of the Greek Language, 2l>l 



ing it, which later discoveries have proved to he unfounded. 

 At one period, for example, it was con fended hy the learned of 



Europe, that the y before y, », &c, was not to be pronounced 

 like 9 ; that g/ was not to he sounded like simple i, &c. as the 

 Modern Greeks pronounce them. These opinions now appear 

 to have been erroneous, and the usage of the Mudprn, is found to 

 be conformable to that of the ancient Greeks. The learned niso 

 once thought, that the ancient Greeks used only camtal h'ttcrs, 



and 



small letters, now used, were the invention of 



lower ages ; hut an inscription found in H 



very characters has obliged them to abandon that opinion. Th,cy 

 believed too, and with much ingenuify had almost proved, that 

 the Greek Accents were of comparatively modern origin ; but here 

 again, unfortunately, the same Herculanean Inscription confuted 

 their theories. In almost every instance, in short, where the 

 opinions of the learned have been at variance with the usage of 

 the Modern Greeks, whenever any evidence has been discovered 

 relating to the point in controversy, the theories of the former 

 liave proved to be unfounded, and the usa^e of the latter confirmed. 



I have thought it might be interesting, to some persons, to sub. 

 join to tliis communication the following letter in Modern Greek. 

 written by Mr. Ciclitira, of which a. facsimile is annexed. Those 

 persons, who have not paid much attention to the language of 

 Modern Greece, will, I am sure, be surprized at the resemblance 

 of the words, and not less surprized to see the accents, hreathingSj 

 &c. used so much in conformity with the rules in our grammars 

 of ancient Greek. And on the subject of the accents (which I 



