OEU.

298. This diphthong is from the French, in the word manoeuvre; a word, within these few years, of very general use in our language. It is not iu Johnson, and the veu is generally pronounced by those who can pronounce French in the French manner, but this is such a sound of the u as does not ex ist in English, and therefore it cannot be described. The nearest sound is oo: with which, if this word is pronounced by an English speaker, as if written munoovre, it may, except with very nice French ears, escape criticism.

299. The general, and almost universal sound of this diphthong, is that of a in water, and the first in me-tre. This double sound is very distinguishable in boil, toil, spoil, joint, point, anoint, &c. which sound ought to be carefully preserved, as there is a very prevalent practice among the vulgar of aropping the o, and pronouncing these words as if written bile, tile, spile, &c.

300. The only instance which admits of a doubt in the sound of this diphthong, when under the accent, is in the word choir; but this word is now so much more frequently written quire, that uni formity strongly inclines us to pronounce the oi in choir like long i, and which, by the common or thography, seems fixed beyond recovery. But it may be observed, that cither the spelling or the pronunciation of Chorister, commonly pronounced Quirister, ought to be altered. See the words. 301. When this diphthong is not under the accent, it is variously pronounced. Dr. Kenrick pla ces the accent on the first syllable of turcois, and, for I know not wha. reason, pronounces it as if written turkiz; and turkois with the of broad, as in boys. Mr. Sheridan places the accent on the se cond syllable, and gives the diphthong the French sound as if the word was written turkaze opinion the best orthography is turquoise, and the best pronunciation with the accent on the last sylfable, and the oi, sounded like long e, as if written turkees; as we pronounce lortoise, with the accent on the first syllable, and the oi like short i, as if written tortiz.

302. In avoirdupois, the first diphthong is pronounced like short e, as if written averdupoise.

303

In connoisseur the same sound of è is substituted as if written connesseur.

In my

304. In shamois or chamois, a species of leather, the oi is pronounced like long e, as if written shammee.

305. Adroit and devoir, two scarcely naturalized French words, have the oi regular, though the latter word, in polite pronunciation, retains its French sound, as if written devwor.

00.

306. The sound of this diphthong is regular, except in a few words: it is pronounced long in moon, soon, fool, rood, food, mood, &c. This is its regular sound.

307. It has a shorter sound corresponding to the u in bull, in the words wool, wood, good, hood, foot, stood, understood, withstood; and these are the only words where this diphthong has this middle sound.

308. It has the sound of short u in the two words blood and flood, rhyming with mud.

309. Soot is vulgarly pronounced so as to rhyme with but, hut, &c. but ought to have its long, regular sound, rhyming with boot, as we always hear it in the compound scoty. See the word.

310. Door and floor are universally pronounced by the English, as if written dore and flore; but in Ireland they preserve the regular sound of oo.

311. Mcor, a black man, is regular in polite pronunciation, and like more in vulgar. Moor, a marsh, is sometimes heard rhyming with store; but more correct speakers pronounce it regularly rhyming with poor

OU.

312. This is the most irregular assemblage of vowels in our language: its most common sound is that heard in bound, found, ground, &c. and this may be called its proper sound; but its deviations are so many and so various, that the best idea of it will be conveyed by giving the simples of all its different sounds.

313. The first or proper sound of this diphthong is composed of the a in ball, and the oo in woo, or rather the u in bull, and is equivalent to the ow in down, "frown, &c. this sound is heard in abound, about, account, acousticks, aground, aloud, amount, around, arouse, astound, arouch, bough, bounce, bound, bounty, bounteous, bout, carouse, chouse, cloud, clough, clout, clouterly, compound, couch, couchant, crouch, grouse, deflour, devour, devout, doubt, doubtful, drought, doughty, douse, encounter, espouse, expound, flout, foul, flounder, found, foundling, fountain, frousy, glout, gout, (a disease,) ground, grout, hound, hour, house, impound, loud, lounge, louse, lout, mound, mountain, mountebank, mouse, mouth, noun, ounce, our, ous!, out, outer, outermost, paramount, plough, pouch, pounce, pound, poul, profound, pronoun, pronounce, propoun, proud, rebound, recount, redoubt, redoubted, redound, rencounter, round, roundelay, rouse, rout, scoundret scour, scout, shot, shroud, slouch, spouse, spout, sprout, stout, surround, south, thou, thousand, touse, trounce. trowsers, trout, wound, (did wind,) slough (a miry place,) vouch, vouchsafe, withoul, scaramouch.

