PREFACE. NUMEROUS applications made by those in possession of my Grammar entitled "How to Learn Russian" for a sequel to it, in the shape of an easy Reading Book, have induced me to compile this little work, which I now offer to my pupils and the public. This book is especially intended for those who cannot avail themselves of the assistance of a master. The initial difficulties which have to be overcome in reading Russian consist chiefly in the variety of inflexions and terminations of which the Russian Language is susceptible. Beginners are apt to be so disheartened by these, that after a brief period of study they abandon the task in despair. But if they had once mastered these grammatical forms, they would have found the path comparatively clear for further progress. In order to enable students to overcome these difficulties, which are not really as formidable as they may appear at first sight, I have devoted a few pages to grammatical exercises, illustrating the most prominent features of the language, and forming as it were a short manual of accidence. If these be carefully learnt, the reading of the subsequent portions of the book will be considerably facilitated. The stories, extracts, etc., selected from the prose and poetry of the best Russian authors, are arranged in progres sive order, so as to lead the student gradually on. Footnotes have been added whenever they seemed to be necessary, and a Vocabulary has been appended in order to do away with the necessity of searching, wearily and often fruitlessly, the by no means complete Russian-English Dictionaries, which are at present available. In this Vocabulary the exact meaning is given of every word occurring in the text, and each verb appears under the aspect appropriate to the occasion to which it refers. Address: Care of MESSRS. TRÜBNER & Co., Ludgate Hill, E.C. HENRY RIOLA. |