The Expositor, 1869-01-22, Page 4•
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THE SEAFORTH EXPOSITOR.
• EDUCATIONAL.
THE SPELLING REFORM.
.-
Writtenfor the Expositor :
,When Speaking of the, Apellixtg Re-,
form in a- late issue of tie EXPOSITOR,
we preferred some rather strong charas
against our orthography; ;and • at the
same time/briefly explained` the object
the Spelling Reform had in view. In
order to. substantiate these charges
more fully, and to demonstrate more
clearly the importance of that object, it
w. 1 he necessary to direct attention
for a little while to the 32 elementary
sounds constituting the .words Of the
English langttage, which we have de.,
sciibed as 31-owe1a and consonants ; and
which, we *ill specially designate by
the ternapito.netic- elementv and in oi-
der to avoid confusion and misappre;.
hension on this subject, fromawhicli
otherwise well. educated persons, • and
even teachers, are not exempt, we beg
to call attention to the necessity of dis-
associating in the mind the idea of a
phonetic . element, from the letter by
-which \it is usually represented, .or in-
tended to be representedin.pur.pre.sent
orthouraphy. For this purpose ave.give
two lfsts- of -words—the first list exhib,
ing the vowel. elements, anclthe second
- the consonant elements, of English
Words ; anci for the sake of easy refer-
ence in future, we will place the proper
numbers above themathus :
-. VOWEL LIST. ,
2 3 ' '4 5 6
, pay, • far, ought, oats,* food,
'set, sat, sot, nut, foot.
Long—tea,
Short—it,
•OONSONANT LIST,
.1 2 3 4
SharT—fee, thigh, see,ash;
Flat —vie, thy, as, . Asa, cm4 tenn".ts'
'
5 6 • 7 =
Sharp—pay,i tea, k'ey.
Flat —bay l day, gay, Eiplodants.
1 2
may, nay,- sing.--wasels.
1 2 _
lay, 'ray, '—liquids.
- h in hoe.—aspirate.
On giving an attentive consideration
to the above Ilists of the '''phonetic ele-
ments, and comparing - their a,rrange-
merit under each- separate subdivision
of the lists with their mode of forma-
tion by the organs ,of speech, we not
only cliscern. the order and beauty of,
the. physical arrangement of the .organs
of human speech ; but We also' discover
the phi1osophy-.6f, the spelling -reform
which- aims to . base' orthography upon
the phonetic elements of the language.
This is clone, as we have already ex-
plained in our at above alluded to,
by making the letters, coextensive with
-the phonetic elements, and bysofixing
the Meaning of these letters that they
shall invariably indicate the same sound
or element, and no other : and that
each sound shall invariably Le repre-
sented by the same letter. In such
words as kindf mind, find, no, so, me, be,
we, Aliad, a few otherS ave see the pho-
netic principle observed ; but when we
come to other words, as. for 'example,
as, Asia, ask, we, island, fix, physic,
clumb, sum, come, know, foe, though,
c9ugh, plough,. enough, 'bought, ght,
site, dye; and in short every word of
the language, except -about fify, we
a meet with 'nothing but confusion and
contradiction, wherein the alphabetic
characters are no more an index to
what the word is, or haw. it has to lie
_spoken, that the Gocterich light house
is a beacon to A.tlantid na-vigatioh.
Walleer has indeed written 80 closely
printed double .colunmed pages in an
attemptto embody a asystem of rules
for the spelling of -English words, and
and the attempt is as signal a failure
as if he had tried to gu.age the sea with
. a porridge stick. ,So contra,dictory and
absurd is our present orthography that
no Dy121 of intelligence -would ;venture
to stake his reputation for common
sense itt an attempt to vindicate its
whims ancl crochets on the grounds of
;rationalty. Orthography, in its pre-
sent state, instead of being defined the
just method of spelling -words, would
with more propriety be called the art
of putting the Wrong thing in the wrong
place. Andwhat is the true result of
our present spelling upon popular edu-
cation? Year - after year we spend
spelling. Those who have already
mastered the arts of reading and writ-
ing are too apt to overlook the great
labor, and the waste of time and energy.
involved in- the attempt to commit to
memory such a vast number of arb.-
trary combinations of letters, 14, whic
learning to .read is made a task not
only hateful to the child, but, as. an emi-
nent educationist has said, "one of the
most difficult of human attainments."
