So our Letters rat[h]er marr than mend our Language, w[h]en wrong spell’d: but more Letters would do well in the Alfabet, (w[h]ih is preparing) but fewer in most words to spell properly.
We is us’d t[h]ree ways, as a vowel, as now, [h]ow, as a consonant in we, went, as nothing, in know, show, and bo.
Ye is us’d four ways, as a consonant, as yea, yes, as a long and short vowel, as w[h]y, [h]oly and doubtful, as my, t[h]y, and as not[h]ing in may day.
W[h]en each Letter [h]at[h] but one meaning 1; the Reading is certain as two and twenty one, one wants w, and two ma spare it.
Z is scarce us’d in vain, but as many consonants are double to make a short vowel, as Buzze, but is most us’d for s after all Letters but p, c, t, for plurals and t[h]e like, s and z seem to cross one another, as raze and raise, and x for z, as beaux.
Since renoun’d Aut[h]ors of late [h]ave left out ugh, as t[h]oug[h] and the like, writing t[h]o’, if they [h]ad left out w and y superfluous, as know, row, da, t[h]are, and put out all vain letters, and cambril the vowels, the idle Letters would never [h]ave come in again.
Now if Books were begun to be all printed by t[h]ese directions, t[h]ey would make all other old books easier read, and more truly pronounced, t[h]e false spelling being discover’d and amended.
But Letters are neither here nor there, for all this, in every circuit there is something of a particular dialect, differing from the common English, though the Western and Northern differ most.
Now when we speak of altering the Letters, we alter not, but establish and settle the known speech, which is no more but to alter or remove the sign when it directedh to the wrong [h]ouse, but the Inn all the while is the same. If one be in the North or West, he had best speak as they do, that he may be readily understood, which is the end of speech.
We have corruptions enough in our Letters to corrupt all Languages writ with them.