504 English Language, [Chap. XV# 



use of capitals, great alterations have been intro- 

 duced. But beside the changes in orthography 

 which have been generally received^ and are now 

 estabhshcd, several proposals were made, in the 

 course of the century we are considering, for a 

 more radical reform. Of this reform, which con- 

 sisted in an attempt to render the spelling more 

 conformable to the rules of pronunciation, Mr. 

 Elphinstone of North Britain, and Dr. Franklin 

 and Mr. Noah Webster, of America, among 

 others, have appeared as the most conspicuous 

 projectors and patrons, since the time of bishop 

 Wilkins. The successive proposals and exertions 

 of these gentlemen, to attain this favourite end, 

 were all unsuccessful. The great majority of 

 philologists seem to have considered them as use- 

 Jess in themselves^ calculated to injure the analogy 

 of the language, completely subversive of etymolo- 

 gical principles, and productive of numerous in- 

 conveniences and evils. 



The attention lately paid to English Orthoepy * 

 may be considered as . peculiar to the eighteenth 

 century. The pronunciation of our language was, 

 a few years ago, in a very crude, loose, and ne- 

 glected state. This circumstance attracted the 

 notice of several ingenious and accurate men, who, 

 perceiving the importance of some regular and 

 consistent plan of pronouncing, engaged in a sy- 

 stem of reform on this subject; and by exhibiting 

 the anomalies of pronunciation, and pointing out 



* This word, like the art which it is designed to express, is of 

 recent formation. It is derived from the Greek words 'o^dof, 

 rectus, 2nd h^s, vcrbuniy and signifies the art of pronouncing rightli/t. 