",Spelling," says the stone \author,
" &lures next to reading, new trials
for the temper, new perils for the un-
derstanding;. positive rules, arbitrary
exceptions ;. i6nd1ess exnaples and. con-
tradictions, till at length, out of all
patience with the stupid docility of his
.puail, the teacher perceives the a.bsolute
necessity of making him get by heart,
With wlI convenient sped, every word
in the language. The formidaole col-
umns rise in dread succession. Months
and years are de -Voted to the undertak-
ing; but after going through a whole
spelling book, perhaps a whole diction-
ary, tillave come trioraphantly to spell
zeugma, we have forgotten how to
spell Abbot, and we must begin with
Abasement." That such a graphic de-
scription of the difficulties which strew
_the path of the child ,at the very gate-
way to knowledge, isno exaggeration,
every teacher and educationilist of in
telligence can testify. It is only our
habitual familiarity.with the incongrui-
ties which disfigure our orthography,that,
effaces frona our recollection the diffi-
culties which that author has so aptly
descrbed. It becorues tiren an enquiry
of vital importance to all who are aon-
nected with the interests of edUcation
—to the ,guardians of our educational
institutions, co teachers, pupils and pa...
rents, and to the nation at large, who
have to bear the burdens for the sop -
port of Rational education; what
would be the result of substituting a
spelling based on the phonetic elements
of the language for ths cumberous
na-
chiuery of the present system? The
obvious resalt would be that three-
fonrths, if not five sixths of the time
a,nd energies of the scholar, and the
teacher, which are now wasted in the
endeavor to overcome the difficulties. of
'reading and to become proficient in a
knowledged of a gigantic mass of arbi-
trary signs, vvOnld be saved, and the
time and energies of scholar and teach-
er so saved might be applied towards
acquiring and iniparting a khow-ledge
of the -principles of scienceand art, of
which under the present etateofthings,
the kouth are obliged to leave the scheol
in almost total ignorance. Here is a,'
field wherein the enlightened educa-
tionist, the philanthropist, a,nd there-
former might direct efforts for the en.:
liihtennient of his fellow citizens and
the consequent araeliorkition of their
social condition.
Gladstone'$ Trials.
The London ExaMiner gttys aa -After
.six and thirty'years in. Parliament, Mr.
Gladstone has at length achieved the
highest honoain the state. He is First
Minister of the -Crown and leader of
the first essembly in the world. Many
have. been the , delays and -disappoint-
ments ; many the thwartina;s and tan-
tilizitions which he has had to bear.
It were idle flatteiT to say that all
these. trials of his faith and patience
have been for his good, or for the good
of his corintry. We own that we, do
clo not read the lessons 'Of life:- We
neither think suffering has a sublimat-
ing tendencyanor that prosperity always
hardens the heart The. effect of both
depends very much upon -temperament
and upon the time. " Vexation wastes
and wears the best energies of life ;
rand the finer edge of the blade, the
More readily it is notched and turned.
How much. sooner Mr. Gladstone,
would _have reached the goal of ambi-
tion had his grandmother been a Duch-
ess; ma- had he. been an eldest sera in.-
heritingt broad lands and vasts invest -
wart; like the late • Sir Itobert, Peel,
one need not pause to calculate. Sir
Robert put himself at as high a men-
tal, and mOra1. value as the blindest of
his flatters; and yet he candidly con
feSsed that he could never have (mined
thousands upon thousands of d °liars the
for the maintenance of a saystem of rar
Common -Schools for the education of sol
our youth; and the majority*of scholars gc)i
after lia,ving wasted at least three-
fourths of their time and energies in
attempting to overcome the difficulties
in which our present orthography has
invelved the art of reading, and in tempting to become proficient adepts rin
the whimsicafties and incongruities of
the present orthography, pass from the
walls of the st41141 into' active life with
a very imperfect knowledge of that ls n
stat
sou
leadership of the party but for the
e odds fortune gave him. With the
itary exception, indeed, of the out -
ng Premier, there is no instance in
our history-, since the 1 Revolution,' of a
man with moderate fortune, and with-
out -high connections, attaining, and be-
ing ablie even for one session to retain
the filst post in Parliamentary life ;
far °alining, the brother-in-law of the
Dake of Portland, was hardly a case
in point ; •and he broke his health in.
the attempt. But the cup of triumph
ow full, even to overflowing. The
esraan has se n the desire of his
I realized probably beyond his most
guine expectations He is not only
idol or the hob.; but a greatly ex -
branch of educa.tion. which must form
the ground wol Ir\tf all branches of Imolai-
ledge. _ Moreover we -spend thousancrs
upoii thousands of dollars for the
maintenance of educational serainarieS, ten
.
wherein are tanght. the higher branches mai
of knowledge, which it is .imPossible to orde
have taught in. our Om:union Schools in lati
consequence of the time and enereies of 1 of a
A
says
knowledge of the arts of reading and 1ee
the
ded constituency has given him a
ority almost without a precedent in
r to enable him to carry into legis-
ve effect the promises he has made
regenerate policy for Ireland
Western editor in one of his papers,
: " For the effect of intemperance,
our inside."
teacher and acholars alike being con
sumed in the work or imparting a
The FrightfUl: Punishment of •Si-
t lenoe.
