PREFACE

Three things make a revision of this book desirable. First the plates of the older edition are so worn out that no more copies can be printed from them. Second teachers who have taught the book have from time to time sent me suggestions useful in rewriting this elementary manual. Third some things that appeared crude or unnatural to me while teaching it myself must be done away with.

In my work of revision I have rewritten many of the lessons. I have omitted a number of words that seemed useless and have added others. Several pictures have also been changed. New words which were formerly indicated by underscoring， are now indicated by little dots under the vowels of these words. In a word of two or more syllables the dot is placed under the vowel of the stressed syllable. This change is made because underscorings attract too much of the pupil's attention. I hope that this change as well as others will mean a real improvement.

I have been helped in my work by Professor Donald Roberts of St. John's University， Shang-hai who has read through the book in manuscript form and has made such changes in the sentences as were necessary to make them more idiomatic. From his corrections in the manuscript I have learned much that will help me m the further preparation of English textbooks. Nevertheless for whatever defects mechanical or otherwise the book may possess，I alone am to blame.

THE AUTHOR
Shang hai, May, 1922