192 INTRODUCTION TO THE VOOABULARY. which it follows in the Vocabulary. Thus, abord (d’) stands for d’abord.
In translating, you will often find it necessary to leave out the word to before infinitives. Thus, the word partir, means “ to départ ;” but the phrase il le vit partir must be translated, not “ he saw him to depart, ” but “ he saw him départ.” And when a préposition goes before it, it will often be necessary to add the ending ing ; thus avant de partir must be translated, not “ before to départ,” but “ before departing.” Recollect too that the French use the word the a great deal more than we do ; and leave it out in translating, whenever it is not wanted in English. These rules may seem hard to observe at first ; but practice will make them easy, as it does every thing else that we have a mind to do. So that if you are diligent, your progress will be rapid, and after finishing this book you can take up another without any other help than your grammar and dictionary.
THE EDITOR.