Mr. James Greenwood has published
in London a frightful Ocount of the
silent system which is in bperation at
the Holloway Model Prison in London :
It is an offence for a prisoner to speak
one word, and be is never addressed ex-
cept in whispers, so that he may be in
prison two years without hearing the
natural sound of a human voice. The
effect of this is so terrible on the mind
that prisoners will speak ut in despe-
ration, at the risk of any unishment,
rather than. undergo that horrible si-
lence. The prisoners never see each
•other, but remain in a perpetual soli-
itude One oor wretch, &liven to des-
.
-peration by nine months solitude and
silence, recklessly broke dut, in Mr.
Greenwood's presence, in these words ;
" For God's sake, Governor, put me in
another cell Put me somewhere else
I have counted the bricks in the cell 1
am in till My eyes -ache 1" The request
of *the tortured wretch was refused!
There is'a fine hole in each cell, and as
the warders wear shoes of in.dia rubber,
the prisoner can never be sure he is
alone. Those con.demned to the tread-
mill have to ascend twelve hundred
steps every alternate twenty minutes
for six hours. And this in a pace so
hot and close that prisoners often lose
in perspiration three stone in as many
months. Every day prisoners are taken
to. a chapel so arranged that they can
see no one save the chaplain, and him
_only through' an. iron grating. And
this is the rule of devotion observed,
"Wardens are constantly- on the watch,
lest for a single instant they, through
the whole service, depart from the rigid
rule of 'eyes right'" They must look
steadfastly at the preacher, lutist raise
and lower their prayer book with the
elbows squared, and all at .once, like
soldiers at drill. They may not scrape
their, feet without having afterward to
explain the movement They may
scarcely wiiik an eye, or sigh without
danger of rebuke or punishment God
help them, poor wretcheh !
HOW TO DEA,I4 WITH THE PEESS.-,7
A writer in a New York literary jour-
nal gives the following counsel for the
edification of such as are ambitious to
find favor with editors, and get a chauce
to use their pens a --First and foremost,
a young man should understand that
an editor judges a man entirely by his
work, that no personal interview is of
any possible service -Co either party
until the editor has some tangible evi-
dence of what a man.can do. The first
thing, accordingly, for a young man to
do who is ambitious to appear in print,
or enterthe editorial profession, is to
write something, and, having writteir
it, to send it to the editor he has chosen
to honor. He probably labors under
the iniclression that his manuscript will
reaph the waste -basket -Without being
read. This is errcneous. The edito-
rial eye does its -work quickly, and de-
cision is given rapidly, but the manu-
script is not thrown aside until it has
been read.- Not read, it is true, in the
-author's acceptation of that term—
every sentence weighed and the style
duly admired. It is glanced at rapidly,
and the only- questions to be answered
are :—Is it interesting?' Is it fresh ?
to use a technidar 'phrase, is it market-
able ?' In no place in the world is
tiliere less 'respect paid for reputation
*d a great name, so far as-tha accep-
fance of an article is coricerned, tban
in the office of a daily- n ewspa,Per. An
unknown writer may in general depend
upon his article being judged entirely
upon its merits, and with an equal
chance of acceptance, if of. equal - im-
portance, , with that of the Man whose
name is familiar in literature. If it is
a.cceptecl, let him: send on another and
another, urtil he has shown his ability,'
and he May then talk with the editor
about a "position," or special commis-
sion, or regular employment-' Let him
=first make himself a necessity,' as it
were Expend your energies upon the
collection of interesting facts, and .if
these facts suggest thoughts, give us
thoughts in the most direct form possi-
ble.' Remember, too, that we care
nothing for your mere opinions. We
have enough opinions of our own ; so
you may well conclude, young man,
that 'the opinions you offer . are like
coals which are carried to Newcastle.
Three things are to be remembered,
then, by the young man who is editori-
ally inclined. First, do not -seek per-
sonal interviews, but write until you
are sought; second, do not fear
that your compositions will be rejected
because they are not read ; thirdly,
aim to be interesting; present enter-
taining facts; denot try to •bore the
public with opinion,
—The State of Pennsylvania paid,
during the last Session, over $40,000
for the pasting and folding of docu-
ments distributed by members of the
Legislature. , At $700 per head, or
$5:83 per day for 120 days, the time
the Legislature was in session, this
$40,000 would pay a corps of 57- mere
This is hearly equal to the whole cost
of a -whole session of the Legislature of
Ontario,
01..
