The Complete Works in Philosophy, Politics and Morals of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Vol. 2 [of 3]

Part 27

Chapter 273,595 wordsPublic domain

* _N. B._ The six new letters are marked with an asterisk (*) to distinguish them, and show how few new characters are proposed. B. V.

[Transcriber Note: The original text used italic styling on each character in columns 1 and 3 above, and column 1 below. This styling (underscores) has been removed from the tables for clarity.]

REMARKS [_on the Alphabetical Table_.]

{ It is endeavoured to give the alphabet o { a _more natural order_; beginning first with { the simple sounds formed by the breath, to { with none or very little help of tongue, { teeth, and lips, and produced chiefly in huh { the windpipe.

{ Then coming forward to those, formed g k { by the roof of the tongue next to the { windpipe.

r n { Then to those, formed more forward, t d { the forepart of the tongue against the { roof of the mouth.

{ Then those, formed still more forward l { in the mouth, by the tip of the tongue s z { applied first to the roots of the upper { teeth.

ɧ { Then to those, formed by the tip of the ƕ { tongue applied to the ends or edges of { the upper teeth.

f { Then to those, formed still more forward, v { by the under lip applied to the upper { teeth.

b { Then to those, formed yet more forward p { by the upper and under lip opening { to let out the sounding breath.

{ And lastly, ending with the shutting m { up of the mouth, or closing the lips while { any vowel is sounding.

In this alphabet _c_ is _omitted_ as unnecessary; _k_ supplying its hard sound, and _s_ the soft; _k_ also supplies well the place of _q_, and with an _s_ added the place of _x_: _q_ and _x_ are therefore omitted. The vowel _u_ being sounded as _oo_ makes the _w_ unnecessary. The _y_, where used simply, is supplied by _i_, and where as a dipthong, by two vowels: that letter is therefore omitted as useless. The jod _j_ is also omitted, its sound being supplied by the new letter _Ի_, _ish_, which serves other purposes, assisting in the formation of other sounds;--thus the _Ի_ with a _d_ before it gives the sound of the jod _j_ and soft _g_, as in "James, January, giant, gentle," "_dԻeems_, _dԻhanueri_, _dԻųiant_, _dԻentel_;" with a _t_ before it, it gives the sound of _ch_, as in "cherry, chip," "_tԻeri_, _tԻip_;" and with a _z_ before it, the French sound of the jod _j_, as in "jamais," "_zԻame_."

Thus the _g_ has no longer _two different_ sounds, which occasioned confusion, but is, as every letter ought to be, confined to one. The same is to be observed in _all_ the letters, vowels, and consonants, that wherever they are met with, or in whatever company, their sound is always the same. It is also intended, that there be _no superfluous_ letters used in spelling; i. e. no letter that is not sounded; and this alphabet, by six new letters, provides, that, there be no distinct sounds in the language, _without letters_ to express them. As to the difference between _short and long vowels_, it is naturally expressed by a single vowel where short, a double one where long; as for "mend," write "mend," but for "remain'd," write "remeen'd;" for "did" write "did," but for "deed" write "diid," &c.

What in our common alphabet is supposed the third vowel, _i_, as we sound it, is as a _dipthong_, consisting of two of our vowels joined; [viz.] _ų_ as sounded in "unto," and _i_ in its true sound. Any one will be sensible of this who sounds those two vowels _ų i_ quick after each other; the sounds begins _ų_ and ends _ii_. The true sound of the _i_ is that we now give to _e_ in the words "deed, keep--[69]."

FOOTNOTES:

[67] Stephenson. Editor.

[68] For the nature and intention of this alphabet, &c. I must refer to what Dr. Franklin has himself said upon the subject, in answer to Miss S----n's objections; as the reader may understand the whole in an hour or two.--It is necessary to add, that the new letters; used in the course of printing this paper, are exactly copied from the _manuscript_ in my possession; there being no provision for a distinction in the character as _written_ or _printed_. I have no other way therefore of marking the scored parts of the manuscript (answering to _italics_) than by placing such passages between inverted commas.--As to _capitals_, I should have provided for them by means of larger types, but the form of some of them would have made them too large for the page: however, were the author's general system ever adopted, nothing would be easier than to remedy this particular. B. V.

