The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-10-31 00:00:00

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To the following letter (ei tit any other,
however opposed to oar sentiments) we have no
hesitation in giving insertion. The classical at.
thin 'lents, the sound critical judgment, and the
general gentlemanly reputation of Mr. 'Wilma;
w.• not only admit, bet admire.
With respect to the pronunciation of the pli-
-1.3i of the word ache, as a dissyllable, we not only
admit that in SMAKirEARE numerous instances
may be found in support of that pronunciation.,
bit we beg to inform our Correspondent, that in
aUTLER'S Itudibras, and the other Poets ante-
vedent to the reign of CHAILLS 11. the use of
aches as a dissyllable, " °itches," is extremely
common.
The revival, however, of this obsolete pronun.,
ciation, we have ever viewed as the very essence
of polemic affectation. The slightest alteration
in the lase...sometimes a mere addition of a parti-
cle, or the transposition of a word. will render
the rhythm perfect, without resorting to a pro.
eunriation which is unpleasant to the cars of a
majority of the people of this metropolis. It
might have been judicious, and perhaps the
" New Readings" of Mr. 'LEMMA had been
well received in the days of ADDISON, Polls, and
the coestellatiou of Wits who use; at Button's ; I
but the genius, taste, and critical information of
the People of England have undergone a total al.
teration since the introduction of the 66 Pitt
System," by which the attention of so large a
proportion of the people is turned to Cie, wens.
The paramount ascendancy of commerc-, while it.
encourages the discovery and improvement of lee.:
urioes accommodations, fur the sensual indulregett,
slid gratification of flit: body, has, eisfortuivatity,
a tendency of a natirre directly opposite with tea,:
epe-t to the cultivation and i nprovement of the
eland. It is perfectly unreasonable to expect from
tic peo of a country, devoted to commerce, aa
4the, ian taste...glare, sing-song, sceeery, and ex.
traragaiit action, are the attraction. by which the
public are now allured. Mr. Kesast.r may (if
he sh odd have the hardihood again to appear) ob.
stir: WI), persevere in the use of the word ditches,
but we really thinkhe never win obtain, the appro.
bation of the town in the lose of that dissyllable.
The dr..eu ty of introducing a novel rrilitiincia-
tin again 4 the gesterai opinion, was decisively
illutiated isl the well-knoen instance of the con.
j ii t efforts of Lord Martinet.° and the celebrat-
rel Joan Nevis°, to esiable.h the roisenciatiots
of the word Authority —rtuTOßits ; for, al.
though they persever.d in that pronunciation, der.
ing the whole of their public career, the word
du TO itity was never once pronounced by ail y othii,
considerable individual to As Court of King's
Bench.
With respect to the latter part of our Correspoa.
dent's letter, our sentiments have been so °flail
expressed, that we deem any observation unno.
cessary.
TO TILE EDITOR OF TILE STATESMAN.
Stet—ln the torrent of abuse which has been
lately poured upon Mr. Ketuble, I observe, that
mucu has been said, and a great many jets d'erprit
let forth, upon his prununciation of the word ache;
and its literal aches. Knowiag Mr. Keivibleie
accuracy in all matters relating to prosody, I was
induced to believe, that although his pronunciation
of the word aches, might be rather obsolete, it was
perfectly classical, and was often in verse abso.
lutely required.
Upew referring to Johnson's Dictionary, 1 ball
the following :
" dote, new gametal', eke, nail Jo the plural Aka., of else
" 1311.thle ; the priming. maw Mein, reserved. -Mai
• • 'a poetry, for the sake at the measure.
And he quotes as authority, from The Tempest,

16 I'll rack the. with old cramp ;
" Fill all thy buns. with Our, make tbee roar,
" That beams shall tints at thy din."
" A cowing Owner, your sheeting map presage;
" Old odes throb, your /askew tooth will rage.'
S W ti?.
To which we add, from the excellent, but ueg-
lected play of Timex of 4therts, an example still
more decibire-
---- —" Commend me to there,
" And tell them, that to ease them of their griefs.
" Their fears or hostile strokes, weir aches, I,mer.
" Their pulp of lose, with *MCI ieridest throes."
In all these cases, it is very evident that tins
word shonkl be pronounced ach—es, or sitclies.
When we come to the word MIX in the Dic-
lionary, Johnson observes, " more grammatically
written ache." I have not .a had an opportunity of
observing whether Mr. Lemble pronounces the
word in the common way, where it is allowable,
sr net; but I think it most probable that he dots,
and that in Hamlet's soliloquy, for instance, he
says " 6 heart-alte." If he were to say ache
(retch), we have seen that be would hare good
authority for it • and even in prose, ash-er
sounds much better than the hard autos.—..
Orthocpy is often sacrificed to orthometry;
and, I hope, that yen will be impart enough
to inform the witlings of the metropolis, that, in
this instaoce, Mr. Xemble canting be accused of
ifectation. It is a small matter, to be sure, but
it has been made the instrument of ridicule, if not
of calumny.
I cannot close this letter without giving it as my
opinion, and the opinion of all those with whom I
have convened upon the subject, that the rise in
the priers is reasonable; bet that dic Private Bores
should be thrown open ; and that the conduct of
One Ilkuagen, since the Opiate boom, has been
lery repreheusible.
fa pjs. we,
" k noble scrum t•i them, but he amid sot
y t his knew' eves; whether pride,
" Te of jaalemest is him ; bat he has merit
kis the utterance." Coate •14 VI.
I am, Sir, year's, ihc.
1 "—d Ili-s—r, Get. itt. A COUNTRY LEADER..