These nine are all I would observe; for to mention more, were but to perplex the reader. The Oa, and Ee, will be better supplied in our orthography by the accenting e in the end; as in

bróde, lóde, cóte, bóte, quéne.

Neither is the double ee to be thought on, but in derivatives; as trees, sees, and the like, where it is as two syllabes. As for eo, it is found but in three words in our tongue,

yeoman, people, jeopard.

Which were truer written,

yéman, péple, jépard.

And thus much shall suffice for the diphthongs. The triphthong is of a complexion rather to be feared than loved, and would fright the young grammarian to see him: I therefore let him pass, and make haste to the notion—

CHAP. VI.

OF THE SYLLABES.

SYLLABE is a part of a word that may of itself make a perfect sound; and is sometimes of one only letter, which is always a vowel; sometimes of more.

Of one, as in every first vowel in these words: a. a-bated.

e. e-clipsed.

i. i-magined.
O. o-mitted.
u. u-surped.

A syllabe of more letters is made either of vowels only, or of consonants joined with vowels.

Of vowels only, as the diphthongs.
ai, in ai-ding.

au, in au-stere.

ea, in ea-sie, ea-ting.
ei, in ei-ry of hawks.
ew, in ew-er, &c. and in
the triphthong yea.

Of the vowels mixed; sometimes but with one consonant, as to; sometimes two, as try; sometimes three, as best; or four, as nests; or five, as stumps; otherwhile six, as the latter syllabe in re-straints: at the most they can have but eight, as strengths. Some syllabes, as

the, then, there, that,

with, and which,

which whoso list may use; but orthography commands it not a man may forbear it, without danger of falling into præmunire.

Here order would require to speak of the quantity of syllabes, their special prerogative among the Latins and Greeks; whereof so much as is constant, and derived from nature, hath been handled already. The other, which grows by position, and placing of letters, as yet (not through default of our tongue, being able enough to receive it, but our own carelessness, being negligent to give it) is ruled by no art. The principal cause whereof seemeth to be this; because our verses and rhymes (as it is almost with all other people, whose language is spoken at this day) are natural, and such whereof Aristotle speaketh ἐκ τῶν αὐτοσχεδι aoμάτwv, that is, made of a natural and voluntary

composition, without regard to the quantity or syllabes.

This would ask a larger time and field than is here given for the examination; but since I am assigned to this province, that it is the lot of my age, after thirty years' conversation with men, to be elementarius senex, I will promise and obtain so much of myself, as to give, in the heel of the book, some spur and incitement to that which I so reasonably seek. Not that I would have the vulgar and practised way of making, abolished and abdicated (being both sweet and delightful, and much taking the ear) but to the end our tongue may be made equal to those of the renowned countries Italy and Greece, touching that particular. And as for the difficulty, that shall never withdraw, or put me off from the attempt: for neither is any excellent thing done with ease, nor the compassing of this any whit to be despaired: especially when Quintilian hath observed to me, by this natural rhyme, that we have the other artificial, as it were by certain marks and footings, first traced and found out. And the Grecians themselves before Homer, as the Romans likewise before Livius Andronicus, had no other meters. Thus much therefore shall serve to have spoken concerning the parts of a word, in a letter and a syllabe.

It followeth to speak of the common affections, which unto the Latins, Greeks, and Hebrews, are two; the accent and notation. And first,

1 I will promise and obtain so much of myself, as to, &c.] “It may be considered as a loss to posterity, that it does not appear, he (Ben Jonson) ever performed the promise here made, with respect to adjusting the quantity of syllabes." Preface to Ward's Essays upon the English Language, p. 5. WHAL.

CHAP. VII.

OF THE ACCENT.

HE accent (which unto them was a tuning of the voice, in lifting it up, or letting it down) hath not yet obtained with us any sign; which notwithstanding were most needful to be added; not wheresoever the force of an accent lieth, but where, for want of one, the word is in danger to be mis-tuned; as in

abásed, excessive, besóted,

obtáin, ungodly, surrender.

But the use of it will be seen much better by collation of words, that according unto the divers place of their accent, are diversly pronounced, and have divers significations. Such are the words

following, with their like; as

differ, defér; désert, desért; présent, presént;
réfuse, refúse; 6bject, object; incense, incense;
convert, convért; tórment, torment, &c.

In original nouns, adjective or substantive, derived according to the rule of the writer of analogy, the accent is intreated to the first; as in

fatherless, motherless,

péremptory, haberdasher.

Likewise in the adverbs,

brotherly, sisterly.

All nouns dissyllabic simple, in the first, as

bélief, honour, crédit,

silver, súrety.

All nouns trisyllabic, in the first;

countenance, jéopardy, &c.

All nouns compounded in the first, of how many syllabes soever they be; as

ténnis-court keeper, chimney-sweeper.

Words simple in able, draw the accent to the first, though they be of four syllabes; as

sóciable, tolerable.

When they be compounded, they keep the same accent; as

insociable, intolerable.

But in the way of comparison, it altereth thus: some men are sóciable, others insociable; some tőlerable, others intolerable: for the accent sits on the syllabe that puts difference; as

sincerity, insincerity.

Nouns ending in tion, or sion, are accented in antepenultimâ; as

condition, infusion, &c.

In ty, à Latinis, in antepenultima; as vérity, chárity, simplicity.

In ence, in antepenultimâ; as

péstilence, ábstinence,

sústenance, consequence.

All verbs dissyllabes ending in er, el, ry, and ish, accent in primâ; as

cóver, cáncel, cárry, búry,

lévy, rávish, &c.

Verbs made of nouns follow the accent of the nouns; as

to blanket, to básquet.

All verbs coming from the Latin, either of the supine, or otherwise, hold the accent as it is found in the first person present of those Latin verbs; as from ánimo, ánimate;

célebro, célebrate.

Except words compounded of facio; as

liquefácio, liquefie.

And of statuo; as

constituo, constitúte.

All variations of verbs hold the accent in the same

place as the theme,

I ánimate, thou ánimatest, &c.