THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. I'I5 



" suttle theef" of Milton causes us no trouble; " Pittyful weak 

 hammes, gowty legges," in Shakspere's first edition of " Hamlet," 

 does not hide the meaning of the words from us, and, in like manner, 

 reformed spelling would prove a far from difficult task to those ac- 

 customed to the prevailing speUing. 



Strangeness. — The strangeness in appearance of the rrew spell- 

 ing is another objection. This, however, is not a very valid one. 

 Were we to write " smoak," doubtless the recipient of our communi- 

 cation would be somewhat surprised, and yet the word was written 

 that way not so many years ago. " Ouisconsin " was the spelling of 

 Wisconsin as late as the first quarter of this century, as can be seen 

 in a book, entitled " A Winter in the West," published in New York 

 in 1834. We might indefinitely extend the list, but few will desire 

 proof in a matter of this kind. 



Pronunciation. — Regarding the claim that confusion would 

 arise if reformed spelling were introduced, on account of the present 

 differences in pronunciation, it may be said that there is a received 

 pronunciation which is neither local nor provincial. This pro- 

 nunciation would be adopted by the majority of people had they 

 the means of acquiring it, and no better means could be found than 

 through the employment of a phonetic system of spelling. I do not 

 claim for the reform ^lat pronunciation would be minutely indicated, 

 that is out of the question in an alphabet for practical purposes, but 

 approximately. It is very doubtful whether the finer shades of pro- 

 nunciation heard by the trained ear can ever be presented to the 

 eye by means of an alphabet. The phonograph offers the critical 

 student of phonetics means for experiment in this direction, but the 

 generality of people have no great concern in the matter. How- 

 ever, if perfection cannot be obtained in indicating the exact pro- 

 nunciation of words through a practical phonetic alphabet, it is cer- 

 tain the substitution of an improved method of representing our 

 language would wonderfully improve the pronunciation of the Eng- 

 lish tongue, and tend to produce a uniformity which does not at 

 present exist. The observant teacher cannot but have noted the 

 marked improvement in the pronunciation of words by the student 

 of phonetic shorthand, and it will be granted by my hearers that the 

 principle ought to apply in a like manner in the case of phonetic 

 longhand. Pronunciation is now learned from hearing the words- 



