Inutility of Tontines-Books for Charity-Schools....Mr. Burke. 87 Had the deaths and defaulters been given feparate, it is probable that the latter would have appeared the greater number; from which the prefent members may draw the fatisfactory inference, that they have acquired about two thousand pounds from the poorer fubfcribers, who have become incapable of continuing their payments, and thus, inftead of deriving any benefit from the fcheme, have loft the little fums that, if they had not been drawn from them by the hope of improve ment, might have been laid by, and afforded them fome relief in a time of want. But it is not my object at prefent to notice, particularly, the immoral tendency of encouraging hopes of gain from the diftreffes of others, or to fhow how delufive and unprofitable most of the Tontine fchemes appear, when examined upon the principles on which they pretend to be formed; the latter was done, at a time when these mischievous projects were very prevalent, in a manner that must have determined every one, who could be convinced by demonftration, or biaffed by the opinion of acknowledged abilities and judgment on the fubject*. It is evident, however, that the majority of the fubfcribers to the different Tontines muft have been ignorant of the very fmall fits they could reasonably expect from thefe fchemes, and, perhaps, placed too implicit a confidence in fpecious propofals, fanctioned by the names of perfons of character, whom they confidered better informed than themfelves. Such fubfcribers pro muft, by this time, have been undeceived, or very foon will be; and it is to prove to others the neceffity of understanding the nature of any speculation, that may be propofed to them, before they engage in it, that the following fact is ftated:---The whole amount of stock purchafed with the above fum of 81,090l. 5s. 8d. is 118,1981. 8s. 4d. in the three per cent confols, which is now to be fold, for the purpofe of making the expected divifion of accumulated capital, intereft, and profits. If fold at the prefent price of 48, it will produce 56,7351. 4s. 10d. which, divided among the prefent members, gives them 151. 198. 7d. each. So that, after the trouble of making quarterly, or half yearly payments, for leven years, the poffibility of having been unable to continue the fubfcription, the risk of lofing what they had paid, by the death of the nominee, and the lofs of all intereft what ever, they must be content to receive 21. 28s. Ed. less than they have actually paid, and confefs that they have been To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, AM à fubfcriber to a charity-fchool, the regulations of which are in many refpects judicious and liberal; but where, from time immemorial, the "Bible" and "Church Catechifm" are the only books which have been used; and I find, upon enquiry, that this remark will apply to many other fimilar foundations, especially fuch as have been long established. Now, though it may be easy to produce reasons why thefe are not the moft fuitable schoolbooks that might be thought of, yet it is not quite fo eafy, for those who are not converfant in fuch matters, to recommend the moft proper fubftitutes. If, therefore, any of your intelligent correfpondents, who may have turned their atten tion to the fubject, would have the condefcenfion to fuggeft a few popular works on religion, morality, natural and civil hiftory, &c. proper to be adopted in charity-fchools; or to communicate other practical information relative to the adminiftration of fuch inftitutions, they would, probably, render an effential fervice to the public, and would greatly oblige your conftant reader, any M. S. Lincoln's Inn, Feb. 7, 1798. SIR, A Correfpondent of your's, in the last Magazine, is hardy enough to affert, that the late Mr. Burke was ignorant of the Greek alphabet; and knew fo little of Latin, as not to be able to tranflate his own quotations. Of Mr. Burke's claffical attainments, I know nothing from any other fources of information than thofe already before the public, and Mr. M'CORMICK, in his life of that fingular man, is filent on the fubject; but I think the public know enough to render the affertion of your corref pondent vary doubtful; and, as one of that public, I will here ftate the probable evidence in favour of Mr. Burke's learn ing.---Mr. Burke was early devoted to claffical purfuits, under the direction of a mafter, who has not been charged with entire ignorance of letters. Mr. Burke fpent fome years at college in Dublin, and obtained honours in the college. The whole life of Mr. Burke was spent in literary purfuits. He was the conftant companion of Dr. Johnfen, a man as fu perftitiously 88 Mr. Henry on the External use of Nitric Acid. 