The Forrest City times., 1894-10-05
FORREST CITY ARK, FRIDAY AFTERNOON, OCTOBER 1884,
CHANGES IN SPELLING.
They Are Numerous In English and Seem ts
 Come by Accident.

They Are Numerous In English and Seem Co
 Come by Accident.
 Much is said and written about the desirability of reform in the spelling of words; but few persons are aware of the great though gradual changes which have been made already. "Uto pia," by Sir Thomas More, was origi. nally printed in Latin in 1915, and was translated into Englyshe by Raphe Robynson, Citizen and Goldsmythe, of London" and was Imprinted at Lon don by Abraham Wele, dwelling in Paurs churcheyarde at the sygne of the Lambe, Anno, 1851" X second English edition was published in 1856, and the writer has before him fac simile copy of this second edition; and in this we can see how the English Ian. guage was spelled 3Ss years ago.
 Opening the book at haphazard, we find on page 47, 337 words, of which III are of different spelling to that of the present time. On page G3 there are 352 words, of which 123 are different, and on page 75 there are 355 words. and of these 132 are different. Looking to see what these differences are, we find there is no j, but is used instead of it. as periurie (perjury), judgment Gudg. ment, iornev tjourney). Then we see that y is very often used instead of i, as bynge (being), standynge, hys. wyse. Yet is also largely used. the same as it is now; as side, him, this. Some times it takes the place of y, as tiyan- nye; and we also find used instead of tn, as ye for the. and vat for that. And then ie often takes the place of Ut the end of works, as perfectlic, dewtie, citie
 Next we find II instead of V, as diurs for divers, soeuer for soever, seruice for service; and then, at the commence ment of words, we have instead of u, as vse for use, vnto for unto, and vnder for under. It may be borne in mind that in the familiar letter ". we see that was the original form of the let ter u. But in this book we do not find V taking the place of in the middle of words, and we often find V in its pres ent form at the beginning of. words, as in vertues, vices and victory.
 Many words which now end in Il have in this book only single ], as al. ful and smal. On the other hand, there are many words with Il where we now have only a single l, as several for several. apparel, natural. Many words which we spell with three letters have five in this book. as budde. farre and hydde for hid. We see also that is often placed at the end of words in which we now consider it unnecessary, as in fishe, herbe, meate. On the contrary, it is often let of from words in which we now use it, as els, ther, privat
 In numerous words in which we now double the consonat, thIs book has only a single one, as maner, medic, sor' row. Single is used in such words as blodshed. rotcd or vol, while % is found in doc, gooten and woorke. We notice also that p follows in such words as condempned and solempne. We also find many compound words which are obsolete; for instance, as-muche, as- wei and shal-be, while many words which we compound are in this book found separate, as in dede, an other, where as. We also note that au is fre- quently placed where we are now satis- fled with a; for instance, daungerous, perchaunce and pleasaunt..
 It may be further noted that in this book there is no uniformity in the spelling. as the same words are spelled in two or three different ways, as bi- cause, bvcause and because, beutie, bewtie and bewtye; dewtie and dewty; foles and fooles; helth, healthe and health; hollye and holly; vi and if; lytle and litie; myles and miles; pryde and pride; syknes, sycknes and sick ness; whyche and whiche; wyffe and wife; wyll and will. The name of the printer is in two places Wele, and in q third place Weale. e.-Boston Transcript.