164 Mr. Harvey's Obfervations 
“‘ apply it.* Others, lefs' abfurdly indeed, but 
‘* with equal unlikelihood of fuccefs, have endea- 
“« youred: to proportion the number of letters to 
‘t that of founds, that every found may have its 
“© own character, and every character a fingle 
“¢ found. Such would be the orthography of a 
‘* new language, to be formed by a fynod of gram- 
“‘ marians upon principles of fcience. But who 
“« can hope to prevail on nations to change their 
‘* practice, and make all their old books ufelefs ? 
or what advantage would a new orthography 
‘* procure equivalent to the confufion and perplex- 
‘* ity of fuch an alteration ? 
“ Some of thefe fchemes I fhall however exhibit, 
*« which may be ufed according to the diverfities 
‘*‘ of genius, as a guide to reformers, or terrour 
‘* to innovators. *f 
Can any thing be more inconfiftent, than when 
he lays it down that, ‘* for pronunciation the beft 
** general rule is, to confider thofe as the moft 
*t elegant fpeakers who deviate leaft from the 
** written words’? How will any perfon, not 
acquainted with the language, be able to pro- 
nounce, for example, the words condgn, fubtle, 
any 
o 
* « But fuppofing a language to have acquired its utmoft 
“ perfeétion, I fee nothing that fhould necefiarily occafion 
«« any change.” Sketches of the Hift. of Man, vol. i. p. 162. 
+ Dr. Johnfon then gives fpecimens of orthography, 
recommended feverally by Sir Thomas Smith; Dr. Gill; 
Charles Butler; and Bifhop Wilfon; which are all fuffi- 
ciently fanciful, and wanting in that fimplicity and accu- 
racy, which every alphabet ought to poffefs. 