314. The second sound is that of short u in bud, and is heard in the following words and their compounds: Adjourn, journey, journal, burgeon, country, cousin, couple, accouple, double, trouble, courteous, courtesy, courage, encourage, joust, gournet, housewife, flourish, mounch, nourish, enough, chough, rough, tough, slough, (a cast skin,) scourge, southerly, southern, southernwood, scuthward, touch, touchy, young, younker, and youngster; but southerly, southern, and southward, are sometimes pronounced regularly like south; this, rowever, is far from the prevailing pronunciation This is the sound this diphthong always has when the accent is not on it, unless in very few instances, where the compound retains the sound of the simple, as in pronoun ; but in sojourn and sojourner, with the accent on the first syllablc, and in every unaccented termination in our and ous, this diphthong has exactly the sound of short u thus favour, honour, oaour, and famous, are pronounced as if written favur, hönur, odur, and fumus.

315. The third sound given to these vowels is that of oo in coo and wou, (39,) and is found in the fol owing words Bouge, croup, group, aggroup, amour, paramour, bouse, bousy, boutefeu, capouch, cartouch: fourbe, gout, (taste,) and ragout (pronounced goo and ragoo,) rendezvous, rouge, soup, sous, (pronoun ced soo,) surtout, through, throughly, tunpee or toupet, you, your, youth, tour, contour, tournay, tournament,

pour and route (a road,) accoutre, billet-doux, agouti, uncouth, wound (a hurt,) and routine (a beaten road). See TOURNEY.

316. The verb to pour is sometimes pronounced to pore, and sometimes to poor; in each case it interferes with a word of a different signification, and the best pronunciation, which is that similar to power, is as little liable to that exception as either of the others. See the word.

317 To wound is sometimes pronounced so as to rhyme with found; but this is directly contrary to the best usage: but route (a road, as to take a different route,) is often pronounced so as to rhyme with doubt, by respectable speakers.

318 The fourth sound of this diphthong is that of long open o, and is heard in the following words: Though, although, coulter, court, accourt, gourd, courtier, course, discourse, source, recourse, resource, bourn, dough, doughy, four, mould, mouldy, moult, mourn, shoulder, smoulder, soul, poultice, poult, poulterer, poultry, troul (to roll smoothly, marked by Mr. Sheridan as rhyming with doll, but more properly by Dr. Kenrick with roll,) and borough, thorough, furlough, fourteen, concourse, and intercourse, reserve the diphthong in the sound of long o, though not under the accent.

319. The fifth sound of ou is like the noun awe, and is heard only in ought, bought, brought, scught, besought, fought, nought, thought, methought, wrought.

320. The sixth sound is that of short oo, or the u in bull, and is heard only in the auxiliary verb would, could, should, rhyming with good, hood, stood, &c.

321. The seventh sound is that of short o, and heard only in cough and trough, rhyming with off and scoff: and in lough, and shough, pronounced lock and shock.

OW.

322. The elementary sound of this diphthong is the same as the first sound of ou, and is heard in how, now, &c. but the sound of long o obtains in so many instances, that it will be necessary to give a catalogue of both.

323. The general sound, as the elementary sound may be called, is heard in now, how, bow, (a mark of respect,) mow (a heap of barley, &c.) cow, brow, brown, brouse, plow, sow, vow, avow, allow, disallow, endow, down, clown, frown, town, crown, drown, gown, renown, dowager, dowdy, dower, dowre, dowry, dowery, dowlas, drowse, drowsy, flower, bower, lower (to look gloomy,) power, powder, prowess, prow, prowl, vowel, towel, bower, rowel, cowl, scowl, crowd, shower, tower, sow, (a swine,) sowins, sowi, thowl, low, (to bellow as a cow.) This word is generally pronounced as low, not high; but if cus tom, in this case, has not absolutely decided, it ought, in my opinion, to have the first sound of this diphthong, rhyming with how, as much more expressive of the noise it signifies; which, where sounds are the ideas to be expressed, ought to have great weight in pronunciation. (241, 251.) See the word 324. The second sound of this diphthong is heard in blow, slow, crow, grow, flow, glow, bow, (to shoot with,) know, low, (not high,) mow, (to cut grass,) row, show, sow, (to scatter grain,) strow, slow, snow, trow, below, slow, bestow, owe, own, owner, flown, grown, growth, know, known, sown, lower, (to bring low,) throw, thrown; in all these words the ow sounds like long o in go, no, so, &c.

