booksellers and stationers usually keep only a small stock of school in the succeeding months, up to November inclusive. These colrequisites on hand, and a considerable time frequently elapses leges are eighteen in number. Six of them are situated in London, before an order can be supplied. Managers and others seldom have three in Wales, and the remaining nine are scattered over the varian opportunity of seeing beforehand what they wish to buy, or of making a selection from a variety offered to their notice. The choice of school books is in too many instances left to the teachers alone, and they are apt to be guided in their decision rather by what is easy than by what is likely to prove instructive and useful to their scholars.-Rev. B. J. BINNS. PUBLIC OPINION ON THE SUBJECT OF EDUCATION IS ADVANCING. ous counties of England. The organization of all these institutions is uniform in principle, but varied in details. Their secular and professional studies are directed by a common syllabus, and they annually submit the results of their labours to a simultaneous examination in December, which is exactly the same for all. They are all established upon the family model. The students are boarded, lodged, and carefully superintended; and they engage to continue their residence for a couple of years.-J. BowSTEAD, M.A. EXTRACT FROM REPORTS OF H. M. SCHOOL INSPECTORS IN SCOTLAND, 1874-1875. THE ESTHETIC EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. I have great pleasure in adducing the testimony of two gentlemen of position in this county (Glamorgan) on the subject. At a meeting of the Maesteg Literary Society, Mr. A. Brogden, M. P., in dwelling on the importance of scientific knowledge for the labouring classes, said, "A man whose mind was sufficiently informed and advanced is a happy man, and has within himself much subject for I am happy to see that the aesthetic education of our children thought, which gives him a real interest in life. Such a man has a draws increasing attention. Esthetic education has been elohigher range of intellect, and is better able to perform the duties quently advocated by Richter, Spencer and Ruskin. John Stuart which devolve upon him." Mr. T. Falconer, a County Court Judge, Mill, in his address as Rector of St. Andrew's University, in sketchat a meeting of the Cardiff Science and Art Schools, also expressed ing the requirements of a thorough education, urged the aesthetic the following sentiments, which must assuredly commend them-training as "needful to the completeness of the human being" and selves to every candid judgment:needful to the completeness of the human being, and as deser"There is no danger in any human being learning too much. The ving to be regarded in a more serious light than is the custom of danger is not from getting into deep water, but from being in the these countries." Our manuals of school management refer shallow. Without correct knowledge and cultivated powers of more or less to its principles and their application in schools. reasoning, we cannot form a correct judgment, or see, as it were It has received elaborate advocacy in an anonymous work called from afar, the consequences of our actions. The truth in most things" Hiatus," in which aesthetic training is described as "the void lies at a distance, but the approach to it is open to every man, and in modern education." Professor Hodgson, at the Norwich Conon no man rests the duty to stop the road. And more than this, it gress, recommended the same "general aesthetic culture, which is our duty to start every man on the road as well prepared as we will yet do much to elevate and adorn the homes of even the can, and it is a universal duty to keep the road open."-Rev. B. J. poor. BINNS. LITERATURE. WHAT THE EXERCISE IS.-ITS ADVANTAGE. as 66 The education of taste is a very broad subject, inasmuch as it should be an element in the culture of every faculty. The active education of taste includes the æsthetic training of the senses and other I find literature, a subject suggested in recent codes, becoming physical powers of conduct, person, dress, bearing, manner, speech, very popular. If two subjects are attempted, it is almost always of the intellect, the imagination, the feelings, the moral faculties, one of them. The exercise in literature is the saying by heart 200 the sense of beauty," and much more; and this must be systemto 300 lines of some standard English author, with due expression, atically given by the teacher. The passive education of taste is and the knowledge of the meaning and allusions. Teachers do carried on by the surroundings of the child; in school, by the well who choose this subject. Learning by heart is a grateful, school-room, the furniture, the arrangements, the decorations, by easy task to children. In 300 well-chosen lines of Wordsworth, or the teacher, his fellows, and the insensible effect of the whole Scott, or Cowper, there is a variety of things to master which inte- work and teaching, all which influences permeate his being and rest without fatiguing, which awaken curiosity and enlarge the elevate or depress his nature, whether active training is carried on learner's stock of words and ideas; yet this variety is not overHence the importance, amongst other things, of making powering, because it is limited by the passage of which the pupil our school-rooms the sweet and tasteful places which they can be has an exact textual acquaintance. Such work is the key to intelli-made, potent educators of this higher part of our children's nature. gent as distinct from fluent reading. The intelligence that is ex- Hence the privilege and duty of our school managers, and the pected cannot well be "crammed." It demands a certain know- immense influence they can wield in raising the general taste of the ledge of grammar, and so far it is exact; but it has points of nation, by decorations specially designed for æsthetic purposes. contact with geography, history, and nature, and so has a breadth which none of those subjects, so far as they can be exhibited to children, have by themselves.