The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-10-21
An AdIeu from 2. g. b. to J. N.

E4AAt9Aa AhtptukeuCsIs
l must beg your indulgence and that Of
your readers for one brief article more,
as my friend ]. n. has suggested a point
or two that had been overlooked.
lst, The proposed reform would render
1t difficult to trace the etymology Of
words, and therefore "depreciate the val.
ue Of linguistic learning Mr.. E. Jonep,
Of Liverpool, England, a distinguished
author and linguist, says in a late article
on the subject; 1.-THE genealogical objeC-
ton, nobody whose opinion is worth
quoting believes" James Hudley, Of Yale
College, he who was selected for his pro.
found linguistic attainments to write the
history Of the origin Of the English Ian
guage rs predatory to Webster's una
bridged dictionaryI-see page % in ed.
ition lS70-sayS, speaking OF the present
orthOgraphy." But it is not Creditable to
the English name, nor aecordant with the
practicable spirit Of the English people.
With multitude Of signs for the same
sound, and multitude Of sounds for the
same sign,it poorly fulRlls the original and
proper office Of photography, to indicate
pronunciation, nor does II better fulfill
the improper office which some would
assert for Il, Of guide 10 etYmology. 1t
imposes a needless burden on the native
learner. 70 foreigner Il seriously ag-
grayates the difficulty Of acquiring the
language and thus restricts the influence
Of English literature on the mind OF the
world" j.. N. says, "The Orthography is
ConventiOnally established" Soft Is, but
even he admits that 1t Is continually
changing, and we only insist on hnrrying
up the matter q little more rapidly, and
we have such names as advocates In the
cause, in England, as tho Royal Society OF
Arts, the Social Science Association, the
Pathological Society, the College Of Pre-.
ceptors, the Union Of ElementaryTeaChers
in England and Wales, the Educational
Institute Of Scotland, the late Prime Min.
lister TT. Hon. W. G. Gladstone, the late
Jno. Stuart Mill, the late Bishop Thrill
wall, Sir W, Armstrong, Lord Mains
bury, Alessrs. Ellis, PiLman, Withers,
&C., &c, and In Germany and Switzer.
land, such names as Her Won Ranmer,
DR.. Carl Hoffman, Prof. Bucher,
Ernst, Godzinger, &c, &C., while the
government Of Prussia, Switzerland
and France are earnestly cooperating
with the movement. 1t would seem In.
yidious distinction TO mention few
among the thousands in the United States
who are earnest advocates Of the reform;
nor does the matter look much like "isO.
lation," for It bids fair to rival the metri.
cal system Of weights and measures in
the universality Of Its application. 1t Is
admitted by all who have examined the
scheme dispassionately, that were it gen.
orally adopted by civilized nations II
would contribute more TO the facility oil
linguistic requirement than any other
plan ever suggested. There are several
methods proposed to effect the desired
end. One Is to adopt IA to II letters as
supplements; another TO Use the old
letters In digraph form to the same
number; and the third Is to use the
same diacritic marks as are used in die.
tionaries to indicate the varying sounds
OF letter. Any one Of the plans will
meet the most urgent demands; and all Of
them contemplate tho abolition Of silent
letters and the elimination Of such nonsen.
sical combinations az beau for bo, and
al. eigh for sla, and though for tho, &c.
Brother ]. N, do not for consistenCyS
Sake,afler In your article Of Oct. 0, admit.
ting three several times that the reform
would make spelling easy, talk about its
being difficult, and requiring mature
minds, &c. Concerted action is being
taken between Europe and America 10
bring the question Of the reform promi.
nently up at the Centennial. So let II be.
A reply TO most Of The points in ]. Ma
last article would be mere re.iLerAtiOn.
Adieu, z. G. b.