TWENTY-FIRST MEETING. 189 



made about forty years ago by Messrs. Ellis and Pitman. 

 Since that time much progress had been made. In Spain the 

 subject had been taken up and something done in the matter 

 some time ago. In Germany at the present time efforts were 

 being made to have a spelling reform. In Holland they had 

 reformed their spelling to some extent a number of years ago. 

 In France no steps had been taken in the matter. This re- 

 form if carried out would revolutionize the spelling of 10,000 

 words, or about 5,000 of those constantly used, without greatly 

 changing their appearance. 



Mr. Browning in seconding the resolution said he thought 

 that it did not go far enough. He would prefer that the In- 

 stitute should take a more active part in the matter. 



Dr. Cassidy spoke against the reform. He said that he 

 had already gone to the trouble of learning how to spell and 

 did not want to have to learn over again. The change would 

 partake considerably of the grotesque. In reading the works 

 of our great writers we had become familiar with their 

 thoughts presented in a certain style of spelling and associated 

 with the appearance of the words. To change that style 

 would to a great extent mar the effect of the thoughts. He 

 would prefer to see the motion laid on the table. 



Mr. Houston replied. He said that the art of acquiring our 

 present mode of spelling was mere drudgery, and the time 

 devoted to it could be more profitably bestowed on far more 

 important subjects. 



TWENTY-FIRST MEETING. 



Twenty-first meeting, 24th April, 1886, the President in the 

 Chair. 



The following list of donations and exchanges was read : 



1. From the Manitoba Historical and Scientific Society : 



(1) Annual Report for 1885-86. 



(2) Transaction 19. The Old Settlers of Red Kiver. 



(3) Transaction 20. Notes on the Geology of some Islands in Lake 



Winnipeg. 



(4) Transaction 21. Change m Time Marking. 



2. Monthly Weather Review, March 1886. 



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