'perftitiously attached to ancient learning as to religion, and in the habit of reproaching every one (Garrick, for inftance) who had not a confiderable knowledge of ancient authors; and yet this literary cenfor always bestowed upon Burke indifcriminate and unbounded praife. Mr. Burke was the admired companion of Mr. Fox, whofe attic tafte is wellknown. Mr. Burke, in his writings, often refers to Grecian literature; and fometimes appeals, in his late works, for the juftice of his criticisms, to the decifion of Mr. Fox. The Latin quotations, in the writings and fpeeches of Mr. Burke, (in fome of his fpeeches, too, conceived and delivered in haste) are numerous and appofite. I ftate thefe facts, in refutation of the affertion of your correfpondent, as what the public know, and as probable evidence that Mr. Burke was learned, in the common acceptation of that term. I have an object in view. I am anxious to know the truth in this particular concerning the attainments of Mr. Burke: and I wish as well to invite the communications of your correfpondents on this fubject, as to imprefs upon the mind of Dr. LAWRENCE, the neceffity of affording us exact information on this head, in his life of his illuftrious orator and ftatef man. Were it known that Mr. Burke was ignorant of Latin and Greek, it is to be feared, that it would banish Horace and Homer from the schools. We must know the fact. I had conceived, and I do conceive, that it is almost impossible to form an orator and writer, like Mr. Burke, without giving him a knowledge of the languages of Greece and Rome. I do not mean to fay, that a knowledge of Latin and Greek will make any man a fine writer, or a Speaker; nor have I forgotten the dry reproof that a man of wit once gave a pedant in my prefence :---" Sir, I have read all the beft authors of Greece and Rome." "Yes, Sir," was the reply."you can boaft of attainments that Shakespeare never knew." London, Feb. 18, 1798. PYRRHO. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, THE HE attention of medical men has lately been much directed to the effects of the Nitric Acid, exhibited internally and though thofe effects have been found very different, by different practitioners, yet it is evident, from the whole collective teftimony, that a very : valuable medicine, which had been hi therto wholly neglected in its uncombined ftate, is added to the Materia Medica. But as the difagreeable tafte which it poffeffes, and the bulky form in which it has been given, have raised objections to its use, it is a matter of consequence, that gentlemen, who are engaged in making trials with it, fhould have early information, that there is great probability, that the Nitric Acid, diluted to the degree at which it has been given by the mouth, is, like Mercury, when applied to the skin, abforbed, and afterwards produces in the fyftem, the fame effects that arise from its internal use. By the last fleet from the East Indies, I received a letter from Dr. SCOTT, of Bombay, the gentleman who first recommended, and himself commenced, the internal ufe of the Nitric Acid. Inclofed was a pamphlet, containing, in addition to the letters which he had before publifhed, two additional ones, in which he communicates this important information, not founded on conjecture only, but on actual experiment. In one inveterate cafe of Syphilis, in which the relief from Mercury had been imperfect and temporary, Dr. SCOTT applied cloths, wet with the Nitric Acid; with thefe the legs of his patients were furrounded, and the cloths were kept meist with additional water, for an hour or two daily. The relief received was remarkable: the fymptoms, which were of the worst kind, difappeared; his ftrength returned; and, at the end of three months, he continued in good health, though, during that period, he used no other remedy than Nitric bathing. In other cafes, Dr. SCOTT caused the legs, and part of the thighs, to be immerfed for an hour, night and morning, in water, acidulated with Nitric Acid, as far as the skin could bear it without uneafinefs. This mode was attended with equal fuccefs. And, as a small quantity of acid is fufficient to acidulate a large portion of water, and as the fame acidulous water will laft for a long time, Dr. SCOTT obferves, that a bath fo large as to cover the whole body may be prepared at a small expence. From the marked action of the Nitric Acid, on the refinous fubftance of the bile, Dr. Scorr thinks it probable, that bathing in dilute Nitric Acid may be ferviceable in the early ftages of the yellow fever. I am, Sir, your very humble feryant, THOMAS HENRY, Manchester, Feb. 22, 1798. Improvement in Orthography Defended. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, Yo YOUR Correfpondent V. O. V. (vol. 4. p. 429.) appears to have mifunderstood my letter (p. 195). My purpose was not to refute objections to a new mode of fpelling, but to difprove an opinion of the Analytical Reviewers, which feemed to reprefs attempts at improvement. With this view, I endeavoured to fhew how much fuperior the method propofed by Mr. Elphinston, was to that of Mr. Webfter, in adapting orthography to pronun ciation. In this I had nothing to do with the connection of orthography with etymo-. logy. I left Meffrs. Elphinston and Webfter to examine and refute the objections which have been advanced against alteration, and contented myself with expreffing a wish that such improvements might be adopted, as appeared to be neceffary. Your Correfpondent thinks no change at all adviseable, and offers fome arguments in proof of his opinion, which he feems to confider unanfwerable. To one or two of his objections I mean to reply. The one on which he lays moft ftrefs is, that an alteration in the method of Spelling would deftroy all etymology. Etymology, though an amufing, is by no means a neceffary ftudy, it can only be useful so far as it affifts in fixing the 'meaning of words; now it is apparent that derivative words bear frequently fo very different a fignification from their primitives, that etymology is full as likely to millead, as to affift, in difcovering their meaning. Some examples, taken from Mr. Elphinston's work, are fubjoined. 