Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-02-26
THE WAR ABOUT SPELLING

New York papers. and some others, sincs H., II y h4
OF the first volume Of the IIapers' edition If n,
History OF England Tie houk as to paoer a"'Tys
binding. is fac smile Of the English edlti n ", and
trdtd at Just half The price. We nv. I A.
cd card Of the Messrs Ilarpets, as warr,n i ''n'
text is literally followed, without the sIigb,.s, "e
or omlsNIoa. But the publishers have moi fn,,
orhoSlHPhy y The London copy-and Linc MI ~
me. Some years ago. the Messrs IIarnars "y
"eos'er's Dictionary as their photographed s,,nl'
ana 70 ihIs ali their recent publications have corc
we iave heen long annoyed ~ novelties II sn.n.
whilst peru>ng works bearing their mprna,ur ill.,
Judge lTcm the recent outbreak, ore would supr,s
Alacau!ey had zen the first victim 10 Yankee or, '
phy, whereas lie is merely the laSt-ard pprl,rs
most MISUNDERSTANDING, whose writing, have NJ,
en- 10 the American public in the Harpen,-Sax.n y
Iect. 1'a'
H. no are ihese Innovations more anno,i
ourselves, but we must, nevertheless say that so,o
justice has been done 10 the Nessrs Ilarpe1s erT
rva! interests and professional Jealousy have baG sn
thing 70 Do with the crusade which has be., ,,,,,o.
against their establishment " believe. furrbs, ,t
untenable positions have been taken by their assiI,,-
and that abstract regard for the purify of the Iopru,.a
not tn only inducement which has prompted ,ro,Ia.
publishing house to undertake The issue II i oI;
which is 10 conform with the London copy IN evorv
pect.
\ Il i alleged flat NI.cauley may Be supposed u !,
derS'nd The vernacuar as Wen as the Messrs. Harnes
ana mat when they alter The spelling Of the English p
diion, Which may be presumed to have passed unds,
HI o"h eye whilst gong through HE press thev oA
an insult TO the distinguished author, ana do him an n
justice scarcely less han if they Were TO add 10 or cr,,1
ne text 10 change the sequence Of his sentences r ,o
polae ePlthels Now this Think is stating The 80
100 strongly II must be admitted that even in Fnr,,ra
there Is considerable margin of discretion lef as 10 ~
biography. There is standard universe Nv acknowL
edged ana - the daily journals published simultaneous
w. you note diverse methods Of spelling the same wards
Authors we believe, g Morally spelling, punctu,
ion and capitals to the taste Of the publishers Tina, n
ne case II controversy, N1cauley has had nothing "a do
WIN Them IS proven by the fact, that the grh,orapbv
o 'ne LONDON edition Of his Mscelanies and Poems by
oer PuDaheTS differs very perceptbly from that Of hi,
iiiHtory,as well as that Of the Ednburg Review. in
"Hch most Of ms essays first appeared. Ii il be the au-
'ho inherent right to say how his words shall be spelt
u apparent It IS right Macauay has not used or tia,
ms taste = very variable We doubt the existence AZ
the right What publisher, having any regard for his
reputation, would be willing, without predatory e.pl,.
nation, to Issue work,even by many distinguished an
thor, inst as il was sent 10 the press Win iii ~ 49,.
lies OF puaciuaon capitals and spelling? MANY Of TN.
most eminent OF writer's careless or pnor,nt =, +,
these matters and perhaps think them beneath their A.,
e'on. WAT editor of newspaper feels bound to fol-
10" lhe ihsSpellLhg and amusingy incorrect punctua-
tioh oil his correspondent! We have Published ma
ny clever communication which, if printed as written,
would have elected hearty curses from HE author nno
The careessness or ignorance of The proof reader There
are many highly gifted and well educated men who trim
II spelIng and times at fault in grammar ana
ten times greater number who have not the rpmo,es
idea of correct punctuation With regard to puucus
lIon there no standard Of authority and the practice
Vanes-some pointing very closely and others using
'he comma very sparngy and tile semcolon not at all
Yet there are certain general rules which must be OBJ
served 10 preserve the sense Of the So as to capt.
'ais. ffiy years ago, The initial Of every noun was
capta-now, the evelline spirit Of the age leads to the
Punishment, as far as possible Of this arsocrac mark of
distinction The conservatism OF the National Inteli-
gehcer ana The progressive democracy Of the Union are
adnnbTaed by their respective proof readers as The re-
rusal OF halt column Of editorial speculation in each pa
per Will demonstrate. If the publisher therefore, ia
bound 70 follow the spelling, he is bound as1 10 observe
The Punciuaion and capital letters Of the author.
Having thus put in pfoest in favor Of the reserved
rights of the publisher the general question: let US
return 70 the Messrs. Harpers.
v e have said thai we annoyed by their-or rath
er y ebsersnovelties in spelling and vet we are free
to confess that, in the majority Of instances analogy con-
venlence and good sense sanction the al Grafton In some
cases. eb>ter has but adopted and sanctioned improve
men's or changes at least, which had been long in use
In others, guided by analogy he becave the innovation
Y hs, we are not shocked when we meet in the Har.
ers edition OF Macauley, tie words tr0r endaror 81
rior, Sc, because I've have long been accustomed TO see
them spelled without the and feel persuaded the dis
carded vowel never regain lis place-but we do feel
offended when we see centcr and heater because Ihe
eye has not yet become accustomed the tansposion
the two final letters. But how stands the case? lIer,
+ angIclsed n Thermometer pwnmoter barometer hy-
efonetsT and numerous other words, into the compost
ton of which it enteIs. WHY should it not then become
meter when by itself? Again. not many wears ago "
cry one adheed 70 the native spelling If words in I'D
from France-snch as d0cquet nquet pdcquet barqueS
Now,lhey are spelled docket, nusket packet bark A,
lrst, doubtless, the eye offended by The Change
nowlL + the old orthography which startles Some one
Or two centuries ago the fashion was to use as many let
tiers as possible. In the Elzabehan aye, thew wrote
some, for son; notte for not; hcc for he; neencs for
means, SC. Bacon Shakespeare, fpermitted TO real
a modern English book would, doubtless Be startled at
modern novelties in orhogaphy and lament the absence