325. The noun prow, signifying the forepart of a ship, rhymes with go in Mr. Sheridan, and with now in Dr. Kenrick. The latter is, in my opinion, the preferable sound while the verb to prowl (to seek for prey,) rhymes with owl according to Mr. Sheridan, and with soul according to Dr. Kenrick the latter has the old spelling prole to plead, but the former has, in my opinion, both analogy and the best usage on its side. Both these writers unite in giving the first sound of this diphthong to prowess; which is unquestionably the true pronunciation. See to PROWL.

326. The proper names How, Howel, Howard, and Powel, generally are heard with the first sound of this diphthong, as in how, now, &c. but Howes, and Stow (the historian) commonly rhyme with knows and know. Howard, among people of rank, is generally pronounced with the second sound, rhyming with froward; and Grosvenor, as if written Grovenor Snowden is frequently pronounced with the first sound of ow; but the second sound seems preferable; as it is not improbable that these mountains had their name, like the Alps, from the snow on their tops.

327. When this diphthong is in a final unaccented syllable, it has always the second sound, like long e, in borrow, sorrow, fellow, willow, &c. The vulgar shorten this sound, and pronounce the o obscurely, and sometimes as if followed by r as winder and feller, for window and fellow; but this is almost too despicable for notice. Good speakers preserve the diphthong in this situation, and give it the full sound of open e, rhyming with no, so, &c.

328. This diphthong, in the word knowledge, has of late years undergone a considerable revolu tion. Some speakers, who had the regularity of their language at heart, were grieved to see the compound depart so far from the sound of the simple, and with heroick fortitude have opposed the multitude by pronouncing the first syllable of this word as it is heard in the verb to know. The Pulpit and the Bar have for some years given a sanction to this pronunciation; but the Senate and the Stage hold out inflexibly against it; and the Nation at large seem insensible of the improvement. They still continue to pronounce, as in the old ludicrous rhymes

Among the mighty men of knowledge

"That are professors at Gresham College."

But if ever this word should have the good fortune to be restored to its rights, it would be but charity to endeavour the restoration of a great number of words in a similar situation, such as breakfast, vineyard, bewilder; medilow, hearken, pleasure, whitster, shepherd, windward, and a long catalogue of fellow sufferers, (515.) But, before ve endeavour this restoration, we should consider, that contracting the sound of the simple, when it acquires an additional syllable, is an idiom of pronunciation to which our language is extremely prone; nor is it certain that crossing this tendency would produce any real advantage; at least, not sufficient to counterbalance the diversity of pronunciation which must for a long time prevail, and which must necessarily call off our attention from things to words. See Enclitical Termination, No. 514.

OY

329. This diphthong is but another form for oi, and is pronounced exactly like it. When alloy is written with this diphthong, it ought never to be pronounced illay. Custom seems to have appro priated the former word to the noun, and the latter to the verb; for the sake of consistency, it were to be wished it were always written allay: but it is not to be expected that poets will give up so good a rhyme to joy, cloy and destroy.

330,The only word in which this diphthong is not under the accent, is the proper name Sa

voy, for savoy, a plant, has the accent on the second syllable; but the diphthong in both is pro nounced in the same manner.

UA.

1

331. When the a in this diphthong is pronounced, the u has the power of w, which unites both iutò one syllable: thus antiquate, antiquary, assuage, persuade, equal, language, &c. are pronounced antikwate, antikwary, asswage, &c.

332. The u in this diphthong is silent, in guard, guardian, guarantee, and piquant; pronounced gard, gardian, garantee, and pickant. (92.)

333. In Mantua, the town of Italy, both vowels are heard distinctly. The same may be observed of the habit so called: but in mantuamaker vulgarity has sunk the a, and made it mantumaker. The same vulgarity at first, but now sanctioned by universal custom, has sunk both letters in victuals, and its compounds victualling and victualler, pronounced, vittles, vittling, and vittler. See MANTUA.

UE.

