has been published; and I question whether we have any edition of Barbour, either old or new. The bird you mention I never before heard of.

I always suspected you to be the author of the second part of Hardyknute; though I never mentioned it to you, because you seemed unwilling to be explicit on that subject. I long to see the collection of Antient Poems, and shall be much obliged to you for the copy you are so good to promise me. What is become of your little comedy? Is it likely to make its appearance on the stage?

A good edition of Barbour is much wanted; and I am sure the public will thank you for it. By the by, I wonder it was not attempted sooner. I freely confess I knew nothing of that poet, till I read Sir D. Dalrymple, who not only commends his poetry, but quotes many parts of his narrative as authentic history.

I am happy to hear that you still go on in your studies, and sincerely wish you success. My health is become so precarious, that I dare not attempt any thing that requires labor. I thank you for what you tell me of Mr. and Mrs. Peckard, and beg to be remembered to them.

THE REV. W. TREMAYNE TO MR.

PINKERTON.

Helston, Sept. 16th, 1785.

Though a perfect stranger to Mr. Heron's person, I have some acquaintance with his Letters of Literature, which have given me much satisfaction, especially where you propose a plan for refining and improving the English tongue, in this scheme my thoughts are so fondly interested, that I cannot forbear addressing you, and begging your indulgence to accept, my cordial acknowledgements. I have turned a considerable share of my attention to the English tongue for these five or six years past, but chiefly to the grammatical part, which I have found loose and imperfect in several points. I often, by the way, regretted that our nervous language should be so crowded and set a-jar with harsh superfluous consonants; but never hoped to see a scheme advanced to the public, effectually to refine and harmonise our northern tongue, by substituting throughout, for those grating and hissing finals, melodious vowel terminations. This Mr. Heron has done; and every person who hath an ear in the least attuned to harmony, and hath mastered habitude and prejudice, must be delighted with the improvements illustrated in the subjoined specimen. But the blessing of a good ear is rare; insomuch that, if all the learned in the kingdom should, according to Mr. Heron's plan, "associate themselves under the name of 'The Academy for Improving the Lan

guage, it were, I think, to be feared, that the majority, having no ear for musical harmony, would have none for plans to that effect. However, if a good number of men of extensive classical knowledge, possessed of a good ear and of a taste for polite literature, could be brought to meet together for this purpose, these might probably mature such a design, and establish a scientific language among themselves: it will be expedient. that the select Academy not only publish a grammar and dictionary of the new orthography, &c. but also compose and publish from time to time books of all kinds in the same reformed tongue. This cannot fail of speeding its celebrity. The spirit of vanity, then, I verily believe, would work all the excellent effects of a good ear. The learned fops and literary smatterers would seize with avidity the scientific language, as the distinguishing ensign of the polite literati. Many would adopt the improvements from true taste; infinitely more from mere affectation and love of novelty. It would now become "quite the thing," "the ton;" and, by and by descending even to the lower ranks, in half a century it would prevail throughout the kingdom. In these improvements etymology must not be lost sight of, but be paid the utmost respect to, in all material points; and, in the grammatical construction, the parts of speech must be carefully discriminated, and kept as distinct from one another as possible. These are truths whereof Mr. Heron must be fully sensible.

I now beg leave to trouble Mr. Heron with some remarks, which his very enterprising and inge

nious scheme has suggested to me. In the first place, the frequency of open vowels is certainly an imperfection; and I the rather mention it, because it may easily be amended. In this case I would make constant elisions, save in two or three instances of harsh double consonants, agreeably to the most perfect Greek model, as "the star' appeareth," not "the stars," &c. With the ancient Romans, I would regard the "H" every where, in the beginning of a word, as it really is, a mere aspirate, and no letter; and would always say an House, an Hat, &c. &c. The better to distinguish some substantives from adjectives like them, I would, for example, say, "the Soun filled mia Eara," the sound of the "Drumo," (I see "soune" in Chaucer,) to distinguish it from "soundo," "sleepo," &c. &c. &c. I would say "The Resto," the remainder: "rest" (ease,) which, if no vowel or "H" directly follow, may be made Resté. The substantive Quiet may be made Quié, and if a vowel or "H" immediately follow, be restored quiet," to distinguish it from "quieto nyto," &c. In like manner should be managed the accented final E', to discriminate nouns and verbs the better from one another. After these precautions, there will be yet plenty of open vowels in the plural final "A;" which evil must be tolerated, to prevent the greater, of hissing consonants. I find Tully, in his 4th book of Rhetoric to Herennius, reprobates the "crebras vocalium concursiones,” &c.; and Quinctilian, book 1x. 4th chapter, remarks the same as a great imperfection. The mode peculiar to the ancient Greeks and Latins of

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sundering their substantives from the adjectives, obviated in a main degree this defect. This defect, so strikingly prevalent in the modern Italian, is the true cause of the excessive and effeminate softness of that language, even to insipidity.

All nouns denoting the human kind, I would distinguish from such as only denote the brute and inanimate creation; in this manner: Plur. Kindi Fatheri, kind fathers; a kind mother, a Kinda Mothera; kind mothers, Kindai Motherai; Honesti Shepherdi, honest shepherds; an honest shepherdess, an Honesta Shepherda, and Shepherdesa: plur. Honestai Shepherdai, and Shepherdezai, &c. &c. honest shepherdesses, &c.

I deem this form far more elegant than Kindo Mothero, Kinda Fathera, &c. I have some more notices to make, which, if Mr. Heron approve these, I will do myself the pleasure to send him at a future time.*

*One only other letter, and that dated three years subsequently, appears from Mr. Tremayne in this collection. It may therefore fairly be inferred, that Mr. Pinkerton was not desirous to continue the subject, and that seeing by reflection, ' veluti in speculum,' the fruits of his proposed alterations in our orthography, he very wisely considered, that the sooner they were suffered to be forgotten the better. Mr. Tremayne's second letter I have not printed: it refers altogether to his studies in the Italian and Spanish languages, which the reading of Heron's Letters had led him to undertake.