-Rev. CAPEL SEWELL, M.A. DOMESTIC ECONOMY EFFECTS OF EDUCATION ON GIRLS. or not. Such decorations can be had for very little, and there is abundant material. During the past year, I wrote to the Science and Art Department on the subject of the decoration of our common schools, asking if the Department would allow grants of art materials to all our schools, although not under teachers certificated in art; and I am glad to learn that "this Department will give aid to any public elementary schools under inspection towards the purchase of those examples which we recommend for a parochial school."+ Beautiful and artistic examples of work of high art can thus be obtained at very low prices, with which all our schoolrooms could be adorned at small expense. "Guiding the house," which is one-half of woman's natural occupation, cannot indeed be learnt to any very useful extent, any more than shoe making, from precept only. But where this subject ranks with the other subjects of instruction in a school, it presses on a girl's attention the most useful and honourable occupation of her sex. Girls yield much sooner than boys to the refining influences of education, but this refinement has a tendency It is to be hoped that when our new buildings are erected, our to develope their softer, rather than their more useful qualities. School Boards will make our school rooms in this way centres of To dress with taste; to read novels and poetry; to be a milliner's brightest and highest influences. We shall rouse ourselves to the apprentice till she marries and mismanages her house ;-this is the conviction that the most effective field of æsthetic culture and life story of many a well-educated girl in our primary schools. If refinement at our command lies in our common schools, and we shall domestic service cannot be escaped, it is undertaken as a sad neces- avail ourselves of these centres of wonderful influence. It is sity, and its duties discharged with wearisome carelessness and beyond doubt, that with our common schools æsthetically adorned, inefficiency. Marriage puts these girls very early in life in possession our teachers æsthetically educated, and our children æsthetically of homes of their own. Thrift, laborious thrift, industry, intelligence, trained, a national reformation in taste could be effected; and no and thoroughness in house affairs, are no mean qualities in any wo-national improvement in manner, bearing, habit and taste will be man; they are indispensable in the wives of working men, if they are to have well-ordered homes. The lessons in domestic economy may possible except through our Public Schools.-WM. JOLLY, Esq. correct the tendency to laziness and fine ladyism which appear to accompany the earlier stages of refinement; at least they serve to bring the child of working parents face to face with the realities of her station in life, and accustom her to the idea of honestly working for her living.-Rev. CAPEL SEWELL, M.A. NUMBER, SITUATION, AND ORGANIZATION OF TRAINING COLLEGES. THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. We begin slowly to recognise the true idea of education as the training of all the faculties, and very slowly to move towards real * "Hiatus" by Ontis (Macmillan, 1869). It is also shortly treated in an unpretending little work, "The Etiquette of Teaching," by G. B. Healy, I have the honour to present my first report upon the training (6d.) full of good practical suggestions. (Office of Irish Teachers' Journal, colleges for school-masters in England and Wales, with the inspec- Dublin.) †The Department gives aid to from 50 to 75 per cent. See the "Art tion of which I was charged in May last, and which I visited, gene- Directory," which can be got from the Department, or Eyre and Spottisrally in conjunction with one of my colleagues, in that month, and woode. Lists of the examples referred to are given on pp. 47, 112, and 116. * * * izing the idea in our school course. Another part of this universal shows how little our education prepares for practical life, that we training has been very much neglected, that of Physical Education. have left out of our school course this latter subject, on which so This subject has, however, drawn increased attention of late years, much of our happiness or misery depends. thanks more to our enlightened medical men than to our teachers. Lastly, Physical Education will never be efficiently taught till They have proved that mental vigour and moral life are much more our teachers are physically educated, and this should form part of dependent on physical condition than we suspected. They have their preparatory course. They should pass through a thorough demonstrated conclusively that certain prevalent evils and diseases physical system, be trained in class and military drill, study and are the results of a neglect of physical training, and others, of de- practise the habits of good society; know all about games and fective and bad school furniture and arrangements; and the evils amusements, and should be trained in Physiology and Hygiene, and thus traceable to school causes form a long and painful list. In be familiar with the symptoms of the common diseases and the short, it is proved beyond question, that much national deteriora- treatment of common accidents, as blows, bruises, cuts, sprains, tion of physique and positive disease are the results of preventible stings, and the other ills incidents to school life. causes connected with our schools. But the effort at reform in this matter should go deeper than it seems to do. We have introduced Physical Training into some of our colleges and higher schools, but we should set ourselves to a problem much wider and more important, because affecting the mass of the people, the Physical Education of the children in our public schools. Without this universal training of our children, there can never be any general improvement of our people. It is earnestly to be desired that the country and school managers will be roused to a sense of the loss of health, comfort, and even life which our neglect of this part of education entails on our people, and be ready and anxious to promote its universal teaching in our schools. If it were studied there even partially, there is no doubt that it would effect a wonderful improvement in the physique, health, bearing and happiness, and in the mental and moral power of the whole nation.