*Distinct articulation is the first, and most essential part of speech." KENRICK. "Though custom be admitted the arbiter of speech, caprice is by no means IBID. BOSTON; PRINTED FOR W. PELHAM, No. 59, CORNHILL. 1808. "Pronunciation is just, when every letter has its proper sound, and when every syllable has its proper accent." JOHNSON. "In the volubility of conversation, the vowels are frequently confounded with each other, by the best speakers. Nothing, therefore, can tend more to correct the present errors, establish a criterion, and make future improvements in speech, than pointing out the natural distinctions, and endeav ouring to keep their number as small, and their quality as precise, as possible.” KENRICK. DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, to wit: BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the seventh day of March, in the thirtysecond year of the Independence of the United States of America, WILLIAM PELHAM, of the said District, hath deposited in this office the title of a Book, the Right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit:"A SYSTEM OF NOTATION; representing the sounds of alphabetical characters by a new application of the accentual marks in present use, with such additions as were necessary to supply deficiencies. By William Pelham. "Distinct articulation is the first, and most essential part of speech." Kenrick. "Though custom be admitted the arbiter of speech, caprice is by no means the arbiter of custom." Ibid. In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, intitled, "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and also to an Act intitled, "An Act supplementary to an Act, intitled, An Act for the encouragement of lcarning, by secur ing the Copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned; and extending the benefits thereof to the Arts of Designing, Engraving, and Etching historical and other Prints." District WILLIAM S. SHAW, of Massachusetts. .PARKER و PRINTED BY MUNROE, FRANCIS EVERY attempt to facilitate the pronunciation of a language is entitled to candid attention, and a fair investigation of its merits. If the method suggested be found essentially defective, it will of course, be laid aside. If, on the contrary, the means appear to be adequate to the purpose, candour will approve, and liberality support the undertaking. The want of regularity in the powers of the alphabetical characters has been often noticed, as the greatest difficulty in the study of the English language, and has always been most sensibly experienced by foreigners. While the same vowel is frequently employed to represent different sounds, there are many instances in which two, and some in which three vowels occur together, having the sound of one only. Several of the consonants likewise, and those of the most frequent recurrence, are subject to diversity of sound, and in many words, totally useless with regard to pronunciation. These are radical defects; and while they continue to exist in the English alphabet, will constantly impede the progress of all who undertake to learn the language. Hence arise the disgust of foreigners, and the discouragement of youth in our elementary schools. Among those who have published their labours on the subject of English pronunciation, two writers of |