40. This is the strong, simple, vocal, nasal sound of ng as in song, and of n as in plank. It has only two methods of expression.-No one of these three last couples is ever silent.

There are two other sounds in our language, spoken in some single exclamations, but never written; and, in my view they are not yet worthy to be noted, each by a letter. One of these is a guttural mute, a final, formed with open mouth by closing the glottis. It is used in several single words of strong prohibition, with some reprimand and caution. The other is a nasal aspirate, an initial, used in one word only, strongly expressive of chagrin, and different degrees of blame and contempt of any that have caused it.

I have now, at last, by vast labor from time to time, during many years, got through with the examination and the analysis of the important primary sounds, used in the English language, and have, as I think, found 40, distinct from each other, and worthy each to be written, and printed, and read, by its own one distinct appropriated letter. There should, of course, be 40 distinct letters, or methods of expressing these 40 sounds, one and one only assigned to each, to represent it to the eye for reading. But 1 have found only 23 available letters in our old alphabet, to mark these 40 distinct primary sounds! Thus you see we are in extreme and pressing need of 17 new letters, that each sound may have its own one peculiar mark And more than all this, I have, besides the onerous rubbish of silent letters, already discovered 177 irregular, unnecessary, and very bewildering and perplexing methods of expressing our 40 primary sounds, and that by sounded letters, or such as cannot be proved to be not sounded! This is an immense evil in our literature, and causes vast

unnecessary labor in learning to read and write our language, and also in the printing and the practical silent reading of it. These sore calamities might all be avoided by throwing out all silent letters, and all redundant methods of expressing our 40 sounds, both which have become exceedingly burdensome, and are constantly, though slowly, becoming more and more so; and also by assigning to each important distinct sound, its own one distinct letter, and none other.

Now, in conclusion, observe,

1. That there are four pairs of correlative sounds among the sixteen vowel sounds-viz, a in hall, and o in not, or a in what; a in part and a in ah! o in note and o in oh! o in prove and o in wolf; and eight among the consonants, all which have been noticed. The former are distinguished by length, the other by closeness.

2. No separable diphthong should be marked with. a distinct alphabetic letter; but not so with the six inseparable-viz., i, j, r, u, w, and y.

3. The most vocal of the letters, or their sounds rather, which are never vowels, are zh, ng, j, v, and z.

4. The sounds which I found most difficult to analyze and to judge of, in their own natures and various relations, were those expressed by h, i, r, u,

W,

and y. With regard to the plain and obvious things, even dunces could, by observation and analysis, but stumble on the truth for reformation; but on the nice points and most delicate affairs, the wisest orthoepists and projectors still disagree, and they probably always will, and thus prevent the radical improvements so extremely needed; unless they will consent, for the public benefit, to come together, and

with candor and mutual condescension fairly discuss the matters of difference, agree upon some system of orthographic reform, and unitedly and perseveringly maintain it. But it is perfect nonsense for any one projector to think of pushing his project over the English world, in opposition to all the numerous obstacles, and the other many projectors besides.

5. I do here, as elsewhere, put down in short the chief advantages aimed at for common good in my project, though yet imperfect, and which I am very confident it would accomplish.-It would, after learning my alphabet of 40 letters, prevent the necessity of learning orthography and spelling; for, the sounds in writing would suggest the proper letters and words.— It would prevent almost the whole of learning to read, for the letters and words would suggest the proper sounds; the sense necessarily giving the just accentuation, inflection, and emphasis.—It would save onehalf of the expense of learning and practicing chirography, or common handwriting; for the labor, by various means, is reduced that much.-It would save at least one-third of the expense of all printing and silent reading. It would prevent the chief tendencies to idleness and vice in primary education.—It would give a better education at twelve, than can now be given at sixteen years of age.

144

MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS.

AN ABRIDGEMENT

OF THE AUTHOR'S

MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS

February 19th, 1844, on Reforming the Writing of our Language, which was received by the House, read, and printed.

As a facility in a new self-supporting system of general and liberal education, (which has been proved feasible in a school of six years,) as a facility also in literary education and business, I have, during some twelve years, been considering the importance and practicability of a thorough reformation of our writ ten language, and a strict conformation thereof to the spoken. I have at length come to some results which I wish extensively to communicate, especially among the people of this country.

Spoken language has usually originated among the unenlightened, and, by its own ductility, in its progress towards perfection, it keeps pace with general national improvement. But with the writing of this language it is far otherwise. By the exactness and stability of its forms, it must remain unchanged, unless by general consent. On these accounts, chiefly, the speaking and the writing of the same language do invariably, without special preventions, tend towards a separation, though very slowly, and therefore without notice or alarm. Hence, by convention, they should be brought together, when all that is wrong in writing should be corrected, aud when means should, if possi ble, be instituted to keep them together.

In obedience to the loud and pressing call, from various quarters, especially from foreigners, many in this age of improvement have projected, and some even

have attempted a reformation; though as yet without much success.

Well aware that this is a great work, rquiring both talent and enterprise,and the favor of Heaven likewise; well aware, also, that this grand concern of patriotism, philanthropy, and religion, is depending solely on the pleasure of the English Republic of Letters-the authors and publishers; yet it seemed that I could do something towards forwarding so desirable an object, by showing plainly to my countrymen, and as far as possible to the English race, the vast necessity and the immense utility of a simple and complete alpha. bet, containing one distinct, visible, invariable sign for each of our forty important primary sounds, and an orthography relieved of all redundances and com. plexity, and at agreement, in the main, at least, with the most generally approved standards of English orthoëpy. This is indeed my humble aim and design, while I seek for Heaven's blessing, and the smiles of the nation, and of the English race, upon the favored ones who shall accomplish the task I have begun, but may not live, or be able, to accomplish. Be assured, then, that I have not entered on this business without first counting the cost.

I will now endeavor to give the chief arguments for this reformation:

But

1. There is great incongruity between the language and the writing of it. Probably no living language does in its combination of excellences, outdo ours. its visible representation is doubtless the worst to be found; not to except even the French. Now who will not desire for this beautiful, rich, and noble language an external dress more convenient and come ly, and better suited to its merits? J