11•11
.0 i
1- 0
4 -
a. N.
wfllG'::2
g Pzir,
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w in
• TAKE NOTICti,
THAT JOHN HALDA
appointed Official Assignee fo
of Huron.
Office at SEAPORTII,—J. S.
Office at GonEitiell,--Direct
Post Office.
God.erich, March 5th, 1868.
hai been
the county
PonTigt's.
y opposite the
c'n
.1
Px4
404 Co;s
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0
Nu
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,
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8
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44,
0
APOTHEOARYS •HA
J. SEATTER
REPS constantly on hand 4. full stock
of pure DRUGS & 'CHMICALS,
-Horse and Cattle Medicine, Dye Stuff Pa-
tent Medicines, and Perfumery.
orA. very choice Exchange Office in eon-
nection. -
Agent for the Queen's Life Insi
Phamix'Mutual Insurance Co.,
and China Tea Company.
Receives Money on cleposit,tor which IFter-
est will be paid.
. JOHN SEA TEg,
Seaforth. Dec. 4,_1867. i _II
WALL PAPER,
ALL PAPERg
IVO
•
11,
INDIA& CIHINA TEA COMPANY.
Home Depots, London and Liverpool. Can-
ada Depot, 23 Hosp:tal Street, Montreal.
GOLD MEDALS 'have been-
obtain -
'S a at the Paris Exhibition for TEAS from
India, and not one priie of a lower cknontilm.
Von,. (Vide "The Grocer," 24th August, '67
The Company import these Teas direct
from their Plantations in Assam and the
DELIAA DHOONS, an 1 sell them in Packets
and Cannisters through their Agents in every
City and. Town in Canada. Only two Taal -
ties, viz., 70eand one dollar per lb., tither
Black„, Green, or livilin,H
Mixed,. .A4NnTTER
estEfoArSeafor.th.,
Observe the Trade Mark.
February 6th, 1808.
Gold Medal, London, 1862, Paris, 1807.•
THE. HOWE SEW NO MACHINES;
For Famillei; and Manufactirrers.
L. C. ME DON,
. ATO. 3, Rossin House dock. - King Street
1N West, Toronto, an - Paul's StreeSt t,
Catha.rines. Branch Agency for Staforth.
=Wm. N. WATSON.
THE HOWE LO K STITCH.
LETTER A=Fareily fachine.
LETTER B Family and Manufactuthig
Machine.
LETTER C—Best i eather and Cloth
Maamfacturing Ma,chine. .
LE7T.ER E—or Cyl- der Ma.chine, for
Harness .making, Boot nd. Shoe Fittings,
'and Saddlery Work whe e the form of the
work must be retained while Stitching; is
the most complete and pe lect itt the world.
frin.e8B WORLD RE VO InrED SE Ili --
awarded the -High-
's 'Fair in London,
Paris Exposition,
LNG _31A0117 AT 78 were
est Premium at th6Work
1862, and Gold Medal at
1867.
They are celebrated f r doing the best
work, using a much sinaliler needle for the
same thread than say othtr machine, and by
the !introduction of the fist improved ma-
chinery, we are now able o supply the very
best ,machines in the Ivor] 1.
• THE Q UAL' T.1138 If firm- REC031-
31.E.VD 11' HEM. ARE . Beauty and Ex-
cellency of Stitch, alike on both sides of
the fabric sewed. 2. -S rength, Firmness
and Durability of Seam, hat will not Pip
or Ravel. 3. Economy o thread. 4, At-
tachments and wide rang of .pi.ilication to
purposes and materials. \
The abo can be had at the Branch -Office
itt Seafortb, from W. N- A 'ATSON.
.Who - is also .Agent f r the celebrated
WAYZEJ?,9E117.NIJ ail 0.17/N ES, which
for facili'ty of managerne it, neatness and
durability of stitch, and w de range of seams
and. unrivalled as a !Family Sewing Machine.
Thread, Silk, Twist, S orttles, Bobb5ns,
Needles, Springs, Oil, an 1 all inach;n6 ap-
phances for sale at the Br neh Office at Sea -
forth, where machines ay be neatly re-
paired.
IV, N. AV TSON; Seaforth.
April 16th 1868.
GUE• LP
MELODEON AND CA
FACTOR
INET ORGAN
BELL,VoTOD co.