334. This diphthong, like ua, when it forms only one syllable, and both letters are pronounced, has the u sounded like w; as consuetude, desuetude, and mansuetude, which are pronounced consuetude, deswetude, and manswetude. Thus conquest is pronounced according to the general rule, as if written conkwest; but the verb to conquer has unaccountably deviated into conker, particularly upon the stage. This errour, however, seems not to be so rooted in the general ear as to be above correction; and analogy undoubtedly demands conkwer.

335. This diphthong, when in a final syllable, sinks the e, as clue, cue, due, blue, glue, hue, flue, rue, sue, true, mue, accrue, ensue, endue, iminue, imbrue, pursue, subdue, perdue, argue, residue, avenue, revenue, continue, retinue, construe, statue, tissue, issue, virtue, value, ague; in all these words, whether the accent be on the diphthongue or not, it is pronounced like long open u, except in words where the comes before u, in this case it is sounded like oo. When the accent is not on this diphthong as in the latter portion of these words from argue, it is apt to be feebly and indistinctly pronounced, and therefore care ought to be taken to sound it as if these words written argew, residew, &c. In Tuesday, we, the diphthong, is pronounced in the same manner.

336. In some words the u is silent, and the e pronounced short, as in guess, guest, guerkin, guerdon, where the u acts as a servile to preserve the

hard.

337. In some words both the vowels are sunk, as in antique, oblique, league, feague, teague, colleague, te plague, vague, intrigue, fatigue, harangue, tongue, disembogue, collogue, rogue, prorogue, brogue, fugue; in all which the ue is silent, and the g pronounced hard The q in antique and oblique is pronounced like k, as if the words were written anteek and oblike. (158.)

338. The terminations in ogue, from the Greek, are pronounced in the same manner. Thus pedagogue, demagogue, ptysmagogue, menagogue, emmenagogue, synagogue, mystagogue, decalogue, dialogue, trialogue, catalogue, theologue, eclogue, monologue, prologue, and epilogue, are all pronounced as if writ ten pedagog, demagog, &c. with the o short.

339

This diphthong after 7 becoïnes oo· thus true is pronounced troo. (176.)

UI.

340. The u in this diphthong, as in ua and ue, when both vowels are pronouncea without forming two syllables, is pronounced like w: thus languid, anguish, languish, extinguish, distinguish, relinquish, vanquish, linguist, penguin, pursuivant, guiacum, are pronounced as if written languid, angwish, &c and cuiss and cuisses, as if written kuiss and kwisses, and cuirass, as if written kwirass.

341. The u is silent, and the i pronounced long, in guide, disguise, guile, and beguile; but the u is silent, and the i short, in guild, build, guilt, guinea, guitar. Guild, in Guildhall, is by the lower people of London, pronounced so as to rhyme with child; but this is directly opposite to the best usage, and contrary to its etymology, as it is a compound of guild (a corporation, always pronoun ced like the verb to gild,) and hall. Dr. Jones, who wrote in Queen Anne's time, tells us it was then pronounced as if written Gildhall. In circuit and biscuit the u is merely servile; in both the c is hard, and the i short, as if written surkit and biskit. Conduit is pronounced cundit.

342. In juice, sluice, suit, and pursuit, the iis silent, and the u has its diphthongal sound, as if preceded by e, and the words were written slewce, jewce, sewt, pursewt.

343 When this diphthong is preceded by r, it is pronounced like oo, thus bruise, cruise, fruit, bruit recruit, are pronounced as if written broose, croose, bront, recroot. (339.)

UO.

344 The u in this diphthong is pronounced like w in quote, quota, quotation, quotient, quotidian, querum, quondam, siliquose, quoth, as if written kwote, kwota, kwotation, &c. Coif and coit, commonly pronounced kwoif and kwoit, do not come under this class. See the words.

UY.

345 This diphthong, with the accent on it, sinks the u, and pronounces the y like long i: thus buy, the only word where uy has the accent, rhymes with dry, fly, &c. When the accent is not on this diphthong it is sounded like long e, as plaguy, roguy, gluy, pronounced pla-gee, rogee, (with the g hard, as in ga,) giu-ee. The same may be observed of obloquy, ambiloquy, pauciloquy, soliloquy, ventriloquy, alloquy, colloquy, pronounced oblo-quee, ambilo-quee, &c.

UOY.

346. This aiphthong is found only in the word hucy, pronounced as written bwoy, but too often exactly like boy. But this ought to be avoided by correct speakers

OF THE CONSONANTS.

B.

