THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 99 



was respelt after the Anglo-French method, becoming French rather 

 than English in its orthography. Before the latter part of the fif- 

 teenth, spelling was practically phonetic, but the revival of classical 

 learning in the sixteenth interfered with this principle, and many 

 words connected with Greek and Latin were altered to conform with 

 the spelling of those languages. At this time was born that absurd- 

 ity known as "etymological" spelling; an endeavor to render the 

 ■etymology of words evident to the eye and not to the ear. Spelling 

 after this fashion was proceeding on a false principle which almost 

 wholly ignored the scheme of alphabetic writing. It is needless to 

 point out the many errors in the derivation of words occasioned by 

 the attempts of the pedants of this age. Interested students are 

 advised to refer to Skeat's " Principles of English Etymology," 

 chapter XVI, for information on this point. The same eminent 

 philologist directs particular attention to the phonetic character of 

 Anglo-Saxon, and urges it as a very strong reason why a return should 

 be made to the principle of spelling observed by our ancestors. It 

 appears to me that if the generality of people were aware of the fact 

 that centuries ago spelling appealed to the ear, and not to the eye 

 only, there would not be that opposition to reformed spelling so 

 often met with. 



It has been carefully ascertained that not more than one word 

 in a thousand is now spelt as pronounced. This is sufficient evi- 

 dence to show that we have- almost completely lost the central idea 

 of alphabetic writing. It is unanimously agreed by philologists that 

 the invention of letters was the invention of phonetic writing. The 

 scheme of spelling by sound was followed as far as the few symbols 

 would permit or the needs of the writer demanded. As language 

 grew and expanded, difficulties arose which, however owing to the 

 veneration in which the invention of the alphabet was held, were 

 not adequately met by the addition of new letters. The trouble was 

 in a measure overcome by employing the old symbols within certain 

 limits, and in later times by the use of diacritics. 



If we examine Sanskrit we shall find the strongest proof that 

 the phonetic principle characterized the earliest alphabets. Changes 

 in speech were marked by corresponding changes in the spelling, 

 and yet it is worthy of notice that in no language can the etymologi- 

 cal and grammatical relationship of words be more clearly shown or 

 more easily traced than in Sanskrit. 



