As the perfect vowels may be either prolonged with the expirated breath, or cut fhort by a change in the modifying organ, we have the means of adding quantity to the specifying founds of fpeech, whereby another diftinction is formed of our vocal founds.

We have alfo the power of compounding vocal founds for the increase of the radical alphabet of vowels, which is fo limited.

DIPHTHONGS and confonant-vowels, or rather articulating vowels, are formed in the following manner: The diphthong, by founding both vowels equally in the time of one; the confonant-vowel again, by an unequal divifion of this time, or by fliding quickly from the position of the two extreme vowels i and u, to the vocal found which is to be thus articulated.

HAVING thus fhown that there is in nature a perfect alphabet as the principles of fpeech, at least that there is an alphabet which is perfectly definable in science, it is propofed to adhere ftrictly to this alphabet as the principles of writing, with a view to perfect speech, in having distinct sounds; and to perfect writing, in having steady principles for the commutation of found and figure.

To give fome idea of this; there are just two practicable ways of writing speech with any manner of advantage. These are either by figuring fimple founds, which is the alphabetical method, or by figuring compound founds, which is the verbal method.

THE English method, which fhould be alphabetical, is not truly fo, seeing it has departed egregiously from its principles, in fo far adopting the other method; this is that of typifying words by means of figns, which are not expreffive of the found, but of the sense; whereas it fhould employ only thofe figns which have affixed to them an unalterable expreffion, not of the sense, but of the found. We write a word by a combination of letters, not properly expreffive of the fpeech which we

pronounce,

pronounce, but conventionally specifying the word which we then render into fpeech.

THE advantages arifing from a strict adherence to the fcientific method of the alphabet, are of two kinds; one relating immediately to the people who would thus acquire great facility in learning to read and write; the other relating immediately to the language, which would thus become uniform and steady, and would avoid corruption.

If a perfon has learned to write every vocal found, and every articulation which his organs form for the use of speech, all which are comprised within the compafs of the alphabet, he has it in his power to write any speech which he is able to pronounce. He would also write that speech precifely in the manner that every other person, who has learned the alphabet, must render it again in reading.

Now, if a language fhould be thus perfectly represented in the writing, the perfection of our speech might be, in this manner, communicated among the learned of the nation, and the improvements of our fpeech would be difperfed with our writings, by means of the improvement of our science.

BUT if, in writing our language, any other method is purfued, which is different from the fcientific analyfis of our fpeech, and elemental characterising of our vocal sounds, there will then be no fixed relation between our writing and the pronunciation of our language; and, in that cafe, no literary perfection in our education, will have any tendency to improve the language of the nation.

WITH regard to a reformation of our present method, if, on the one hand, the orthographical practice of this nation has only deviated from the truth of science in a small degree, it may be easily corrected by the exertion of literary men, when they confider the danger of fuch a growing evil.

Now, that there is truly danger in the cafe, must appear by confidering how little apprehenfion there is in general of this

error

error in our practice, notwithstanding the length to which it is arrived.

If, on the other hand, our writing has departed much from the rules of just orthography, in that cafe, however well difposed for a reformation, it is not in the power of a few individuals, to make so great a change in the literary fyftem of the country, as this reformation would require.

BUT if there is to be acknowledged any advantage in the alphabetical method, the very difficulty of undertaking fuch a reformation, affords the strongest argument for the expediency of the measure.

THIS will appear by confidering, that in departing from the alphabetical rule, we lose the literary advantage of the elemental method; at the fame time, we do not derive from the verbal method, then so far purfued, that benefit which the Chinese have, in compenfation for their want of alphabetical orthography.

THE Corruption of the Chinese orthography may naturally lead to the introduction of the alphabetical method. But the corruption of the alphabetical method, while it introduces a real difficulty and confufion into our orthography, is attended with no advantage, except perhaps the ideal pleasure of some speculative men, when in pursuit of the derivation of the language.

