ELOCUTIONARY DRILL. 193 



recognisabJe sections, and oVjtain from it the well established grouping 

 into labials, dentals, gutturals ; or the B. D. and G. groups. These 

 are subdivided into classes, thin, medial and aspirate, and by a cross 

 division into (1) mutes, stop or explosive consonants, (2) sibilants, (3) 

 liquids, oral and nasal. The diagrams given in the chart indicate the 

 central formation-point for each group. 



It has been suggested and may be that the order of historical de- 

 velopment of language was the reverse of that which I have indicated^ 

 namely, from the base of the mouth forwards. In support of this- 

 theory is instanced the gradual disappearance in our own and other 

 cultivated languages of the heavy gutturals, the formation of eh (t-sh) 

 and j (d-sh) within group D., and the interchange of aspirates of the 

 G into those of the D and B group. Upon the other hand examples 

 of an opposite process may be adduced. Again, it is said that 

 as language progresses, aspirated sounds soften or differentiate them- 

 selves into medials or thin consonants of the same class, whether 

 mutes, sibilants, or liquids. Thus T passes into P, D into Z, S, L,. 

 and many other cases may be cited. Both French and English have 

 gone rapidly to sibilation. But the cause of tliis change is doubtful ;, 

 it is doubtful, also, whether the process still proceeds in France. In 

 our own tongue a strong tide has set in the opposite direction for 

 more than thirty years under the influence of Germany. The tendency 

 I speak off will appear clear to any who will compare a page of 

 Carlyle with one from DeQuincey or Kewman. Indeed, the function 

 which is played by sibilants and liquids in the intercliange of con- 

 sonants within groups, or from group to group, whether in our own. 

 language at different periods, or as between ancient and modern 

 tongues, is a matter which is by no means ascertained. Grimm's law 

 applies to mutes and has been scarcely added to since his day. There 

 are enormous gaps in it which await filling, and, for tliat purpose, use 

 may be found both f.r liquids and sibilants. A sufficient theory of 

 vowel interchange is also among the needs of the day. Meantime 

 and that one may proceed on certainty, the table of consonants which 

 is given in the chart corresponds to, accords with and may, I think,^ 

 be pi'ofitably used to illustrate the discovery of the great German 

 scholar, the basis of all philological science. 



Certain consonants give rise to no small difficulty, as q, rh, w, wh,. 

 X. Q is to-day resolved into its elements k-\v (or ku) and is therefore 

 13 



