THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. II3 



as Rapp has pointed out, that orthographic impediment, of which 

 the Rt. Hon. W. E, Gladstone says : "I often think that if I had to 

 set about learning to pronounce English I should go mad. I 

 honestly can say that I cannot conceive how it is that foreigners 

 learn to pronounce English, when we recollect the total absence of 

 all rule, method, system, and all the auxiliaries which people 

 generally get when they have to acquire something that is difficult 



of attainment I am afraid our language bothers the 



foreigners dreadfully." 



Observation is the key to English spelling. Each word has to 

 be stamped on the memory separately, and when one pauses to con- 

 sider the large number of words in our language, the task of 

 associating the correqj; letters in the formation of words seems almost 

 impossible. If we bear in mind the many ways in which the same 

 sound is indicated, and if we were to follow this method in connec- 

 tion with the study of arithmetic what degree of proficiency would 

 be reached by children in our public and higher schools ? Imagine 

 the effect, if a child were taught that 1234 stood, and properly so, 

 for one thousand two hundred and thirty-four, and that the com- 

 bination 1243 represented the number two thousand one hundred 

 and thirty-four, not one thousand two hundred and forty-three ; the 

 value of the numerals differing in various combinations ! If this 

 ridiculous and inconsistent method prevailed, how long should we 

 tolerate it ? Again — What would be thought if to the difficulties 

 already experienced in learning the game of chess this were added, 

 that under certain conditions moves and the values of the pieces 

 must sometimes be altered, and useless pieces permitted to remain 

 on the board ? What degree of perfection would be attained if in 

 music flats were to be read for sharps and 7'tce versa, the whole 

 matter being subject to no rule but dependent upon the performer's 

 judgment ? Some, doubtless, would see value in such a course of 

 instruction, as a means of developing patience, but the majority 

 would not. Our present mode of spelling is not less inconsistent, 

 not less unscientific, not less trying to the young student, than would 

 be the case w^ere an analagous method employed in arithmetic, chess, 

 and music. 



It the progress of a people is dependent upon its facility of 

 mental intercommunication, and it must be admitted that language 

 is its means of mental intercommunication, it follows that language 



