PREFACE.

This volume has been prepared to meet a twofold need. An adequate
presentation of the International Language has become an imperative
necessity. Such presentation, including full and accurate grammatical
explanations, suitably graded reading lessons, and similarly graded
material for translation from English, has not heretofore been
accessible within the compass of a single volume, or in fact within the
compass of any two or three volumes.

The combination of grammar and reader here offered is therefore
unique. It is to furnish not merely an introduction to Esperanto, or
a superficial acquaintance with it, but a genuine understanding of
the language and mastery of its use without recourse to additional
textbooks, readers, etc. In other words, this one volume affords
as complete a knowledge of Esperanto as several years' study of a
grammar and various readers will accomplish for any national language.
Inflection, word-formation and syntax are presented clearly and
concisely, yet with a degree of completeness and in a systematic order
that constitute a new feature. Other points worthy of note are the
following:

The reasons for syntactical usages are given, instead of mere statements
that such usages exist. For example, clauses of purpose and of result
are really explained, instead of being dismissed with the unsatisfactory
remark that "the imperative follows 'por ke,'" or the "use of 'tiel ...
ke' and 'tia ... ke' must be distinguished from that of 'tiel ... kiel'
and 'tia ... kia,'" etc., with but little intimation of when and why
"por ke", "tiel ... ke" and "tia ... ke" are likely to occur.