Phyf. Cl. Dr WALKER, Profeffor of Natural History, read a paper on Petrifaction, by EVERARDUS JOANNES THOMASSEN à THEUSSINCK, of Zwoll in Holland.

Lit. Cl. Dr HUTTON read a continuation of his Differtation on Written Language as a Sign of Speech. [See fupra, June 19.]

Phyf.

1786. July 3. Thomaffen on petrification.

July 17. Dr Hutton on written language.

Phyf. Cl. Mr ROBISON read a Letter from Dr CHARLES HUTTON, Profeffor of Mathematics in the Military Academy of Woolwich, containing an Account of fome Experiments on the Force of Congelation, made at Quebec in 1784 and 1785, by Major EDWARD WILLIAMS of the Royal Artillery. This letter and account are printed in this volume. [No. V. Phyf. Cl.]

Lit. Cl. Dr HUTTON read the remainder of his Differtation on Written Language as a Sign of Speech. [See fupra, June 19.]

A GENERAL Meeting of the Society was held for the annual election of the Office-bearers of the Society. [See Vol. I. Appendix to the Hiftory of the Society.]

Phyf. Cl. Dr FRANCIS HOME read an Account of fome Experiments on the comparative Strength of different Tonics in

ferent tonics in Dyfpepfia.

dyspepfia.

Letter relative to the kraken.

Ar the fame Meeting, a Letter was read from JoHN RAMSAY L'AMY, Efq; one of the Juftices of Peace for the county of Forfar, and Mr JOHN GUILD, one of the Magiftrates of Dundee, inclosing an affidavit made before them, of JENS ANDERSON, mafter, and MADS JENSON, mate of a Norwegian fhip, relating to the appearance of a fuppofed kraken or fea-worm, on Sunday, Auguft 5. 1786. about 15 leagues to the eastward of the coaft of Scotland, in north latitude 56.16. The appearance was that of three low iflands or fand-banks of a grayish colour, within lefs than a mile's distance from the fhip, and extending about three miles from the one extremity to the other. It remained in fight about fifty minutes, and upon the springing up of a breeze, gradually funk into the water. count contains no further particulars worthy of notice, and is perfectly confiftent with the idea of this being nothing more

The ac

than

than a fog-bank, of which the appearances are familiar to mariners.

Lit. Cl. Mr JOHN ROBISON, General Secretary, read part of a Differtation by the Reverend Mr WALTER YOUNG, Minister of Erskine, on Mufic and Poetry. The Differtation is printed in this volume. [No. III. Lit. Cl.]

Phyf. Cl. THE Secretary read an Account by Dr CHARLES HUTTON Of Woolwich, of fome Experiments made by him to determine the Refiftance of the Air to Bodies moved through This Account is published in this volume.

it.

Phyf. Cl.]

[No. VI.

Lit. Cl. Mr ROBISON read a continuation of the Reverend Mr YOUNG's Differtation on Mufic and Poetry, printed in this volume. [No. III. Lit. Cl.]

A GENERAL Meeting of the Royal Society was held for the election of Members. [See Lift in the Appendix to Vol. I. Part I.]

year.

Dr WALKER exhibited to the Meeting feveral fpecimens of natural productions and artificial rarities which had been prefented to the Society in the course of the last These were ordered to be repofited in a proper place of the Museum of the University, and a lift was directed to be made out, and printed in the Appendix to the historical part of this volume. [See Appendix.]

Ar the fame Meeting, the Secretary prefented to the Society the following works: Traité Analytique des Mouvemens apparens des Corps Celeftes, par M. DIONIS de Sejour; and Efai fur la Fluide Electrique, par feu M. LE COMTE de Treffan; the former VOL. II.

(C)

fent

1786.

Dec. 18.

Mr Young on mufic and poc

try.

1787. Jan. 1.

Dr Ch. Hutton on the refiftance of the air.

Jan. 15. Mr Young on mufic and poe

try.

Jan. 22. General Meet

ing.

Donations to the Society.

Donations to the Society.