The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-11 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Ste,—Taking up your valuable paper of the 22d
instant, I observe a letter on the distressed con-
dition of the London compositors. As a means for
alleviating this pressing distress, the writer proposes
(what must very shortly take place), the repeal of
the paper tax and advertisement duty. By repealing
the former the Compositor says—" The treasures of
literature for a small sum would be placed within
reach of the working classes." This is perfectly
true; but what advantage would there be in providing
a cheap literature for the poor, when we consider
the appalling fact that, out of the pcpulation of Eng-
land and Wales, no less than five millions are totally
,unable toread their mother tongue, and a still, far
greaternumber are unable to read with that mecha-
nical.ease and correctness which makes reading either
pleasant, profitable, or intellectual? These numbers
we may conclude to be wholly distributed among the
working classes. Now, were this immense mass
converted into readers, with the repeal of this noxious
tax upon the food of an enlightened mind, we nilght
hope for an increased demand for books, and a very
extensive one for cheap periodicals, and especially
newspapers, and which latter, for those produced for
the value of twopence, ought to be accommodated
with a halfpenny stamp for their free transmission
by post. But now comes the difficulty, how are these
masses of the people to become readers ? Will the
present system of education and the national schools
effect this end ? No; nor would they were they
ever so widely extended ; it is impossible for the
children of the poor to spend the necessary time at
these schools to drag through the conflicting intri-
cacies of the English alphabet and spelling- book.
Years must elapse before they can be classed among
the reading community. But the spell is now
broken ; it is possible to make the whole of the
working classes readers—thanks be to the two gen-
tlemen by whose praiseworthy and philanthropic
efforts it is being brought about. It is the
" spelling reform " to which I allude, and
which has for its object to change the
absurd, inconsistent, and, strictly speaking, ignorant
orthography, in which the English language has
hitherto been presented to the reader, and to substi-
tute one which shall represent to the eye the lan-
guage as it is heard from the mouth ; this is to be
accomplished by the adoption of the Phonetic Alpha-
bet invented by Messrs. Pittman and Ellis, of Bath,
by which every sound we use is accurately and
simply represented. By use of this alphabet the task
of learning to read and spell, as has been fully and
satisfactorily proved, is reduced from years to months;
in some cases weeks alone will suffice. To those who
have been teachers, and others who know the disad-
vantages under which we have hitherto la),Oured,
these assertions will scarcely be credited ; but they
are facts which every day's experience tends to estab-
lish ; and they are facts of such high importance that
behoves every one to lend his assistance to the
furtherance of this great reform, by which alone wo
may expect to arrive at that " consummation devoutly
tube wished"—the education and consequent elevation
of the working classes. Not that reading and writing
constitute education, they are the mere tools of it,
without which, however, no education can be pro-
ceeded with and very little commenced.
Nor will the education of the poor and the increased
demand for books be the extent of good which will
accrue from this great orthographic reform, on
rational and truthful principles ; its benefits to the
English nation are incalculable, and yet little dreamed
of but by a few.
The object of my intrusion is to direct your
attention to the movement.—l am, Sir, &c.,
A READER OF " HE SUN."