, from, shows 'connexion,' when placed after the preposition, and distance' when before. POUR, for, for the purpose of. AVEC, with, in company with. PAR, by, through. It implies coercion,' or 'passing through ;' therefore motion. EN implies by means of, 'the manner and time' in which any thing is done, also 'motion.' Observe, also, that a simple preposition is placed before a substantive. When accompanied by de, it is placed before a verb in the infinitive. When accompanied by que, it is placed before a verb, either in the indicative or in the subjunctive. (See Syntax, Nos. 382 and 383.) Ex.: Avant le jour; avant de partir; avant que je parte. avant que auparavant Bien.. bien que si bien que before (before a subjunctive.) Ex.: Avant que je sois, &c. (adv.)......before (time.) Ex.: Vous partirez, mais aussi bien que Car (conj.) C'est .... c'est pourquoi c'est-à-dire faites cela auparavant. ..well, very; très-bien, fort-bien, very well; assez bien, pretty well. ..although. .that is to say. ....it is because. .....here and there, every where. |