-WM. JOLLY, Esq. THE MORAL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. Physical education is much broader than may at first sight appear. It embraces cleanliness; the exercise of the muscular system, by games and amusements, which are educative in many ways, phyThis vital part of true education, of which I treated in my report sical, mental, and moral; class drill, military drill, and school for 1872, and which has been so little systematically taught in our movements; the general manners and deportment, which is a train- schools, begins to receive increased attention. One part of the subing largely physical; and the systematic training of the senses and ject, that of physical morality or "the religion of health," has rethe other physical powers to accuracy, truthfulness, and delicacy. But if Physical Education is to be scientific and thorough, we Another part of the subject, kindness to animals, has been eloceived, of late, abundant advocacy from our medical men and others. must have Systematic Physical Training. Military drill is val- quently urged and practical steps have been taken towards introuable in many ways, physical and otherwise, but it is very imper-ducing it into schools, notably through the efforts of the Society fect as physical training. It exercises only a small part of the body, against Cruelty to Animals, and Baroness Burdett Coutts. It has and that in a very partial way; and this is the opinion of compe- also been recommended by the Scotch Education Board. At the tent judges. The whole of the muscular system should be exercised regularly ing of morals in our schools, as Social Science Congress at Norwich, last year, the systematic teachtranscendently important," was and progressively, and this training should be carried on through earnestly and ably advocated by Professor Hodgson. It was also out the whole school course. Its aim should be to develope the full well recommended by a parish clergyman in Scotland, in an article physical powers of our children into as perfect manhood and wo- in the Contemporary Review for January, 1874, and by other writers manhood as they can attain. There are several good systems for elsewhere. An interesting and unexpected testimony to its importthis purpose. The one best known to me is that of Mr. Maclaren, of the Oxford Gymnasium.* It aims at the scientific, gradual, uni- missioners in Lunacy in Scotland, on the ground that by its means, ance as a subject in our schools, has lately been borne by the Comform, and universal training of the physique, by skilfully arranged combined with physical education, "far more successful results exercises during school life. Feeling the importance of the subject, would be achieved in the diminution of insanity, than have hitherto I have been in correspondence with Mr. Maclaren, and I asked him, been attained through the operation of asylum treatment.” some time ago, to frame a modification of his elaborate course. I hope that school boards will rise to their duty in regard to this adapted to our common schools. He at once entered heartily into important part of education. It would seem to be viewed by some the idea, and wrote me an excellent letter, embodying such a earnest men with suspicion, as in some unknown way antagonistic course. Mr. Maclaren is engaged on a text book for this course, to religion. Infinitely otherwise, it is religion's chiefest friend, its giving the fullest details as to its teaching. Such training is not best assistance, an intimate and essential portion of its life and gymnastics," a fashionable accomplishment to be learned mission; systematising that part of the wide religious field which or omitted according to caprice or fashion. It is a valuable part of deals with our work in daily life, and shedding on it all the light and education, it is necessary for full physical development, and it interest, and attractiveness it can cull from all sources at its comaims at giving, as Mr. Maclaren says, "that amount and kind of mand; pointing out the duties we ought to perform in all the daily physical training which will have tended to make our boys healthy, relations of life, which duties should be performed with all the imshapely, and powerful men." It should be introduced into all our pulse, emotion, and higher sanction of religion. Its aim is to trans* * I beg respectfully to suggest to the Education late noble precepts into "daily action." The name 66 religion in Department to offer grants for Systematic Physical Training, ac- common life," puts its nature and purpose in one phrase, and should cording to some approved system. The one advocated has been attract the most sensitive to its systematic and regular teaching. adopted in our great public schools, and in the army and navy. To consider it a religious duty to study these questions," as Mr. The expense for the apparatus is small, as will be seen in Mr. Mac- Ellis will say, "with the intention of regulating conduct by the laren's letter, and the time required at most only one hour a week. convictions formed, is a great step towards religious excellence."