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It is believed also that in addition to its other advantages this book will be found very useful to foreigners who are learning the pronunciation of our language.

The TABLE OF THE POWERS OF THE LETTERS facing the title-page is a key to the pointed letters in the book, and to the powers of the digraphs. A careful study of it will enable any one to teach reading on the Phonic method.

The Elements of Language are divided into vowels or free sounds, and consonants or impeded sounds. The consonants occupy the first three columns of the table, the vowels the last three. Consonants are formed either by breath or whisper only as those printed in red; or by vocal tone only as 1, w, y and the three nasals; or by vocal tone combined with breath or whisper-the last two kinds are in black ink. The consonants are grouped systematically: the three pairs of explosive consonants and the three nasals occupy the first column; the four pairs of continuous consonants the second; 1, r, w, y, and the compound or diphthongal consonants the third. There are seven vowels in our language, all of which can of course be either long or short. The short are placed in the fourth column, and the long in the fifth, and the four regular compound vowels or diphthongs are in the last. The long vowels are printed in black, and the short and the compound (which are formed of two short vowels) in blue. The order of the seven vowels, both long and short, is based upon the action of the vocal organs in producing them, varying from the nearly closed mouth in ee to the widest opening in ah; and again from the open-mouthed au to the nearly closed and lip-protruding oo.

All the letters bracketted together in the Table have exactly the same sound.

The letter h is included in the vowel compartment, for it is in reality a strongly-breathed, or whispered, short vowel.

It would further lessen the difficulty of learning to read even on the common alphabetic name method if c, g and s had each two names, and h such a name as would include its power; and it is therefore suggested that c and g retain their present names before the vowels e, i and y only, and be called kee and ghee (hard) before all other letters; that s be called ez when single between two vowels, or when single and final preceded by a vowel, and ess on all other occasions. These alterations would render spelling more phonetic. Then let h be named he with a strong breathing, so that aspiration will be suggested when the letter is so named, which is not done when we call it aitch.

The alphabet would then stand thus ;

[blocks in formation]

The following words civic, accent, accede, gage,

roses, Ganges, held, would in accordance with a foregoing

rule and with the additional names be spelt thus ;see i v i kee, a kee see e nt, a kee see e d, ghee a jee, The slight ro ez e ez, Ghee a n jee e ez, he eld. difficulty of acquiring the four new names would be amply repaid in the first two years of learning to read.

The following is a list of words of frequent occurrence the pronunciation whereof cannot be precisely indicated by the use of italics or marked letters :

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THE

PRONOUNCING READING BOOK.

PART I-SECULAR SUBJECTS.

THE DOG AND THE SHADOW.

A Dog had stōlen a piece of meat out of a bütcher's shop, and was crossing a river on his way hōme, when he saw his own shadow reflected in the stream below. Thinking that it was another dog, with another piece of meat, he resolved to make himself mäster of that âlsō; but in snapping at the supposed treasure, he dropt the bit hẽ was carrying, and sō lost âll.

Grasp at the shadow and lose the substanċe— the common fate of those who hazard a real blessing for some viŝionary good.-James's Æsop.

THE CROW AND THE PITCHER.

A Crow, ready to die with thîrst, flew with joy to a Pitcher which he saw at a distance. But when he came up to it, he found the wâter

C

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