Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1855-02-15
Reply to Reviewer.

possibly be some danger about il and
out of pure sympathy they earnestly warn
their friends TO be careful and not ge,
''humbugged."
Any person taking up the Banner Of
the 9Th inst. and reading the first three
paragraphs Of the article eatiI.ed The
Review Reviewed" may easily see that
its author acknowledges the truth of the
great pretsnsions Of Phonetics: that By
its aid persons may learn 10 read quicker
and easier than by the old system. This
sckuo wledgement coming from an oppo
nent amounts 10 more than all that could
be said in its behalf by its friends
must express my thanks TO Mr.. Capron for
This admission. AS my reviewer is one
of the littrGti OF he day, it may Justly
be presumed that he has urged the very
strongest objections that eau be urged
against the Phonetic cause. Whether
these objections are weighty enough 20
be worthy Of consideration BY those who
wish to learn by the phonetic mode, the
reader can judge. Taking his objections
in their broadest sense they will not bal
| ance with the good that would result
from the introduction Of Phenetics In
onr schools.
My Reviewer appears TO think that
Phone ticians never had the energy to
study harder system, aud hence they
all study Phonetics. lie should remem
Der that all Phonsticians who are old
enough to advocate the cause opposed by
himself, have psssed through the flint
! mill. aud do not need the aid Of PhOnet-
les TO learn them TO read
He assets that 1.-The easiest way is not
always the best" and as proof. he says
! thu. the easiest way 20 learn 20 sing is
by the square Eotes; bat before he gets
the paragraph he seems TO be of the ira
preston (and concur with him in his
opinion) that person cannet learn as
easy and as well by the square notes as
ne can by the round This paragrs ph
coDfu.es itself. The shortest way to
learn 10 sing then. taking Reviewers
word for il. is by the round nolss. ana
those persons who take up with the new
and easy systems" Of the day, will inva
riabiy be found to adopt the round note
system.
Next he argues shat Mathema tics is sot
studied for its practical results. out for
the strength il gives the mind. Granted;
| but should child learn mathema tics
before il learns TO read? This srems to
be The result OF that argument. Lef them
learn their easiest studies first and sf
| forwards harder ones. Who would think
OF climbing the mast of "a vessel before
he bad learned TO stand sill on The deck?
| Ii our common orthosraphy was govern
ed as much bv philosophy .. tho science
! Of msthe mates Is there would be'but lit
tie fault found with il: but. whereas. the
latter compels US 20 study and think for
| ourselves. and therby increase our reason.
ing faculties. the former teaches us that
we can place 70 dependence npon reason
or philosophy. Thus we dive int the
chaotic mass. 10 the utter destruction of
all true principles of philosophy and rea-
son.
Mr.. G. seems to think that we had
better learn Tin the same way that New.
ton. Locke, Bacon and franklin" did
Te do this. he will be obliged TO throw
away Webster and Walker. with ali
standard works Of The day. and practice
the "quere wages of orthogrn ply as it
existed in the days Of Newton, Locke"
&c. But candidly. il we must do every.
thing as they did. we are far ahead OF
ouselves at this time, 5ut no person can
think of travelling with an oil truck
wheeled wagon. or pa!srning their OK
ample in any way.
| The next we hesrof reviewer he is
trying to persuade us that il is no use for
any perssn to tryto move the world with
leYov and fdlcrum. for ii can't be done :.
He appears to be in great trouble here,
and tries 10 persuade ths world not to
engage in such an enterprise. and for
ought know lie has written TO Congress
TO pass act against it. Bat il he reads
the paragraph he refers to through. he
will find that it says. that fulcrum is ed
ucation, and the argument was, that the
world might be moved Intellectually.
Hence. his mathematical calculation.
which resulted in such an enormous array
OF figures. vas labor lost.
Mr.. c. (perhsps for The want Of afsu-
ment.) commeces taunting me. thus
Mir. Phon eiics boldly places himself at
| the head OF reformers Of tbs 18th centu.
ry." &c. / hope he will inirude upon
my courtesy no more with such Language
as this. If he argues the case. let him
dc it without any such unjust taunts.
He says that "Satis Bonums" did not
oppose printing. My reason for terming
opposers Salts Bonums." is. because an
opponent to Phonetics came out over that
name. The question then. is. had the
art Of printing any oppossrs? l answer
il had. nor was it brought out quite as
rapid as our heterotypic friend pretends.
Historians generally. sppea: to be of the
opinion that printing was practiced in
China from time immsmorial. But be
that as it may. when Faust went to furn-
ishing Bibles for France. they though;
that printing was an innovation. and
that the devil was al the bottom Of it.
and he was driven from France. The
s'few bigoted catholics" that eviewer
speaks Of. seemed to prevail in that day
aud reason teaches that they were NO,
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