difficult task, but the difficulty is increased in a very great degree
when an initial and original work is undertaken. Such a work demands
careful and thorough research, absolute precision, and much patient
labour. The labour, however, has been lightened by the good wishes
of Esperantists all the world over. Not from England alone, but from
that Greater Britain beyond the seas, kindly help has been offered,
and gratefully accepted. We have spared no pains in the endeavour to
make this Dictionary (within its limits) perfect, and we hope we have
succeeded. The busy Briton, who has not time for word-building, will
find within the following pages every ordinary English word, with its
Esperanto equivalent. It has been said, and with truth, that with a
perfect knowledge of one or two thousand words anyone can adequately
express oneself—conversationally—on any of the ordinary topics of
everyday life, and for this reason we have taken special pains to select
those words which are most in use. The student who possesses a knowledge
of the process of word-building can from the material within these pages
extend such material to an almost unlimited extent. (For an example of
this see pages 10-15).

The larger Dictionary is in course of preparation, though some
time must necessarily elapse before its publication. For this the
collaboration and counsel of the most eminent continental Esperantists
have been secured. We shall be extremely grateful to those who use
the present work for any suggestions that may render it more useful,
in the event of a second edition being required, and also that the
larger Dictionary may receive the benefit of such suggestions. (Any
such suggestions may be sent to J. C. O'Connor, B.A., Esperanto House,
St. Stephen's Square, Bayswater, W.; or to C. F. Hayes, Fairlight, 48,
Swanage Road, Wandsworth, S.W.) It is to the interest of all loyal
Esperantists to do what they can in anything that may help to extend