* An excellent series of Free Exercises without apparatus may also be given, which furnish very good physical training without any priceless riches of life, so capable of lifting our future men and So pure, so high, so entirely productive of truest gain in the expense whatever. I recommend the subject, thus practically women from their sad ignorance of their duties in daily life, ignorworked out by the highest authorities, to the best attention of ance for which their educators are culpably responsible, is this vital the Department and School Boards and managers. § mere schools. * But the Physical Education of our children, however excellent part of education, that I am sure not many years will elapse before we shall see its universal adoption in our schools. If we are not their training and healthy their physique, would be imperfect, if wise or religious enough to do it, our successors will, with surprise they left school ignorant of the principles that preserve their bodies at our delay. To use the words of Cowley, "If I be not abused in health and soundness. They ought to know the structure and by a natural fondness to my own conceptions, there never was any laws of their constitution. Our children should, therefore, be project thought upon which deserves to meet with so few advertaught Physiology, which gives a knowledge of the parts of the body saries as this. It does not at all check or interfere with any parties and their functions; and Hygiene or the Laws of Health, by which in state or religion. The only question is, whether it will find the healthy action of the organism is produced and maintained. It friends enough to carry it on from discourse and design to reality and effect."-WM. JOLLY, Esq. * See Maclaren's "Physical Education" (Oxford, Clarendon Press). The introductory essay should be studied by all teachers. STUDY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE. This letter, with relative plans and estimates, will be found in "The Public School" (p. 44), (Laurie, Edinburgh), which embodies recommenda- No subject deserves more encouragement than English literature, tions made by me to School Boards, and to which I would refer those and I am glad to find it is popular with teachers, and likely to beinterested in the subject. See Mr. Maclaren's " Judiciously selected pieces for repetition will not Physical Education," and Dr. Roth's "Gymnastic Free Exercises on Ling's System" (Groombridge and Sons, London). come more so. § I am happy to see that the London Board, which has set such an * See the "Religion of Common Life," by William Ellis (Smith, Elder & admirable example in many things, is taking steps to have gymnastic Co.), an excellent work, which I would special y r commend to all teachers, apparatus in connection with their schools, and trees in the playgrounds. and to all others interested in the subject. this subject is worthy of consideration, and that it will commend itself to the active workers in the cause of education, who are disposed to put forth every exertion and adopt every means calculated to bring our progressive School system still nearer to perfection. Respectfully yours, only improve the pupil's reading and spelling, but will be a stimu- uniformity and increased efficiency would be secured. I believe lus to private reading and study, and will enlarge his stock of words and ideas, while making him familiar with the thoughts of higher minds. For this subject, Scott's facile verse was most frequently selected during the past year. In one instance Goldsmith was chosen, and in another, Wilson. Scenes, characters, incidents, and allusions had been grasped, and the mere repetition of the passages selected may be termed almost perfect. In few instances, however, was the style of repetition worthy of much praise, and the paraphrasing was generally weak.-A. OGILVY BARRIE, Esq., M.A. I find that during the year every specific subject has been taken up except German, Mechanics, Chemistry, and Magnetism, in the following proportions : Presented Percentage of failures Mathematics. English Literature. Latin. Greek. French. Animal Physiology. Physical Botany. 20 113 560 346 31 54 English literature is, as might be expected, and properly, the favourite one. The choice of passages has been generally judicious, but in many cases there has been a wrong conception as to the requirements. Few of the failures are due to lack of memory in repetition, many to want of proper expression, more still to insufficient comprehension and unmeaning paraphrase. The committing to memory, expressive repetition, and thorough understanding of 200 lines of classical poetry is an educational result worth paying for. The mere committing to memory without the other two is valueless, and I have treated it as such.-JOHN KERR, Esq., M.A. December 2nd, 1875. INSPECTOR. 2. SIMPLIFICATION OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. Spoken language is natural to man. The ability to develop it more than any other one thing, perhaps, distinguishes man from all other animals. Other animals can reason to some extent, but man alone is able to develop a spoken language whereby thoughts or concepts of the mind are conveyed by articulate sounds. Instructive reason differs from the faculty of reasoning in this, that the former is experimental only, and confined to those things which more directly pertain to the necessities or comforts of the animal, whilst the latter covers the whole range of knowledge. The distinguishing feature of human reasoning is, that it can, by the use of language, accept a conclusion once gained, and make this the starting point of a new course of reasoning. Thus man is enabled to profit by the experience of former generations, and to convey any newly acquired knowledge to his successors, whilst all the knowledge or experience of other animals is lost, and cannot in this way be transmitted from generation to generation. Thus we see the importance of spoken language to man, which we are apt to overlook as a matter of course. Spoken language precedes written language. Indeed there are tribes of people whose language has for the first time been reduced to writing by missionaries in the last generation. Written language however, is an afterthought. It is the result of contrivance in order to preserve that which when once spoken would otherwise be gone, except as it remained in the memory of the hearer. It bears the same relation to spoken language that memory does to thought. Spoken language, which is first in time, appeals only to the ear. Written language appeals to the ear through the eye, and its devel I. Correspondence of the Journal of Education.ment presupposes some degree of cultivation. 1. COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS. Editor Journal of Education. The history of written language is full of interest. It shows the processes through which the mind has been experimentally led before reaching that which is now recognised as the true basis of written language, viz. the representation of the few elementary sounds heard in speech. In Ancient Egypt, symbols were used as the signs of ideas, and even now we find that the eye is used as a SIR,-The subject of bringing the work done in our High and symbol of watchfulness, the lamb of innocence, and the lion of Public Schools under uniform examinations is one which is at pre-strength. All attempts to represent continuous thought by symbols sent engaging considerable attention. We have the examinations must necessarily be vague and unsatisfactory. To obviate this, we for admission to High Schools, and we shall probably soon have the find that very early in history, alphabets were introduced in which intermediate examinations. The former has already done much in the letters more or less accurately represented the elementary directing the labours of those who prepare pupils for the entrance sounds of the human voice. examinations, and I have no doubt the latter, with its payment by However much language may differ, the elementary sounds are results, will very materially increase the efficiency of High Schools. very similar in all languages, because the organs of speech are very A uniform examination will be provided to test the work done much the same in all. The letters used to represent these sounds in these Schools, and I think a somewhat similar test would be of are, however, entirely arbitrary, and differ very much among themvery great advantage to our Public Schools. During the present selves, as in the Arabic, the Hebrew, the Greek, and the Chinese year competitive examinations have been held in a few counties languages. The letters used in printing our language are adopted with, so far as we may judge from published reports, highly satis- from the Latin language. They are the same in the main with the factory results. Our Public Schools are working under a uniform letters in all the Romance languages, and came originally from programme, and might very properly be brought under uniform Phoenicia. The very name Alphabet shows this history, for it is but competitive examinations by the Council of Public Instruction pre- an abbreviation of the names of the first two letters of the Greek scribing regulations and furnishing printed questions. The examina- alphabet, Alpha, Beta; just in the same way as we sometimes call tion could be held in two or more places in every county, and the our alphabet the a, b, c. papers examined by the present County Boards or by other suitable persons. This Roman Alphabet was ill suited to represent the numerous sounds of our language, because it furnished but 18 consonants, To pupils attaining a certain standing, certificates might be given besides the three redundant letters c, q, and x, to represent the entitling the holders of them to act as pupil teachers in Public 25 consonantal sounds of the language, and but five vowel letters Schools, or to enter a High School. By this means the present to represent its 19 vowel sounds. Consequently many modes of entrance examination could be dispensed with, as it is but an ex- compensation and combination were resorted to, differing ofttimes amination of Public School pupils. If examinations of this kind according to the source whence a word found its way into the lanwere held, the Public Schools would be brought into direct com- guage. Had our language been originally analyzed into its elements, petition with each other, a healthy emulation would be developed, and a different sign been used to represent each sound, its orthoand new life infused into teachers and pupils. I feel confident graphy would have been much simplified. But we have received also that a larger number of pupils would find their way into our language as it is, freighted with its precious treasures of belles High Schools; for pupils having passed a creditable examination lettres, which few scholars are willing to sacrifice to the advantages would feel a new ambition, and their parents would be inclined to of a purely phonetic print, however desirable in other respects. give them the advantage of higher facilities. As an evidence of All agree, however, that it is desirable to simplify our orthograthis, several pupils who distinguished themselves at a competitive phy in every admissible way. There are but two modes of accomexamination held in this county last spring have already gone to plishing this end. We must either introduce new letters, or use High Schools, and more will go in January. Local efforts for in- diacritical notation. creasing the interest, by procuring prizes for successful candidates, could still be made, and by the means suggested above regularity, I. The introduction of new letters has proven a failure. American and English Phoneticians, working in this direction, discarded silent letters, and invented new characters to represent sounds not In the representation of vowel sounds the marks may be made to now associated with a separate letter. They struck at the roots of do double, yea, even quadruple duty. Thus in every instance the the difficulties, but in a way which neither scholars nor populace mark represents the sound irrespective of the letter with which it would accept; scholars, because it destroyed the history of the lan- is used: (2) its shape, the class of sounds to which it belongs, thus, guage, and the populace because it presented on the printed page a straight and waved marks, represent a sounds; dots, e sounds; novel and forbidding appearance. They attempted the right thing angles, o sounds; and