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The present book has been written inthe hope that it will serve as an elementary introduction to the largerGerman works on the subject from which I have appropriated whateverseemed necessary for the purpose. In the grammar much aid has beenderived from Paul’s Mittelhochdeutsche Grammatik, second edition,Halle, 1884, and Weinhold’s Mittelhochdeutsche Grammatik, secondedition, Paderborn, 1883. The former work, besides containing by far themost complete syntax, is also the only Middle High German Grammar whichis based on the present state of German Philology.... I believethat the day is not far distant when English students will take a muchmore lively interest in the study of their own and the other Germaniclanguages (especially German and Old Norse) than has hitherto been thecase. And if this little book should contribute anything towardsfurthering the cause, it will have amply fulfilled its purpose.
London: January, 1888.
When I wrote the preface to the firstedition of this primer in 1888, I ventured to predict that theinterest of English students in the subject would grow and develop astime went on, but I hardly expected that it would grow so much that asecond edition of the book would be required withinivso short a period. It has been revised throughout, and several changeshave been made in the phonology, but I have not thought it advisable toalter the general plan and scope of the former edition. After many yearsof personal experience as a teacher and examine