[69] The copy, from which this is printed, ends in the same abrupt way with the above, followed by a considerable blank space; so that more perhaps was intended to be added by our author. B. V.

EXAMPLES [_of writing in this Character_.]

_So huen sųm EndԻel, bųi divųin kϖmand, Uiƕ rųiziŋ tempests Իeeks e gilti Land; (SųtԻ az ϖv leet or peel Britania past,) Kalm and siriin hi drųivs ƕi fiuriųs blast; And, pliiz'd ƕ' ϖlmųitis ϖrdųrs tu pųrfϖrm, Rųids in ƕi Huųrluind and dųirekts ƕi Stϖrm._

_So ƕi piur limpid striim, huen fϖul uiɧ steens ϖv rųԻiŋ Tϖrents and disendiŋ Reens, Uųrks itself kliir; and az it rųns rifųins; Til bųi digriis, ƕe flotiŋ mirųr Իųins, Riflekts iitԻ flϖur ƕat ϖn its bϖrdųr groz, And e nu hev'n in its feer Bųzųm Իoz._

_Kensiŋtųn, Septembųr_ 26, 1768.

_Diir Sųr_,

_ųi hav transkrųb'd iur alfabet, &c. huitԻ ųi ƕink mųit bi ϖv sųrvis tu ƕoz, hu uiԻ ta akuųir an akiuret pronųnsieԻųn, if ƕat kuld bi fiks'd; bųt ųi si meni inkϖnviiniensis, az uel oz difikųltis, ƕat uuld atend ƕi briŋiŋ iur letųrs and ϖrɧϖgrafi intu kϖmųn ias. ϖϖl ϖur etimϖlodԻiz uuld be lϖst, kϖnsikuentli ui kuld nϖt asųrteen ƕi miiniŋ ϖv meni uųrds; ƕi distinkԻųn tu, bituiin uųrds ϖv difųrent miiniŋ and similar sϖund uuld bi iusles, ųnles ui liviŋ rųiters pųbliԻ nu iidiԻųns. In Իϖrt ųi biliiv ui mųst let piipil spel ϖn in ƕeer old ue, (az ui fųind it iisiiest) du ƕi seem ϖurselves._ With ease and with sincerity I can, in the old way, subscribe myself,

Dear Sir,

Your faithful and affectionate Servant,

M. S.

Dr. Franklin.

ANSWER TO MISS S****.

_Diir Madam,_ _ƕi ϖbdԻekԻyn iu meek to rektifųiiŋ ϖur alfabet, "ƕat it uil bi atended uiƕ inkϖviniensiz and difikųltiz," iz e natural uųn; fϖr it ϖluaz ϖkųrz huen eni refϖrmeԻųn iz propozed; hueƕųr in rilidԻųn, gųvernment, lϖz, and iven dϖun az lo az rods and huil karidԻiz. ƕi tru kuestԻųn ƕen, is nϖt hueƕhųr ƕaer uil bi no difikųltiz ϖr inkϖnviniensiz, bųt hueƕer ƕi difikųltiz mê nϖt bi sųrmϖunted; and hueƕeųr ƕi kϖnviniensiz uil nϖt, ϖn ƕi huol, bi gretųr ƕan ƕi inkϖnviniensiz. In ƕis kes, ƕi difikųltiz er onli in ƕi biginiŋ ϖv ƕi praktis: huen ƕê er uųns ovųrkųm, ƕi advantedԻez er lastiŋ.--To ųiƕųr iu ϖr mi, hu spel uel in ƕi prezent mod, ųi imadԻin ƕi difikųlti ϖv tԻendiŋ ƕat mod fϖr ƕi nu, iz nϖt so grêt, bųt ƕat ui mųit pųrfektli git ovųr it in a uiiks rųitiŋ.--Az to ƕoz hu du nϖt spel uel, if ƕi tu difikųltiz er kųmpêrd, viz. ƕat ϖv titԻiŋ ƕem tru speliŋ in ƕi prezent mod, and ƕat ϖv titԻing ƕem ƕi nu alfabet and ƕi nu speliŋ akϖrdiŋ to it, ųi am kϖnfident ƕat ƕi latųr uuld bi byi far ƕi liist. ƕê natųrali fϖl into ƕi nu meɧųd alreadi, az mųtԻ az ƕi imperfekԻųn ϖv ƕer alfabet uil admit ϖv; ƕêr prezent bad speliŋ iz onli bad, bikϖz kϖntreri to ƕi prezent bad ruls: ųndųr ƕi nu ruls it uuld bi gud.--ƕi difikųlti ϖv lųrniŋ to spel uel in ƕi old uê iz so grêt, ƕat fiu atên it; ɧϖuzands and ɧϖuzands rųitiŋ ϖn to old edԻ, uiƕϖut ever biiŋ ebil to akuųir it. 'Tiz, bisųidz, e difikųlti kϖntinuali inkriisiŋ az ƕi sϖund graduali veriz mor and mor frϖm ƕi speliŋ; and to fϖrenųrs[70] it mêks ƕi lųrniŋ to pronϖns ϖur laŋuedԻ, az riten in ϖur buks, almost impϖsibil._

