CURRENT LITERATURE.
The Civil Service Orthography: a Handy-Book of English Spelling. By E. S. H. B. (Crosby Lockwood and Co.)—Here is an ingenious effort to overcome the greatest difficulty which besets schoolmasters, the difficulty of teaching spelling. First, we have some versified rules, with exercises, lists of irregular plurals, irregular, or, as it would have been better to call them, strong verbs. Then follows exercises designed to remedy the confusion which is caused by words alike or nearly alike in sound, but differently spelt, each having its appropriate metrical role. These rules are doubtless very useful, but they make the present writer feel, as he never felt before, grateful for the gift of nature which made him spell without effort. Imagine the horror of having to learn some thousand lines of the following kind I-
,. FITE! letters always will be found In whine, that means a dismal sound; But only four you need combine To name the beverage called wine."
The,spelling reformers have a strong argument ready to their hands. We must not be supposed to depreciate "E. S. H. B.'s " efforts, which are well considered, and as promising of success as any that we have seen. If he does succeed, he ought to have a golden statue set up in front of the College of Preceptors.
Previous page