L. TOtD.inate.10 t
- Dominion that they
lodeons and Cabinet Organ
on the continent, at prices
any other good maker. • T
tion and challenge comparison, All Of the
akers.
'trance -Co.
and 1.4dia
• -JUST RECEIVED,
AND FOR ,SALE CHEA
A Fresh Stock of Wall Paier.
Also a splendid assortment of
FAMILY AND POCKFi±
IIIBL
TESTAMENTS, •
PRAYER BOOKS,
& HYMN 8000.
A CH KAP EDITIOpt OF THE POE
Byron, Burns, Scott,
Shalrespeare,
S0m100-14 3300
SLATES,
PENS,
INK,
PAPER, .
COPY BOOiS,
&c.,
At LTJMSD$TS
Cornet: Drug , Store.
53-tt
&c. o.
Seaforth, Jan. 8. '
e of the
annfActore M6-
tiperior to any
s low- as those of
ey defy competi-
firm are practical Melodem _M
Mr. 'Wood has worked: as head turner • for
the best factories of Canad and the United
States. His tmiing has iny riably taken the
first prize , wherever exhib' d. Their Me-
lodeons are all Piano styled being more firm
and durable than the porta 16 style.
AU instruments are W ranted for five
years. Perfect Itatisfa,ction guaranteed. Il-
lustrated Catalogues conta- ring testimonials
from a, great number of cele rated InilSiCiang
sent free on application.
FIRST-CLASS PIANO FOR SALE.
Factory and 'Ware-roc:4.gs East Market
Square, Guelph.
Wm. BELL, R. W. BELL,
II. B. Woon, R. MeLtoD.
J. L. WILKIE, Agent, Clinton.
January 16, 1868.
8-1y
REDUCTION IN FLOUR!
SEAFORTH ILLS.
THE Sclbscribers are now repared to I Tip -
ply the inhabitants o SeafOrth with,
FLOUR &
AT REDUCED
EED iTt
ATES.
ORDERS LEFT A THE
ILL OF
ICE,
Or at W. Scott Rob rtS013.'S
Italian Warehouse
will have immediate attehti n, and. be de-
livered. at the residence ot th party.
A. Shears n &co.
Seaforth Dec. bid 180
52-3m.
Itt her faded
possesses the m
.enapires. - She 1
?nundred mink
Ber well-orderi
rzigular- and is
-with the preciS
and governed 1
the standard el
est Wideof civ
whole earth wit
radiating froin
Pope is still pc
• Anierica, Afric.,
barbs the polity
times governs 1.,..
fluence is -fekt.
Mexico and tite.
Hemmed in.
.the .eastwar
struggle vrith tl
Norti;, and tre
d.ominions in. ti.
the suenie P.O
'TOM 1,12101111d in
legions, lama tliN
the sentiments i
As if to maii
mankind a sen,,
s.plerador, the P
perfea- e 1 at Rol
/kept than AVOIO
the Basilica, o
;Mid 12.0St cO-StVi
by man., the al*
ish ceremonies 1
seription. - Th
plaintive Ionia
of princes, Car
various rites 13
living colorsila
of the Saviour' -1
or itriprCSS the ;
-vont. 1, acI wii
Father, parent
: -
upon the bal.e0b
Iit4AVS his blessi
turn away anal
spectacle, ante
fascination of t
of. Rome..—E',
Hetlyer's ;fag
A SING
upon a time
stage lebach,
starting in life.
afers about hill
;extremely age
Kipeared to In
winters. Our
with the singu
Ted -which diet
iaassena-ers5 de
-
secret of a long
• ing old agt.. con
the, one appare
• 'Dim he had ala
abateinious life
drinking water
rather daunted
liked the good
aeldreseed the
him by 4yin
roast beef and
fuddled for the
ing, all depend
tbird'had prol
seeking_ to ace
reaointaly abst
-and religious -
fifth by going
ing at dawn..
ly youn
his hair was
more �f jt ----a.
'perfectly easy
face, . and his
-strong. They
learn that he
est man in
that you have
of life exel
rhe old gen
od the youne-
have drankb'we
.caten. meet an
'bled lfl volit
pamphlets. I
bed m‘ehrig
rise and at no
eyes intently
eluded with
pay Prou11)tI
alien the othe
promptly, ai
newspaper.
• life who do
young mtn
render hitha
and immed*
newspapers
arance. He
thou and do 1
—The Ban
ward of $5,0
:as shall lead
-onviction in
;ties en„aaged
• St. Catharine
son, after -th
burglary ; . a
Ision and ea
For the
they -w
and returnm
per cent. o
;paid over