curves, u sounds: (3) its position relative but in a wrong way, and hence their failure. This must necessarily to the printed line, its quantity: and (4) the corresponding long and have been so, for Phonological Science was not sufficiently matured short sounds by the same sign in different positions. Add to these for so revolutionary a step. Any system of simplification, however (5) a combination of elementary signs to represent diphthongal well developed, which introduces changes in the shape and appear-sounds: (6) hollow signs to indicate obscure sounds in unaccented ance of the letters must meet the same fate, because men will never syllables (7) dots under silent letters and (8) connecting links consent to a mutilation of the accepted language, which all see can between two letters sounded together, and we see at a glance all result in nothing but confusion for a generation, perhaps genera- the means used to produce simplicity, and their adaptability to intions to come. dicate scientific relations of sounds now generally overlooked. II. The second mode of simplification is that which has been universally adopted in Lexicography and pronouncing gazetteers, and universally recognised as legitimate. It is the use of diacritical notation. But when we say this, we do not intend at all to approve the complex, cumbrous, and incomplete systems of notation now in use. Here, too, we see the right thing attempted but in the wrong way. In the systems of notation now used the trouble is this; the marks do not represent sounds but only relations, and the same marks are often used with different forces. The question then arises how can we obviate the cumbrousness and complexity of present systems of notation? The answer is simple. Its solution is gotten from the failure of Phoneticians. The principle of Phonetic notation is a good one. Phoneticians failed because they applied this good principle in a way which men would not accept. Let the marks be Phonetic and the whole question becomes simple. Let the same mark, in similar usage, represent the same sound, irrespective of the letter with which it is used, and we get all the advantages of the Phonetic system without its disadvantages. The marks will thus perfectly represent the forces of letters. But in order to simplify the use of such a system of notation it is well not merely to represent the forces of letters, but also by forming a Phonetic Alphabet to adapt the Alphabet to Phonetics as well as Phonetics to the language. Then so soon as the Phonetic Alphabet is mastered, the ear will give the sound, whilst the eye learns the word as it appears on the page. The marks constitute so small a part of the word that the eye soon learns the word whether with or without the mark. Such a system cannot but commend itself to educators, and prove of great utility in the school-room, in lexicography, in grammars of foreign languages, in representing the pronunciation of proper names in geography, in teaching foreigners our language, and in rendering practicable the publication of a pronouncing edition of the Bible. JAMES W. SHEARER. دو II. Miscellaneous. 1. CHANGES IN WORDS. Where we The exits and entrances of words must be constantly going on. Those who have lived through a generation or two must have noted how many have been introduced or have changed their ground in their own time. Allusions to their introductions and changes meet us constantly in our reading. Thus Banter, Mobb, Bully, Bubble, Sham, Shuffling, and Palming, were new words in the Tatler's day, who writes, "I have done my utmost for some years past to stop the progress of Mobb and Banter, but have been plainly borne down by numbers, and betrayed by those who promised to assist me. Reconnoitre, and other French terms of war, are ridiculed The true theory of a perfect Alphabet requires that there should as innovations in the Spectator. Skate was a new word in Swift's be one and but one representative of every sound of the language. day. "To skate, if you know what that means," he writes to This will apply perfectly to the vowels since the sign is the sound Stella. "There is a new word coined within a few months," says irrespective of the letter with which it is used. By placing the sign | Fuller, "called fanatics." Locke was accused of affectation in below consonants and above vowels, a double usage is gained, where-using idea instead of notion. "We have been obliged," says the by the same simple signs may be used with both classes of letters World, "to adopt the word police from the French." without confusion. A single dot placed under any letter shows that read in another number, I assisted at the birth of that most it is silent, simple links connecting two letters which together repre- significant word flirtation, which dropped from the most beautiful sent one sound, and marks to indicate secondary sounds of conson-mouth in the world, and which has since received the sanction of ants are all that are needed. our most accurate Laureate in one of his comedies." Iynore was once sacred to grand juries. "In the interest of " has been quoted in our time as a slang phrase just coming into meaning. Bore has wormed itself into polite use within the memory of man. Wrinkle is quietly growing into use in its secondary slang sense. Muff we The vowel sounds in unaccented syllables may thus be easily re- have read from the pen of a grave lady, writing on a grave subject, presented by using the same sign as in accented syllables, making it to express her serious scorn. Most of these words are received as in outline, i.e., with a hollow type, whenever there is a slight change necessities into the language. Some, like " humbug," are still of quality as well as quantity caused by rapidity of utterance. When struggling into respectability. In the middle of the last century it there is no change of quality but only of quantity the absence of was denounced as "the uncouth dialect of the Huns, the jabber of accent will sufficiently indicate the pronunciation with the full sign. the Hottentots." Another writer puts it into the mouth of a party The application of these principles are seen in the table at the end of giggling girls, who pronounce some one-whom he suspects to be of this article. I need only call attention to the mode of simplifica- himself-an odious, horrible, detestable, shocking humbug. 