on the Englifh Alphabet. 158 
amending the alphabetical characters of our country ; 
fince prejudice and habit long connected, are 
fometimes inflexible opponents to the arguments of 
reafon and utility. - And, indeed, though the defects 
of our Alphabet fhould be univerfally acknowledged, 
yet its improvement, for reafons before mentioned, 
is fcarcely to be expected in a period of many 
years. Neverthelefs, why fhould any one of rational 
curiofity fhrink wholly back and renounce the fub- 
jet, as a matter either too perfect and too far 
privileged, or too mean and forlorn to challenge 
criticifm or correction? It would confume fome 
time to enumerate all, who at the prefent are 
_ known to have written upon this part of Grammar; 
therefore paffing over the names of Varro,* Lucian,¢ 
&c. we may take a furvey nearer to our own time, 
and adduce fome names of authority fufficient to 
vindicate the utility of the enquiry, as connedted 
with every branch of learning. Such are Erafmus, || 
‘Theodore 
\ 
* Of Terentius Varro enough is extant to caufe regret 
that no more of his works have efcaped the ravages of 
Time and the viciflitudes of Fortune. 
+ Vide Avuyy Duvyévrav, or Liype verfus Tad. And 
alfo Jortin’s Life of Erafmus, vol. iis page 141. 
|| The Dialogue by Erafmus is well worthy of perufal : 
Dr, Jortin, ‘in the fecond volume of his Life of Erafmus, 
page 96, particularly notices it; faying, ‘* that thefe three 
“© works 
