While some of these writers desired merely to giv expression to their individual preferences in spelling, there wer others who made deliberate efforts to bring about a general orthografic reform. As early as 1554 John Hart wrote a book on the "unreasonable writing of our English toung", and 15 years later he publisht "An Orthographie" containing his proposals for the improvement of English spelling. In the meantime, Sir John Cheke (1557) and Sir Thomas Smith (1568), both secretaries of state of Edward VI, had advocated in print radical reforms in spelling, the latter proposing an alfabet of 37 caracters. William Bullokar (1580) also suggested an alfabet of 37 caracters; Dr. Gill, a celebrated master of St. Paul's Scool, London, suggested (1619) one of 40; and Bishop Wilkins (1633) another of 37.
James Howell, in his "Grammar" (1662), urged a number of simplifications in spelling, some of which—such as honor for honour, logic for logique, sin for sinne, war for warre, bodily for bodilie, bear for beare, wit for witt, and their analogs—ar now in general usage; while others—bel for bell, tru for true, etc.—ar still regarded by many as startling innovations. John Ray publifiht (1691) a "Note on the Errours of Our Alphabet".
These names do not by any means exhaust the list of 16th and 17th Century scolars who cald attention to the lack of sistem in English spelling, and suggested plans for bettering it.
Classical Influences
In the meantime, and more particularly in the 16th Century, many writers of English, more familiar with the literatures of Greece and Rome than with the his