_Nϖu az to "ƕi inkϖnviniensiz" iu menԻųn.--ƕi fųrst iz, ƕat "ϖϖl ϖur etimϖlodԻiz uuld bi lϖst, kϖnsikuentli ui kuld nϖt asųrteen ƕi miiniŋ ϖv meni uųrds."--etimϖlodԻiz er at present veri ųnsųrteen; bųt sųtԻ az ƕê er, ƕi old buks uuld stil prizųrv ƕem, and etimolodԻiz uuld ƕêr fųind ƕem. Uųrds in ƕi kors ϖv tyim, tԻendԻ ƕer miiniŋs, az uel az ƕer speliŋ and pronųnsieԻųn; and ui du nϖt luk to etimϖlodԻi fϖr ƕer prezent miiniŋs. If ųi Իuld kϖl e man e Neev and e Vilen, hi uuld hardli bi satisfųid wiɧ mųi teliŋ him, ƕat uųn ϖv ƕi uųrds oridԻinali signifųid onli e lad ϖr sųrvant; and ƕi ųƕųr, an ųndųr plϖuman, ϖr ƕi inhabitant ϖv e viledԻ. It iz frϖm prezent iusedԻ onli, ƕi miiniŋ ϖv uųrds iz to bi ditųrmined._

_Iur sekųnd inkϖnviniens iz, ƕat "ƕi distinkԻųn bituiin uųrds ϖv difųrent miiniŋ and similar sϖund uuld bi distrϖųid."--ƕat distinkԻųn iz ϖlreadi distrϖųid in pronϖunsiŋ ƕem; and ui rilųi ϖn ƕi sens alon ϖv ƕi sentens to asųrteen, huitԻ ϖv ƕi several uųrds, similar in sϖund, ui intend. If ƕis iz sųfiԻent in ƕi rapiditi ϖv diskors, it uil bi mutԻ mor so in riten sentenses, huitԻ mê bi red lezԻurli, and atended to mor partikularli in kes ϖv difikųlti, ƕan ui kan atend to e past sentens, huųil e spikųr iz hųryiŋ ųs alϖng uiɧ nu uųns._