347 When b follows m in the same syllable it is generally silent, as in lamb, kemb, limb, como, dumb &c. except accumb, and succumb: it is silent also before t in the same syllable, as in debt, doubt, redoubt, redoubted, and their compounds: it is silent before t, when not in the same syllable, in the word subtle (cunning,) often inaccurately used for subtile (fine,) where the b is always pronounced. In the mathematical term rhomb the b is always heard, and the word pronounced as if written rhums. Ambs-ace, is pronounced Aims-die.

C.

348. C is always heard like k before a, o, and u; as card, cord, curd; and soft, like s before e, i, and y; as cement, city, cynick.

349. When c ends a word, or syllable, it is always hard, as in musu, flaccid, siccity pronounced musik, flak-sid, sik-sity. See EXAGGERATE.

350. In the word sceptick, where the first c, according to analogy, ought to be pronounced like Dr. Johnson has not only given his approbation to the sound of k, but has, contrary to general practice, spelt the word skeptick. It may be observed, perhaps, in this, as on other occasions, of that truly great man, that he is but seldom wrong; but when we is so, that he is generally wrong to absurdity. What a monster does this word skeptick appear to an eye the least classical or correct! And if this alteration be right, why should we hesitate to write and pronounce scene, sceptre, and Lacedæmon, skene, skeptre, and Lakedaemon, as there is the same reason for k in all? It is not, however, my intention to cross the general current of polite and classical pronunciation, which I know is that of sound ing the c like k; my objection is only to writing it with the k; and in this I think I am supported by the best authorities since the publication of Johnson's Dictionary.

351. C is mute in Czar, Czarina, victuals, indict, arbuscle, corpuscle, and muscle; it sounds like tsch in the Italian words vermicelli and violincello; and like z in suffice, sacrifice, sice, (the number six at dice,) and discern.

352. This letter, when connected with h, has two sounds; the one like tch in child, chair, rich which, &c. pronounced as if written tchila, tchair, ritch, whitch, &c.; the other like sh, after l or n, as in belch, bench, filch, &c. pronounced belsh, bensh, filsh, &c. This latter sound is generally given to words from the French, as chaise, chagrin, chamade, champagne, champignon, chandelier, chaperon, charlatan, chevalier, chevron, chicane, capuchin, cartouch, machine, machinist, chancre, marchioness.

353. Ch in words from the learned languages, are generally pronounced like k, as chalcography, chalybeate, chamæleon, chamomile, chaos, character, chart, chasm, chely, chemist, (if derived from the Arabick, and chymist, if from the Greek,) chersmese, chimera, chirography, chiromancy, chlorosis, choler, chorus, chord, chorography, chyle and its compounds; anchor, anchoret, cachexy, catechism, catechise, catechetical catechumen, echo, echinus, epoch, epocha, ichor, machination, machinal, mechanick, mechanical, orchestra, orchestre, technical, anarch, anarchy, conch, cochleary, distich, hemistich, monostich, eunuch, monarch, monarchial, hierarch, heresiarch, pentateuch, stomach, stomachick, scheme, school, scholar, schesis, mastick, seneschar, and in all words where it is followed by r, as Christ, Christian, chronology, chronicle, &c. To these may be added the Celtick word loch (a lake.) The exceptions are charity, archer, and archery.

.

254. When arch, signifying chief, begins a word from the Greek language, and is followed by a vowel, it is always pronounced ark, as in archangel, archipelago, architect, archives, archetype, archaism, archiepiscopal, archidiaconal, architrave, archaiology. But when we prefix arch to a word of our own. and this word begins with a consonant, we pronounce it so as to rhyme with march, as archduke, arch deacon, archbishop; and sometimes, when the following word begins with a vowel, if it is a composi tion of our own, and the word does not come to us compounded from the Greek or Latin, as arch

enemy.

355. The word ache, (a pain,) pronounced ake, comes from the Greek, and was by Shakspeare extended to two syllables, aches with ch, as in watches; but this is obsolete. It is now almost universally written ake and akes, except where it is compounded with another word, as head-ach, heart-ach, &c. and by thus absurdly retaining the ch in the compound we are puzzled how to form the plural, without pronouncing aches in two syllables.

356. In choir and chorister the ch is almost universally pronounced like qu (300:) in ostrich, like dge, as if spelled ostridge. It is silent in schedule, schism, and yacht; pronounced seddule, sizm, and yot. It is sunk in drachm, but heard in drachma; pronounced dram and drackma.

