154 Mr. Harvey's Objervations 
Though, after all, itis to be confeffed that the beft 
languages have changed ; fome after having continued 
for many ages; others in periods comparatively 
fhort. And fuch, from a variety of unforefeen 
caufes, will be the fate of all languages; being, like 
rivers, in motion; and, like thefe alfo, liable to 
the corruption and decay of their fources.* 
So far being premifed,.and fuch competent autho- 
rities being brought in view to countenance the 
attempt, the remaining Section fhall be allotted to 
the particular examination of the Englifh Alphabet, 
and of the founds it ought to reprefent; with a view 
to prove where it is mifufed, and to fhew where it 
might 
or expunged, according to the cuftom of their dialeéts, but 
it is not to be fuppofed that fuch accurate people gave, 
as we do, a number of founds to any individual letter ; in 
this refpeét, the greateft liberty they feem to have taken 
was that of occafionally pronouncing a fhort vowel asa 
long one, or the contrary (as inftanced by Martial, lib, 9. 
epig. xi, Edit. Scriverij,) through a licence affumed by their 
poets, 
Et quos ages ages decet fonare ; 
alluding to that verfe, which occurs twice in the Iliad: 
"Ages, “Ages, Coorornyé, pieOive, Taxecrtryre. ” 
Where, however, the difference of thé accent, placed over the 
firft word, feems a ftrong fupport of Dr, Clarke’s opinion, 
that there is a crafis of @ in the firft fyllable, for a “Ages. 
* « Confuetudo loquendi eft in motu ; itaque folet fieri 
“ex meliore deterior, &c.”” Ter, Varr. De Ling. Lat, 
Lib, viii. 
