The letter j was originally a modification of the vowel i. The Germans, who used it as the semivowel y, have perverted it from its original power less than the English have done, who sound it dzh.
With these views we may appreciate in the English alphabet and orthography—
Its convenience or inconvenience in respect to learning foreign tongues.—The sound given to the a in fate is singular. Other nations sound it as a in father.
The sound given to the e, long (or independent), is singular. Other nations sound it either as a in fate, or as é fermé.
The sound given to the i in bite is singular. Other nations sound it as ee in feet.
The sound given to the oo in fool is singular. Other nations sound it as the o in note, or as the ó chiuso.
The sound given to the u in duck is singular. Other nations sound it as the u in bull.
The sound given to the ou in house is singular. Other nations, more correctly, represent it by au or aw.
The sound given to the w in wet is somewhat singular, but is also correct and convenient. With many nations it is not found at all, whilst with those where it occurs it has the sound (there or thereabouts) of v.
The sound given to y is somewhat singular. In Danish it has a vowel power. In German the semivowel sound is spelt with j.