Torquay.
[We have reason to believe that Messrs. Longman have it in
contemplation to produce such a cheap edition as our correspondent
suggests, but not, perhaps, as a portion of their _Traveller's
Library_.]
_The French Language._--It has continually appeared to me as a great
absurdity, that the terms masculine and feminine should be applied to
inanimate things in the French language, when common sense is opposed to
such a distinction. I think the reason for using feminine and masculine
articles in conjunction with nouns said to be of those genders, is to be
found in the rule which obtains in the Irish or Celtic language, namely,
that of "caol re caol," _i.e._ fine with fine, and "leatair re leatair,"
_i.e._ broad with broad vowels or sounds. I throw out this hint to those
who are better qualified to investigate the matter; as I feel sure it
would be a great benefit to learners of the French language to have a
clear rule to guide them, instead of the present system, which is very
complicated.