_Iur ɧųrd inkϖnviniens iz, ƕat "ϖϖl ƕi buks alredi riten uuld bi iusles."--ƕis inkϖnviniens uuld onli kųm ϖn graduali, in e kors ϖv edԻes. Iu and ųi, and ųƕųr nϖu liviŋ ridųrs, uuld hardli fϖrget ƕi ius ϖv ƕem. Piipil uuld long lųrn to riid ƕi old rųiting, ƕo ƕê praktist ƕi nu.--And ƕi inkϖnvinens iz nϖt greter, ƕan huat hes aktuali hapend in a similar kes, in Iteli, Fϖrmerli its inhabitants ϖϖl spok and rot Latin: az ƕi laŋuedԻ tԻendԻd, ƕi speliŋ fϖlo'd it. It iz tru ƕat at prezent, e miir ųnlarn'd Italien knϖt riid ƕi Latin buks; ƕo ƕe er stil red and ųndųrstud bųi meni. Bųt, if ƕi speliŋ had nevųr bin tԻendԻed, hi uuld nϖu hev fϖund it mųtԻ mor difikųlt to riid and ryit hiz on laŋuadԻ; fϖr riten uųrds uuld hev had no rilêԻųn to sϖunds, ƕe uuld onli hev stud fϖr ƕiŋs; so ƕat if hi uuld ekspres in rųitiŋ ƕi ųidia hi hez, huen hi sϖunds ƕi uųrd_ Vescovo, _hi mųst iuz ƕi leterz_ Episcopus.--_In Իϖrt, huatever ƕi difikųltiz and inkϖnviniensiz nϖu er, ƕe uil bi mor iizili sųrmϖunted nϖu, ƕan hiraftųr; and sųm tųim ϖr ųƕųr, it mųst bi dųn; ϖr ϖur rųitiŋ uil bikųm ƕi sêm uiƕ ƕi TԻųiniiz[71], az to ƕi difikųlti ϖv lųrniŋ and iuzing it. And it uuld alredi hev bin sųtԻ, if ui had kϖntinud ƕi Saksųn speliŋ and rųitiŋ, iuzed bųi our forfaƕers._

_ųi am, mųi diir frind,_

_iurs afekԻųnetli,_

B. FRANKLIN.

_Lųndųn_,

_Kreven-striit, Sept. 28, 1768._

FOOTNOTES:

[70] Dr. Franklin used to lay some little stress on this circumstance, when he occasionally spoke on the subject. "A dictionary, formed on this model, would have been serviceable to him, he said, even as an American;" because, from the want of public examples of pronunciation in his own country, it was often difficult to learn the proper sound of certain words, which occurred very frequently in our English writings, and which of course every American very well understood as to their meaning. B. V.

[71] Chinese.

_Rules for a Club formerly established in Philadelphia[72]._

Previous question, to be answered at every meeting.

Have you read over these queries this morning, in order to consider what you might have to offer the Junto [touching] any one of them? viz.

1. Have you met with any thing, in the author you last read, remarkable, or suitable to be communicated to the Junto? particularly in history, morality, poetry, physic, travels, mechanic arts, or other parts of knowledge.

2. What new story have you lately heard agreeable for telling in conversation?

3. Hath any citizen in your knowledge failed in his business lately, and what have you heard of the cause?

4. Have you lately heard of any citizen's thriving well, and by what means?

5. Have you lately heard how any present rich man, here or elsewhere, got his estate?

6. Do you know of any fellow citizen, who has lately done a worthy action, deserving praise and imitation? or who has lately committed an error, proper for us to be warned against and avoid?

[7. What unhappy effects of intemperance have you lately observed or heard? of imprudence? of passion? or of any other vice or folly?

8. What happy effects of temperance? of prudence? of moderation? or of any other virtue?]

9. Have you or any of your acquaintance been lately sick or wounded? If so, what remedies were used, and what were their effects?

10. Who do you know that are shortly going voyages or journies, if one should have occasion to send by them?

11. Do you think of any thing at present, in which the Junto may be serviceable to _mankind_? to their country, to their friends, or to themselves?

12. Hath any deserving stranger arrived in town since last meeting, that you heard of? and what have you heard or observed of his character or merits? and whether think you, it lies in the power of the Junto to oblige him, or encourage him as he deserves?

13. Do you know of any deserving young beginner lately set up, whom it lies in the power of the Junto any way to encourage?

14. Have you lately observed any defect in the laws of your _country_, [of] which it would be proper to move the legislature for an amendment? or do you know of any beneficial law that is wanting?

