Page:Notes on the Chinese Documentary Style - 1909.djvu/8

 had been the case in as many months during which he was left to his own imagination in pursuing his studies by mere practice, and that the benefits thus derived in respect of the ancient written language might be brought to bear, with greater advantage to the practical student, on the modern documentary style. The author has since had no reason to regret his grammatical efforts, and although many of his own friends can boast of' wonderful attainments in the knowledge of written Chinese by mere routine, he is deeply convinced of the fact that every hour invested in systematic study will, in the long run, save several hours which it will be necessary to spend in routine work, in order to realise by instinct the force of the various grammatical phases of the style.

In offering to students some of his observations, the author wishes it to be understood that his work does not replace a complete grammar, but that its chief object is to persuade the reader to make grammatical observations himself and to gradually lead him into the habit of tracing the rule where rule exists. To obtain this end, a study of the rules governing the , or ancient style, under the guidance of Julien's Syntaxe, or Prof. von der Gabelentz's Chinesische Grammatik (Leipzig, 1881), will be highly useful, since the spirit of Chinese grammar is the same now as it was in ancient times, the differences referring to detail rather than to principle. Grammatical hints will also be found in Part II. of the author's Text Book of Documentary Chinese, which should be regarded as a supplement to the present volume.

Students having managed the spoken language to a certain extent, and being able to express their thoughts fluently, frequently get disgusted with the difficulties of the written language and are only too ready to take refuge