89 (even if it were effected by it) cannot be of confequence enough to prevent alteration. But it does not appear that etymology will, or can be deftroyed by a new orthography, especially if in forming this, no new letters or figns are introduced: for inftance, the derivation of very many words would be as readily discoverable in Mr. Elphinfton's orthography, as in the prefent mode of fpelling, and many words, particularly thofe derived from the French, tives: for as the French have made very would much more refemble their primiconfiderable improvements in spelling, and have dropt unneceffary letters in a great number of words, the adopting the fame plan in our language, would, in many inftances, keep us to a right etymology, whereas, at prefent, we are liable to mif take the originals of many words, by suppofing them, on account of the fpelling, derivatives from the Latin, though in fact, they came to us from the French. This word is likewise used in French to fignify a perfon on whom the furgeon is performing an operation, but never means what we mean by the word patient, as attended by a phyfician or apothecary. MONTHLY MAG, No, VIII. Such mistaken derivations have former ly been made. The earlier etymologists were chiefly acquainted with the Latin language; of French they knew little or nothing; no wonder then, that in tracing etymologies, they overlooked the medi um, through which words were derived to us from the Latin, and thinking this laft the immediate original, they frequently introduced unneceffary letters into words, to fhew, as they thought, more effectually their derivations. This is the reafon why we have written, and still continue to write, fuch words as feign, fouereign, &c. with the unneceffary g. etymologift, ignorant of the French feindre, fouverain, &c. derived these words from fingo, fupra regnum, &c. and introduced the g to preferve the etymology. Some formed orthography has been carried farIn the Italian language, in which a rether than in any other, the etymology of words is eafily difcoverable; neither in the French is it more difficult to be traced than it was two hundred years ago, though a very confiderable alteration in fpelling has likewife taken place in that language. In no other European language, which I have been able to examine, has etymology been destroyed; though in all, the fpelling has been confiderably altered. But in cafe a new fyftem of orthography fhould deprive us of the means of tracing the derivation of words, ftill the old books would be quite fufficient to preferve all neceffary information concerning the etymology of our language. What 90 Orthography....On Waste Lands. What has been advanced is, I hope, fufficient to thew that we ought not to be deterred by the bugbear etymology, from adopting an improved method of spelling, if that can be proved on other accounts neceffary. It would be highly advantageous to this country that a knowledge of its language fhould be more widely extended; but the difficulties of acquiring this knowledge, are univerfally allowed to be more confiderable in the English than in almost any European language. Leffen thefe difficulties, and the study of it will become more general. The want of a proper orthography, or true picture of fpeech, is one principal difficulty, and the caufe of others. Make the written language as exact a reprefentation as poffible of the oral, and this difficul vanishes. To effect this, we must either alter our mode of spelling, and adapt it to our prefent pronunciation: or we muft learn to speak as we now write. By the first, the best pronunciation will be afcertained, and, as far as poffible, feeured from change; by the fecond, the beauty of the language will be deftroyed, and fome of its moft harmonious founds will be converted into others, barbarous, uncouth, and fcarcely utterable. This, indeed, is already, in fome measure, the cafe; many of our words being at prefent conftantly mispronounced, in confequence of having been fo long mifwritten; and it is to be feared, that the pronunciation of others will foon be vitiated, because men in general think that they are lefs likely to be deceived by learning from books, than from converfation. It is aftonishing, that in the fpelling of our own language, we are refolved to be without a fyftem, though we find the neceflity of fyftem in every other branch of learning. We use one combination of letters to exprefs a found in one word, yet we have another combination of letters to exprefs precifely the fame found in another word, for inftance, in force, coarse, fource---red, lead, &c. yet in other words our mode of spelling, if we are agreed, there is no need of it." On the contrary, if