15. Have you lately observed any encroachment on the just liberties of the people?

16. Hath any body attacked your reputation lately? and what can the Junto do towards securing it?

17. Is their any man whose friendship you want, and which the Junto, or any of them, can procure for you?

18. Have you lately heard any member's character attacked, and how have you defended it?

19. Hath any man injured you, from whom it is in the power of the Junto to procure redress?

20. In what manner can the Junto, or any of them, assist you in any of your honourable designs?

21. Have you any weighty affair in hand, in which you think the advice of the Junto may be of service[73]?

22. What benefits have you lately received from any man not present?

23. Is there any difficulty in matters of opinion, of justice, and injustice, which you would gladly have discussed at this time?

24. Do you see any thing amiss in the present customs or proceedings of the Junto, which might be amended?

Any person to be qualified, to stand up, and lay his hand on his breast, and be asked these questions; viz.

1. Have you any particular disrespect to any present members?--_Answer._ I have not.

2. Do you sincerely declare, that you love mankind in general; of what profession or religion soever? _Ans._ I do.

3. Do you think any person ought to be harmed in his body, name or goods, for mere speculative opinions, or his external way of worship?--_Ans._ No.

4. Do you love truth for truth's sake, and will you endeavour impartially to find and receive it yourself and communicate it to others?--_Ans._ Yes.

FOOTNOTES:

[72] This was an early performance, and carries along with it an air of singularity, accompanied with such operative good sense and philanthropy, as characterizes it for Dr. Franklin's. The club, for which it was written, was held at Philadelphia; and, if I am well informed, was composed of men considerable for their influence and discretion; for though the chief measures of Pensylvania usually received their first formation in this club, it existed for thirty years without the nature of its institution being publicly known. B. V.

[73] Queries No. 7 and 8 follow here, in the original. B. V.

_Questions discussed by the Junto forming the preceding Club[74]._

Is _sound_ an entity or body?

How may the phenomena of vapours be explained?

Is self-interest the rudder that steers mankind, the universal monarch to whom all are tributaries?

Which is the best form of government, and what was that form which first prevailed among mankind?

Can any one particular form of government suit all mankind?

What is the reason that the tides rise higher in the Bay of Fundy than the Bay of Delaware?

Is the emission of paper-money safe?

What is the reason that men of the greatest knowledge not the most happy?

How may the possession of the Lakes be improved to our advantage?

Why are tumultuous, uneasy sensations, united with our desires?

Whether it ought to be the aim of philosophy to eradicate the passions?

How may smoaky chimneys be best cured?

Why does the flame of a candle tend upwards in a spire?

Which is least criminal, a _bad_ action joined with a _good_ intention, or a _good_ action with a _bad_ intention?

Is it consistent with the principles of liberty in a free government, to punish a man as a libeller, when he speaks the truth?

FOOTNOTE:

[74] These questions are from the Eulogium of Dr. Franklin, delivered before the American Philosophical Society, in 1791, of which the Junto was the foundation. On the formation of that society, a book, containing many of the questions discussed by the Junto, was delivered into Dr. Smith's hands, for the purpose of being digested, and in due time published among the transactions of that body. Many of the questions Dr. Smith observes are curious and curiously handled, and he selects the above as answering the description. _Editor._

_Sketch of an English School; for the Consideration of the Trustees of the Philadelphia Academy[75]._

It is expected that every scholar, to be admitted into this school, be at least able to pronounce and divide the syllables in reading, and to write a legible hand. None to be received, that are under [___]years of age.

_First, or lowest Class._

Let the first class learn the English Grammar rules, and at the same time let particular care be taken to improve them in orthography. Perhaps the latter is best done by pairing the scholars; two of those nearest equal in their spelling to be put together. Let these strive for victory; each propounding ten words every day to the other to be spelled. He that spells truly most of the other's words is victor for that day; he that is victor most days in a month, to obtain a prize, a pretty neat book of some kind, useful in their future studies. This method fixes the attention of children extremely to the orthography of words, and makes them good spellers very early. It is a shame for a man to be so ignorant of this little art, in his own language, as to be perpetually confounding words of like sound and different significations; the consciousness of which defect makes some men, otherwise of good learning and understanding, averse to writing even a common letter.