46 rHo.voGRAPHy. 



not always consistent, or true to his own system in those illustrations 

 which he gave of it when he first proposed it, but this does not subvert 

 the principles which lie at the bottom of it. 



Dr. Thornton^ whose "Cadmus" was published in 1793, Ewiiig, 

 whose "Columbian Alphabet" appeared in 1798, and more lately Knee- 

 land and Antrim^ whose works I have not seen, deserve to be mention- 

 ed for their zealous labors in this direction, though none of them seem 

 so likely to make an impression upon the public as the late Thomas S. 

 Grimke, whose adoption and use of Welster''s plans in their simplest 

 form would undoubtedly have commended them to the public, had he 

 not been so suddenly cut down in the midst of his usefulness. 



Without saying any thing of various other systems of Phonography 

 of which I have heard, but which, except those of Wachter and Wil- 

 kins upon general Phonography, I have not seen,* I proceed to unfold 

 my own plan, believing that the long continued and now simultaneous 

 and independent movements in this direction show that, in this country 

 at least, a reformation of the English alphabet and spelhng must, ere 

 long, be effected. 



The fundamental principles upon which I proceed are the follow- 

 ing : 



I. No changes should be made but such as are absolutely necessa- 

 ry, reference being had, however, as well to the general usage of the 

 other languages with which the English is so intimately connected^ as 

 to convenience in the acquisition of our language by foreigners and of 

 their's by us. 



JI. Each simple, elementary sound of our spoken language must be 

 indicated by an appropriate sign or letter. 



III. Compound or modified sounds (diphthongs, &.c.) may be repre- 

 sented either by a combination of letters or by a single letter. 



IV. Each letter or combination of letters must invariably represent 

 the same sound, and must always be vocal. 



In accordance with these views we propose the following scheme of 

 an English Phonographic Alphabet : 



* Whilst I am writing, Prof. Haldeman (having seen my first article upon 

 Phonography) has favored me with a sketch of his system of "General Phonogra- 

 phy," of many useful hints in which 1 gladly avail myself. — By last night's mail, 

 (Dec. 23,) 1 also received a Boston newspaper, in which I find the following no- 

 tice : "Phonography. -Classes in Phonography are now commencing for the win- 

 ter at the Phonographic Institution— Phonography is now thoroughly established 

 as a regular branch of education, especially in Engiaiul." This is the first intima- 

 tion which I havejseen of these (acts, and the coiricidence of the name at least, 

 with that of which I had supposed myself the inventor, is rather remarkable. 



