Off ARTS AND SCIENCES. 35 



" 3. It dispenses entirely with the difficuh, and to most persons im- 

 possible, acquisition of learning to spell. A knowledge of the just 

 sound suggests infallibly the true spelling, and the spelling, with equal 

 certainty, the correct pronunciation. 



" 4. By the omission of silent letters, it renders reading one fifth 

 part more rapid than at present. 



" 5. It will render the acquisition of reading and spelling attainable 

 to millions, to whom it is now unattainable. 



" 6. It will enable a writer to represent any proper name or word of 

 an unknown language in such a manner as to be read by a stranger 

 with precisely the same pronunciation which the writer gives it, inas- 

 much as variations of sounds are made visible to the eye. 



" 7. It will tend to banish provincialisms,* as each written word sug- 

 gests its correct pronunciation.t 



" 8. By representing the long and short vowels by different letters, 

 it renders possible the adoption of a few perfectly simple and compre- 

 hensive rules of accent, a thing which, up to this time, has been nearly 

 wanting in the language." 



William S. Sullivant, Esq., communicated to the Academy, 

 through the Corresponding Secretary, a paper entitled, " Con- 

 tributions to the Bryology and Hepatic ology of North Ameri- 



* Dr. Franklin used to regret that there was not something hke a phonotypic 

 dictionary in existence in his day, as it would, he said, have enabled him, when 

 in England, to avoid the peculiarities of American pronunciation. 



t In order that it may have this eflfect, the books printed phonotypically must 

 <rive the received pronunciation of the best speakers in England. This is a mat- 

 ter of the greatest importance ; and America looks to England for a guidance in 

 this respect which may be safely followed. Peculiarities of speech — provincial- 

 isms — are growing up and strengthening in all parts of our country ; and although 

 this cannot probably be prevented for the mass of the people, who learn the lan- 

 guage only from the ear, it may for the educated part of the community^ Pho- 

 notypy offers the means of rendering the pronunciation of well educated peo- 

 ple nearly uniform, wherever the language is read and spoken. But in order to 

 do this, it must be under the direction of persons who have, all their lives, been 

 accustomed to hear the language spoken in its purity. Peculiarities of particular 

 districts of the mother country are as much to be avoided as provincialisms or 

 Americanisms. This point has not received the attention it deserves from the 

 editors of the Phonotypic Journal; and it would not be difficult to point out in 

 their pages instances of pronunciation which would, even in New England, be 

 considered as decidedly inaccurate, and sometimes vulgar. 