66 This tion by an illustration. In the words lip, been, busy, and women, last new-coined expression," he observes, "sounds absurd and disthe same mark over the letters a, e, i, o, u, w, and y, indicates the agreeable whenever it is pronounced; but from the mouth of a same sound irrespective of the letters which it is used. Thus all the lady it is shocking, detestable, horrible, and odious." Yet so vowel sounds of the language are arranged in 19 classes. Only eight pointedly does it hit a blot in humanity, so necessary has it become of the consonantal sounds have more than one regular representa- to the vituperative element in our nature, that neither mankind tive. In four of these eight the sign represents the sound irrespec- nor womankind can do without it. The fastidious De Quincy is tive of the letter with which it is used. In the other four the letter eloquent in its praise: "Yet neither is it any safe ground of absoinvariably has the same sound; so that in learning by such a system lute excommunication from the sanctities of literature, that a of notation the difficulties of the learner are lessened just in the same phrase is entirely the growth of the street. The word humbug, for way that the difficulty of counting the trees in an orchard are less-instance, rests upon a rich and comprehensive basis; it cannot be ened, when the trees are planted in rows both ways, compared with rendered adequately either by German or by Greek, the two richest that of counting the trees in a natural grove without arrangement. of human languages; and without this expressive word we should The notation applies at once to every word in the language, giving all be disarmed for one great case, continually recurrent, of social the true pronunciation at a glance, whilst our dictionaries have to enormity. A vast mass of villany that cannot otherwise be reached render a number of words on almost every page by equivalent spell- by legal penalties, or brought within the rhetoric of scorn, would ing. It is so simple in itself and in its applications that it may be go at large with absolute impunity were it not through the Rhadaeasily taught to a child, and so self-consistent and exact, that it man than aid of this virtuous and inexorable word." completely removes the anomalies which so puzzle and astonish for- And so words come in, so for no obvious reason they go out. eigners. The use of such a system of notation gives a premium to Why has that excellent word "parts " become obsoletedistinct articulation, enables the ear and eye mutually to assist each other in learning, and by striking at the root of the difficulties enables us to combine the different modes of teaching in a manner hith- Why is " merry" quaint, and scarcely to be used in its best genial erto impossible. "The rest were rebels, but to show their parts?" sense of friends in cheerful converse ? And "gust" for "taste" why did it not hold its ground? And again, "distaste," one of the "We envy not the warmer clime that lies Why, on the other hand, do epithets and illustrations that to Dr. "So mild, so good, so gracious, so genteel." in large bold letters, so as to catch the eye at once, without wearying the sight in distinguishing it from the rest of the text. The other feature is the insertion of the various spellings of each word-including the English and Websterian method. Our former objection to Webster's Dictionary was chiefly based on the attempt to make the Websterian mode of spelling disputed words the standard in Canada. In the present edition this objection has been removed. We will now proceed to notice the various features of this admirable Dictionary. 1. Etymology. Dr. Webster, in his great work, made many important and original contributions to the science of English etymology; but in the thirty years which have elapsed since he essentially completed his labours, very great progress has been made in this department of human knowledge-especially in Germany. The publishers, therefore, secured the services of Dr. C. A. F. Mahn, of Berlin. As the result of these labours, the etymological portion of the present edition, we believe, will be found to be a most important contribution to English philology. growth of our mother-tongue. 2. A Brief History of the English Language, by Professor Hadley, of Yale College. This will be found to be an excellent summary, and will be of great value to all who have occasion to teach or study the structure and 3. The Vocabulary.-Dr. Webster's original work, as stated in his Preface, embraced a vocabulary of from 70,000 to 80,000 words. The "Pictorial Edition" of 1859 increased that number to 99,798 words, while this present revi sion of Webster contains upwards of 114,000 words. 4. Definitions. In this, Dr. Webster's aim was to give a thorough knowledge of the root meaning of every word. There was a time, we must conclude, when no pathos was felt in have been revised by eminent men in the several professions. pairing the constituents of happiness thus : 66 "For that which makes our life delightful prove, 66 5. Special Departments.