Many plans have been proposed for reducing our orthography to some regular system, and improving our language in various ways. Mr. Elphinstone, Mr. Pinkerton, and Mr. Spence, the founder of the Spensean Philanthropists, have distinguished themselves in these useful and patriotic projects, and Mr. Pytches is at present in like manner laudably employed,—though that gentleman contents himself with reforming what these bolder spirits would revolutionize. I also would fain contribute to so desirable an end.
We agree that in spelling words it is proper to discard all reference to their etymology. The political reformer would confine the attention of the Government exclusively to what are called truly British objects; and the philological reformers in like manner are desirous of establishing a truly British language.
Upon this principle, I would anglicize the orthography of chemise; and by improving upon the hint which the word would then offer in its English appearance, we might introduce into our language a distinction of genders—in which it has hitherto been defective. For example,
Hemise and Shemise.
Here without the use of an article, or any change of termination we have the needful distinction made more perspicuously than by ó and ń, hic and hæc, le and la, or other articles serving for no other purpose.
Again. In letter-writing, every person knows that male and female letters have a distinct sexual character, they should therefore be generally distinguished thus,
Hepistle and Shepistle.
And as there is the same marked difference in the writing of the two sexes I would propose
Penmanship and Penwomanship.
Erroneous opinions in religion being promulgated in this country by women as well as men, the teachers of such false doctrines may be divided into