The Orthoepist. By Alfred Ayres. (D. Appleton and Co., Now
York.)—Mr. Ayres kindly teaches the Britishers how to pronounce their language. He gives between three and four thousand words, elabo- rately marked with notes, which are explained by an equally elaborate " key." The despair of the intelligent foreigner when confronted with this manual would beat description. And, indeed, Mr. Ayres sometimes seems too subtle. Is it true that the " x " is sounded dif- ferently in " exempt," "excruciate," and " example F" And some- times he seems to us wrong. In England, at least, we say "mercan- tile," not "mercantile ;" and we are prejudiced enough to think that England possesses the norm a loguendi in the matter of English. Still, there is something to be learnt from The Orthoepist. We only wish it were easier to learn.
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