has proceeded from the same causes; namely, from victories, plantations or colonies, frontiers, staples of commerce, pedantry of schules, affectation of travellers, translations, fancy, and style of court, vernility and mincing of citts, pulpits, theatres, the bar, and from shops, &c. The parts affected with it we find to be the accent, annalogie, direct interpretation, tropes, phrases, and the like. I should, therefore, humbly propose, 1. that there might first be compil'd a gram'ar for the precepts, which, (as it did the Roman, when Crates transferr'd the art to Rome, follow'd by Diomedes, Priscian, and others, who undertook it) might only insist on the rules, the sole and adequate meanes to render it a learned, as well as learnable, tongue. 2. That, with this, a more certain orthography were introduced, as by leaving out superfluous letters, &c. such as (0) in whemen, people; (u) in honoúr ; (a) in reproach; (ugh) in though, &c. 3. That there might be excogitated some new periods and accents, besides such as our gram'arians and critics use, to assist, inspirit, and modifie the pronunciation of sentences, and to stand as marks before hand, how the voice and tone is to be govern'd in reading or reciting, and for varying the tune of the voice as the subject is affected. This would be of great use in the reading or pronouncing of verses, and of no small importance to the stage, the pulpit, and the barr. 4. To this might follow a lexicon, or collection of all the pure and genuine English words by themselves; then, those that are derivative from others, with their prime, certain, and natural, signification; then the symbolical ; so as no innovation might be used or favour'd, at least, till there should arise some necessity of providing a new edition, and of amplifying the old upon mature advice. 5. That, in order to this, some were appointed to collect all the technical words, especially those of the more generous and liberal employments, as the author of the "Essaies des Merveilles de Nature, et des plus nobles Artifices," has don for the French; Francis Junius, and others, have endeavoured for the Latine; and as Mr. Philips has lately attempted in his English dictionary, and an ingenious divine (a friend of mine) is about upon the above-mention'd "Essaies des Merveilles," &c. But this must be glean'd from shops, not books. 6. That things difficult to be translated or express'd, and such as are, as it were, incom'ensurable one to another, as determinations of weights and measurs, coines, honors, nationalhabits, armes, dishcs, drinks, municipal constitutions of courts, old and abrogated costomes, &c. were better interpreted than as yet we find them in dictionaries, and noted in the lexicon. 7. That a full catalogue of exotic words, such as are minted by our logo-dedali, were exhibited; and that it were resolved on what should be sufficient to render them current, ut civitate donentur; since, without restraining that same indomitam novandi verborum licentiam, it will in time quite disguise the language. There are some elegant words introduced by physitians, chiefly, and philosophers, worthy to be retained; others it may be fitter to be abrogated, since there ought to be a law as well as a liberty, in this particular, to allay the itch of being the author of a new, but abortive, word. And in this choyce there would be some reguard to the well sounding and more harmonious, and such as are numerous, and apt to fall gracefully into their cadences and periods, and so recommend themselves at the very first sight, as it were. Others, which (like false stones) will never shinejor give lustur, in what ever way they be placed; but embase the rest. And here, I observe, that such as have convers'd long in universities, &c. do greatly affect words and expressions, no where in credit besides, as may be noted in Cleaveland's Poems for Cambridg; and there are also some Oxford words us'd by others, as I might instance if needfull. 8. Previous to this enquiry would be, what particular dialects, idioms, and proverbs, were in use in every several county of England; for the words of the present age being properly the vernacula or classic rather, especial reguard is to be had of them, and this consideration admits of infinite improvements, though Mr. Ray has lately published a good specimen for the references; and our new etymologicon much adorn'd this desiderat. Chaucer, Leland, and especially some of our antienter Saxon writers, have some words and expressions of greater comprehension, and not to be contemn'd were we not exceedingly given sometimes to change for the worse. 9. Happly it were not amiss that we had a better collection (than is in the Schole of Compliments, Helpe to Discourse, and other ridiculous books) of the most quaint and courtly expressions, by way of Florilegium, Copia, or phrases, distinct from the province, and yet un-affected; for, we are infinitely to seek, in our civil addresses, excuses, and formes upon suddaine and unpremeditated (though ordinary) encounters, &c. in which the French, Italians, and Spanyards, have a kind of natural grace and talent, which furnishes the .conversation, and renders it very agreeable. Here then may come in synonimes, homonymias, &c. and for the more usefull periods in writing and expression of things difficult, the varieties and changes you suggested the other day, which would be of wonderful use. 10. And since there is likewise a manifest rotation and circling of words, which go in and out like the mode and fashion (and are for the time as greate tyrants,) bookes would be consulted for the reduction of some of the old words and expressions, had formerly in deliciis; for, our language is in many places sterile and barren by reason of this depopulation (as I may name it,) and therefore such fields should be new cultivated and enriched, either with the former (if more significant) or some other: for example, we have hardly any word that does so fully expresse