357. When c comes after the accent, either primary or secondary, and is followed by ea, ia, ie, io, or eous, it takes the sound of sh: thus ocean, social, Phocion, saponaceous, fascination, negociation, are pronounced as if written ashean, soshial, hoshion, saponasheous, &c. (196). Financier has the accent after the c, which on that account does not go into sh.

D.

358. In order to have a just idea of the alterations of sound this letter undergoes, it will be necessary to consider its near relation to T. (41.) These consonants, like p, and b, f, and v, k, and hard g, and s, and z, are letters of the same organ; they differ by the nicest shades of sound, and are easily convertible into each other; t p, f, k, and s, may, for the sake of distinction, be called sharp, and d, b, v, g, and z, may be called flat. For this reason, when a singular ends in a sharp consonant, the s, which forms the plural, preserves its sharp sound, as in cuffs, pocks, lips, hats, deaths, and when the singular ends with a flat consonant, the plural s has the sound of z, as drubs, bags, beads, lives, &c. pronounced drabz, bagz, &c.

359. In the same manner when a verb ends with a sharp consonant, the d, in the termination ed, assumed by the preterit and participle, becomes sharp, and is sounded like t: thus stuffed, tripped, cracked, passed, vouched, faced, where the e is suppressed, as it always ought to be, (except when we are pronouncing the language of Scripture) (104) change the d into t, as if written stuft, tript, crackt, past, voucht, faste. So when the verb ends in a flat consonant, the d preserves its true flat sound, as drubbed, pegged, lived, buzzed, where the e is suppressed, and the words pronounced in one syllable, as if written drubb d, pegg'd, liv'd, buzz'd. It may be observed too, that when the verb ends in a liquid, or a liquid and mute e, the participle d always preserves its pure sound; as blamed, joined, filled, barred, proDounced blam'd, join'd, fill'd, bar'd. This contraction of the participia' ed, and the verbal en (103,)

F

is so fixed an idiom of our pronunciation, that to alter it, would be to alter the sound of the whole language. It must, however, be regretted, that it subjects our tongue to some of the most hissing, snapping, clashing, grinding sounds that ever grated the ears of a Vandal: thus rasped, scratched, wrenched, bridled, fangled, birchen, hardened, strengthened, quickened, &c. almost frighten us when written as they are actually pronounced, as raspt, scratcht, wrencht, bridl'd, fangi'd, birch'n, strength'n'd, quick'n'd, &c.; they become still more formidable when used contractedly in the solemn style, which never ought to be the case; for here, instead of thou strength'n'st or strength'n'd'st, thou quick'n'st, or quick'n'd'st, we ought to pronounce, thou strengih'nest or strength'nedst, thou quick'nest or quick'nedst, which are sufficiently harsh of all conscience. (See No. 405.) But to compensate for these Gothick sounds, which, however, are not without their use, our language is full of the smoothest and most sonorous terminations of the Greeks and Romans.

pro

360. By the foregoing rule of contraction, arising from the very nature of the letters, we see the absurdity of substituting the t for ed, when the verb ends in a sharp consonant; for, when the nunciation cannot be mistaken it is folly to alter the orthography; thus the Distressed Mother, the title of a tragedy, needs not to be written Distrest Mother, as we generally find it, because, though we write it in the former manner, it must necessarily be pronounced in the latter.

361. By this rule, too, we may see the impropriety of writing blest for blessed, when a participle.

"Blest in thy genius, in thy love too blest."-Pope.

But when the word blessed is an adjective, it ought always to be pronounced, even in the most fa miliar conversation, in two syllables, as this is a blessed day, the blessed thistle, &c.

362. This word, with learned, cursed, and winged, are the only participial adjectives which are constantly pronounced in two syllables, where the participles are pronounced in one: thus a learned man, a cursed thing, a winged horse, preserve the ed in a distinct syllable; while the same words, when verbs, as he learned to write, he cursed the day, they winged their flight, are heard in one syllable, as if written learnd, curst, and wingd: the d in cursed changing to t, from its following the sharp consonant s. (358.)