--Definitions of words relating to special subjects Among these are (a) Captain Craighill, lately a Professor in the United States Military Academy at West Point, by whom the Military Words and Terms have been carefully revised and perfected, with the addition of many new terms. Captain Craighill also furnished over fifty drawings or copies for the Pictorial Massachusetts Bench, and a well-known editor of various law books, by Illustrations of Military terms. (b) Hon. J. C. Perkins, recently of the whom the Legal Terms have been revised with great care. (c) Prof. J. D. Dana, of Yale College, who has treated of the terms in Geology, Mineralogy, Natural History, &c., and whose name, it will be allowed, is hardly second to any other in those departments. (d) Professor R. Cresson Stiles, having charge of the Medical department. (e) A. L. Holley, Esq., of New York, Mason and John L. Dwight, Esq., who have revised the definitions of words a distinguished civil engineer, Mechanics and Engineering. (f) Dr. Lowell or terms in Music. Others might be mentioned. As a maxim it stands the test of time, and, indeed, was never more universally accepted; nor could the truth be more tersely and exactly put; but our ear expects to be humoured by more pretentious epithets vague as regards the question of income, but going deeper into the nature of things; "Genteel" is superficial. For something the same reason the fashion of language toward scenery-especially Alpine scenery has entirely changed. Once it was surveyed simply with the eye of a traveller, to whom it might well seem rugged," "horrid," "inhospitable;" now when difficulties of transit are overcome, or hailed for the difficulties' 6. Orthography.-A valuable table is furnished in the Introduction, presake, description expatiates in the whole gamut of rapture from senting several hundred important words in regard to which a differing tender and lovely to sublime. In every point we aim more at the orthography is sometimes employed; and, where current usage recognises more than one, the various forms are usually given in their appropriate emotional; at reaching the heart of things. Our authoresses find places in the Vocabulary, with the necessary cross-references. great and strange wonderful mediums for awakening these emotions. 7. Pronunciation. Special attention has been given in the present reviIn our ordinary conversation we admit words now which were once sion to this department. In this edition the pronunciation of the words of the thought above the tone of common talk; and we may any day hear, English language, as used in this country, Great Britain and her colonies, is in a party collected for purposes of mere relaxation, words which more correctly and fully given than in former editions. Several new diaforbid such occasions. critical marks have been employed, as will be seen by an inspection of the Equally with bosom," he says, "are pre-Key, recognising some distinctions not before marked by Dr. Webster and scribed the words affliction, guilt, penitence, remorse, from the others. Another distinguishing and important feature is the marking of ordinary current of conversation among mere acquaintances, because the secondary accent, where it occurs, with a lighter stroke, and thus indi they touch chords too impassioned and profound for harmonizing cating the distinction from the primary. The Synopsis of Words ditwith the key in which the mere social civilities of life are exchang-word as given by eight of the most eminent modern orthoëpists. The list ferently Pronounced" exhibits at one view the pronunciation of a particular ed." Strength is the general aim-we do not say effect-in the talk embraces upwards of thirteen hundred important words, in regard to which of the present day. Our slang and current epithets all show this. there has been diversity of opinion and usage. The youth of every period has had, no doubt, a list of epithets as 8. Synonyms.-The valuable feature of Synonyms, occupying seventy-two short and as unmeaning, for passing judgments on persons and pages by themselves in the "Pictorial Edition," is here incorporated into things, but not necessarily inspired by the same intention. It the body of the work, each article under its appropriate word. In addition strikes us now that whatever inclination there exists toward variety to this, the present edition furnishes, preceding each of the articles, a list of synonymous words, without explanation. Like lists are presented under lies on the side of vituperation. Loathing is more eloquent than several hundred other words through the Dictionary. liking. It was not always so: "Heavenly," "pretty," fine," 9. Pictorial Illustrations.-These illustrations, over 3,000 in number, have "sweet," were once as lavishly misapplied as the terrors of our present custom. Formerly, when a speaker wanted to convey his meaning by mere brute strength, a familiar objuration too readily presented itself; leaving fancy some range when he set himself to seek secular terms of disparagement. Happily swearing is out of fashion (as far as we are here concerned), but it is impossible not to feel how certain words-a certain word-come into general use, which once would have been inadmissible, supplies a need, fills an irksome void left by its profane predecessor. Beastly," "which we hesitate to write, is not wrong; but it is rude, and imparts to the speaker some of the blind satisfaction of an oath, without the sin.Blackwood's Magazine. NEW WEBSTER'S LUSTRATED DICTIONAR 3000 ENGRAVINGS 99.66 WEBSTER'S UNABRIDGED AND PICTORIAL ROYAL QUARTO DICTIONARY. We have had this ad mirable Dictionary on our table for some months, but have been prevented until now from giving it the notice in our Journal which we had desired to do. In its new and revised state, we conceive it to be one of the most important and valuable dictionaries ever published. The present edition extends to 1,840 royal quarto pages, and is illustrated with over 3,000 appropriate wood engravings. In addition to other features of this great work (to which we will presently refer), we are been selected and engraved with great care. 10. Tables. These are, (a) The Explanatory and Pronouncing Vocabulary We have now given a summary of the chief features of this most valuable This valuable dictionary extends to 1040 pages octavo, and has 600 The State of New York has determined upon opening a School much pleased to notice two important improvements in it as compared with in each City of the State, in which free-hand drawing will be taught the former edition. The first is that each word in the Dictionary is printed without charge. |