them with regard to long and short, is not sufficiently provided against.
The powers again are not more exempt from confusion; the vowels, for instance, are generally acknowledged to have each of them several different sounds; and among the consonants weneed only bring as evidence of their different pronunciation the letter c in the word circa, and g in the word negligence. Hence it happens, that some words are differently written, though pronounced in the same manner, as cessio and sessio; and others are different in pronunciation, which are the same in writing, as give, dare, and give, vinculum.
Finally, he adds, the figures are but ill concerted, there is nothing in the characters of the vowels answerable to the different manner of pronunciation; nor in the consonants analogous to their agreements, or disagreements.
As we are on this subject, the reader may not be displeased, perhaps, to have the various schemes which have been proposed for the emendation and correction of the English Alphabet brought together in one concise view.
"There have been many schemes offered for the emendation and settlement of our orthography; which, like that of other nations, being formed by chance, or according to the fancy of