363. Poetry, however, (which has been one great cause of improper orthography,) assumes the privilege of using these words, when adjectives, either as monosyllables or dissyllables; but correct prose rigidly exacts the pronunciation of ed in these words, when adjectives, as a distinct syllable. The ed in aged and winged, always make a distinct syllable, as an aged man; the winged courser : but when this word is compounded with another, the ed does not form a syllable, as a full-ag'd horse, a sheath-wing'd fowl.

364. It is, perhaps, worthy of notice, that when adjectives are changed into adverbs by the addition of the termination ly, we often find the participial termination eď preserved long and distinct, even in those very words where it was contracted when used adjectively: "thus though we always hear confess'd, profess'd, design'd, &c, we as constantly hear con-fess-ed-ly, pro-fess-ed-ly, de-sign-ed-ly, &c. The same may be observed of the following list of words, which by the assistance of the Rhyming Dictionary, I am enabled to give as, perhaps, the only words in the language in which the ed is pronounced as a distinct syllable in the adverb, where it is contracted in the participial adjective: Forcedly, enforcedly, unveiledly, deformedly, feignedly, unfeignedly, discernedly, resignedly, refinedly, restrainedly, concernedly, unconcernedly, discernedly, undiscernedly, prepareilly, assuredly, advisedly, dispersedly, diffusedly, confusedly, unperceivedly, resolvedly, deservedly, undeservedly, reservedly, unreservedly, avowedly, perplexedly, ixediy, amazedly.

365. To this catalogue, may be added several abstract substantives formed from participles in ed: which ed makes a distinct syllable in the former, though not in the latter, thus: numbedness, blearedness, preparedness, assuredness, diseasedness, advisedness, reposedness, composedness, indisposedness, diffusedness, confusedness, distressedness, resolvedness, reservedness, perplexedness, fixedness, amazedness, have ed pronounced distinctly.

366. The adjectives naked, wicked, picked, (pointed,) hooked, crooked, forked, tusked, tressed, and wretched, are not derived from verbs, and are therefore pronounced in two syllables. The same may be observed of scubbed, crubbed, chubbed, stubbed, shogged, snagged, ragged, cragged, scrubbed, dogged rugged, scragged, hawked, jagged; to which we may add the solemn pronunciation of stiffnecked and these, when formed into nouns by the addition of ness, preserve the ed in a distinct syllable, as wickedness, scabbedness, raggedness, &c.

367. Passed, in the sense of beyond, becomes a preposition, and may allowably be written past, as past twelve o'clock: but when an adjective, though it is pronounced in one syllable, it ought to be written with two, as passed pleasures are present pain: this I know is contrary to usage; but usage is, in this case, contrary to good sense, and the settled analogy of the language.

368. It needs scarcely be observed, that when the verb ends in t or d, the ed in the past time and articiple has the pronounced with its own sound, aud always forms an additional syllable, as landed, matted, &c. otherwise the final d could not be pronounced at all.

369. And here perhaps it may not be useless to take notice of the very imperfect and confused idea that is given in our best grammars, of what are called contracted verbs, such as snatcht, checkt, snapt, mixt, dwelt and past, for snatched, checked, snapped, mixed, dwelled, and passed. To these are added, those that end in l, m, and n, or p, after a diphthong; which either shorten the diph thong, or change it into, a single vowel; and instead of ed, take t only for the preterit, as dealt dreamt, meant, felt, slept, crept; and these are said to be considered not as irregular, but contracted only. Now nothing can be clearer than that verbs of a very different kind, are here huddled together as of the same. Snatched, checked, snapped, mixed, and passed, are not irregular at all; if they are ever written snatcht, checkt, snapt, mixt, and past, it is from pure ignorance of analogy, and not considering that if they were written with ed, unless we were to pronounce it as a distinct syllable, con trary to the most settled usage of the language, the pronunciation, from the very nature of the let ters, must be the same. It is very different with dwelled; here, as a liquid, and not a sharp mute, ends the verb, d might be pronounced without going into t just as well as in fell'd, the participle of to fell (to cut down trees.) Here then we find custom has determined an irregularity, which cannot be altered, without violence to the language; dwell may be truly called an irregular verb, and dwelt the preterit and participle.

370. The same may be observed of deal, dream, mean, feel, weep, sleep, and creep. It is certain we can pronounce d after the four first of these words, as well as in sealed, screamed, cleaned, and reeled, but custom has not only annexed t to the preterit of these verbs, but has changed the long diph thongal sound into a short one; they are the re doubly irregular. Weep, sleep, and creep would