the French clinquant, naiveté, ennuy, concert, chicanerie, consume, emotion, defer, effort, &c. Italian garbato, svelto, bizarro, &c. Let us therefore (as the Romans did the Greeks) make as many of these do homage as are like to prove good citizens; but concerning this, I have sayd something in article 8. Something might likewise be well translated out of the best orators and ports, Greek and Latin, and even out of the modern languages; that so a judgntent might be made concerning the elegancy of the style; and so a laudable and unaffected imitation of the best (by way of prolusion) recommended to writers. I am persuaded, if these particulars were well cultivated, and that a collection of ingenious persons did make it a serious business, as the French and Italians have don, under the auspices of Cardinal Richelieu, our language might in a short time reach to the noblest heights, and equally obtaine amongst our more spreading neighbours. But first, Sir, there must be a stock of reputation gained by some public writings and compositions of the members of such an assembly, or the king must com'and and favour it, that maliceous men do not put it out of countenance, by calling them comedianti, and fopps (as you know who has don;) that so they may not think it a dishonour to submit to the test, and reguard them as judges and competent approbators. Thus far were that worthy designe of yours advanced, I conceive a very small matter would dispatch the art of rhetoric, which the French proposed as one of the first things they recommended to their famous academitians. To give a tast what might possibly be don by the only assistance of the English and some neighbour tongues, I did (not long since) at the request of my Lord Howard of Norfolk, and which might happly gratifie some very greate persons that have excellent understandings (but who it is not necessary should undergo the pedantry and tyrannie of letters and deep erudition,) write an essay, how far a man might become learned by the only assistance of the modern languages, and which few of our greate men but understand. But this was meerly for his private use, and to obey his pleasure; and though I could bravely defend the designe, yet our malicious p'dants would laugh at it. It would passe acceptably in any nation but ours. I have also selected some English letters, &c. and written a tragy-comedy, which are all impertinences not to have been named to any but a very obliging and friendly intimate, and since I penned them, as the orator says, Non tam perficiendi spe, quam experiundi voluptate. Your most faithfull servant, J. EVELYN., Sir, pardon my ill character, and other defects: I am heartily weary and half blind, having this day written the whole packet which I now send you (containing 17 pages fol.) besides other worke." 1797, March. XCI. From the Rev. Thomas Seward. MR. URBAN, NO apology will be necessary to your learned readers for the insertion of the following original and truly-classical epistle. ALUMNUS. Viro reverendo doctissimoque Andrea Mario Chappo, Epistola tua, vir doctissime, jamdudum erratica, ad me tandem delata est, septuagenarium, et ægrum, inhabilemque sane ad explendum animum tuum, qui in antiquitatibus perscrutandis inexpertus et rudis sum, et Latine loqui vel scribere diu desuetus. Sed cum cœnobium Coventrense cum monachis ejus olim dissolutum est et obrutum, ædesque VOL. III. eorum, et palatium episcopale, et ruinæ ipsæ omnes perierunt, vix operæ pretium videtur te, et tua splendidiora studia, obscurorum virorum nominibus solis detinere; præsertim, cum vix liber, nedum brevis epistola, ad respondendum quæstionibus tuis sufficiat. Historiam autem ecclesiarum harum concathedralium breviter perstringam. In Saxonum Heptarchia, amplissimum erat et ditissimum regnum Mereiæ. Oswius autem Northumbria rex hoc subegit, et ex tenebris hyperboreis ad Christianam fidem redemit. Hie ecclesiam Lichfeldiæ erexit eirea annum 657, quæ fere omnes mediterraneas Angliæ partes in ditione episcopali tenebat. Episcopus enim quamplurimos sacerdotes laborum participes secum habuit, qui vicatim et vicissim missi ambirent regnum, nondum enim in parochiis divisum fuit. Anno 800 rex Merciæ Offa fuit, qui aut collapsam restaurabat, aut parvam ampliavit ecclesiam Lichfeldensem adeo ut fundator alter interdum vocaretur. Hic a Papa Hadriano impetravit, ut Lichfeldiæ sedes archiepiscopalis fieret. Adulphus consecratus est, qui rexit provinciam annos sex et triginta. Illo defuncto, nulli successorumpallium archiepiscopale concessum est. Post longam episcoporum seriem, anno millesimo sexagesimo sexto fundatum est cœnobium Coventrense per Leofricum, comitem Mercia potentissimum ditissimumque, atavis forsan regibus Mercia editum sed Heptarchia tunc dissoluta, in unum regnum Saxonum occidentalium redacta fuit. Major autem honos conjugi ejus Godivæ attribuitur, pulcherrimæ, castissimæ, et monachorum ordinibus devotissimæ. Illa importune conjugem diu solicitaverat ut cœnobium hoc fundaret, et nundinarum vectigalia civibus donaret. Cui joculariter ille, "Hac lege tibi astringo fidem, ut faciam id quod petis, cum tu, mea suavissima, per compita publica Coventriæ nuda equitaveris." la, tantum religio potuit, assentitur; et solutis crinibus perlongis adumbrata, et quasi vestita, civibusque omnibus interdictis fenestras appropinquare, iter iniit. Unus Acteon, comitissæ stabularius, ausus est mandatum violare. Comitisse equus, fautorem suum per fenestram cernens, hinaitum tollit, et nebulonem prodit; cujus effigies lignea per fenestram perantiquæ domus, (ejusdem, ut aiunt, aut saltem in eodem loco positæ,) caput perpetuo protrudit, et monstratur digitis prætereuntium. Solenni insuper pompa magistratuum, et civium omnium, in honorem munificentissimæ patrona Godivæ, visitatur hoc ludierum terriculum; et, quasi vivum derisione, cachinnis, et scommatibus valgus insectatur, et speculator quisque intempestivus et ineptus etiam nunc vocatur Peeping Tom. In hac pompa, mulier, |