But now to strike at the root of so many errors begotten by false Letters, besides a false finical speech according to the Letters, being illeterately litterate, as calf, haut, goust.
The Second Part of low Learning high.
The Order.
| 1. | Vowels, 2. Diphthongs, 3. Consonants. |
A is us’d 7 ways, and other Vowels so;
When thus, or so, it doth amaze, we have no mark to know.
First, A long in Chamber changed danger commanded. Secondly, Short in Amber hang’d Anger, Understanding.
Now suppose Rennard the Fox, or the like old book, was Reprinted, and â long Cambril’d, (which the Greeks call Perispomene) and a short not, would not that be a good guide for reading old Rennard unreprinted, with a right pronounciation, though there be no difference in a long or short.
Next, if it would please the wisdom of foolish custom (in whose errors of this kind (though in nothing else) all Religions meet) being long enough advis’d in time, to think fit to amend in the Copy, or at least in the Margin, where words are far otherwise spell’d, than they are pronounc’d (which the Hebrews call Kery and Kethiu; the Copy as written, but Kery the Margin as read, mark’d with Asterisk, one to the other)[B] I believe our Printers could as easily Cambril our English Vowels, as Circumflex the Latin, which would be a sure guide for reading.
3dly and 4thly, A short without either rule or reason before a Consonant or two, with e after, as ace, acre, able, unstable, father, with A long, and solace, massacre, constable, gather, with A short.