we are agreed upon our pronunciation, we should endeavour to preferve that pronunciation in its prefent purity; if we are not agreed, the fixing pronunciation by an exact orthography, would be a very defirable object, and would tend materially to meliorate the language. Inftead of endeavouring to amend cur spelling, V. O. V. advises to improve the grammar, which he acknowledges is very defective; but, I fear, the time and talents of grammarians will be employed to little purpofe in improving that, till the moft effential part, orthography, is fettled. Grammar depends on this; while orthography is confused, grammar cannot be clear. The Monthly Magazine is too much occupied to allow many pages to any one fubject; I fear I have already intruded too much on them, otherwise it would not be difficult to enlarge on the advantages that would refult from the adoption of a more clear and judicious mode of spelling; whether this could be more effectually accomplished by new combinations of the letters we at prefent poffefs, or by introducing new figns into the alphabet, it is not my bufinefs to determine. Mr. Elphinston, in his very elaborate work, has fhewn that much may be effected by the letters already in ufe, and his method has at leaft this recommendation, that it is formed upon fyftem. That improvement may be made in it I am willing to allow; but improvement of any kind, 1 despair of feeing, fince fuch forci ble reafons as the following are represented as abfolutely conclufive against it! "What neceffity is there for altering our fpelling? Do we not fufficiently underftand one another for all the purpofes of common life?" &c. &c. Jan. 6, 1798. S. M. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. we make the fame letters reprefent differ. As ent founds, as in Jove, love, prove---both, doth, moth, &c. &c. ad infinitum. All is confufion, all is darkness and difficulty. Yet we are told, we must not endeavour to regulate this confufion, to enlighten this darkness, to overcome this difficulty! Why? Becanfe it would deftroy all etymology, which is caufe enough in all confcience for dropping the defign!" V. O. V. fays, If we are not agreed upon our pronunciation, we cannot alter SIR, S it is one of the principal objects of your valuable Mifcellany, to communicate to your readers agricultural information, I imagine that the following remarks upon Wafle Lands in Great Bri tain, will prove acceptable, and, perhaps, provoke difcuffion upon this important fubject. We have waftes in England and in Scotland---Do they not demand cultivation? Are they not capable of it ?---No man can be fo ignorant as to imagine that L it would not be excellent policy to bring in this ifland. Among the numerous caufes which have been held out for the high prices of provifions, and the depopulation of the kingdom, the engroing of farms is principally eminent: our pfeudo-politicians had much better talk of engrossing eftates. One evil is imaginary, the other real. I do not apprehend (for various reafons, befides the mere effect upon agriculture) that there can be too many freeholders in the kingdom; but certainly there may be too few The ranks of men will not be well diftinguished when there are no little eftates. With relation to hufbandry, we fee at prefent that the agriculture of immenfe eftates is worse, upon the average, than that upon fmall ones. The moors and other tracts of uncultivated land are fo little valued, that they have been fold for low prices. our waftes into cultivation; but the So far fouth as Devonshire, Dorfetfhire, and upon the fea-coaft, interfected by turnpikes, and clofe to populous towns, large tracts have been bought freehold at a guinea an acre, and fome even at ten fhillings. Thefe grounds are purchased, not with a view to cultivate, but to increase the domain for huntingcountry, for fhooting moor-game, and other Cherokee fports. Another circumftance which occafions our wastes to be left in their prefent ftate, is the general idea of their incapability of cultivation. There cannot be a doubt but that this idea is mistaken and erroneous in a very high degree.---In fome future letter I fhall endeavour to prove it fatisfactorily. I am very clear, that if the legiflature would purchase all the waftes in Britain that come to market, and immediately refell them in parcels of twenty or thirty acres, the beneficial confequences would be aftonishing.---Would to heaven an act paffed obliged poffeffors to fell waste lands, if not in culture, after a certain period. But this will not happen, and therefore I fhall beftow no more words upon it. The reafon that men have treated this scheme as impracticable, originated in the notion that the waftes were to be FARMED; but nothing is more diftant from my idea. To farm them would be a vifionary fcheme indeed, but to improve them is a very different thing. In the next number of your Magazine, fir, I will particularly explain my ideas upon the fubject; We often hear the ftate of our wastes, and of population, fpoken of with regret. But why thould fuch converfation, which carries with it an appearance of patriotifm, be indulged, if its meaning confifts in the mere language? it is to be deeply Na regretted, |