music, seeks only for the power of his note, without being led astray by the name given to

it in his vocabulary. The student of pronunciation, is the victim of names, that have not the slightest affinity to the power, or effect of the letters in their actual use.

If we take the vowel o, and examine its power, we shall soon see, how little relation its name, has to it. In the word home, we find the full name of the vowel; at home, its appellation, is legitimate: not so in come, where its NAME, would lead to a gross barbarism. In the word prove, its sound, is oo. In the word fortune, it is aw.

It could be very easily shewn, that all the vowels, give a variety of effect, that is not, in any way, related to their names.

Let us take the consonant g, and we shall confess, that its name, and powers, are also very different. In gold, and in all situations where its sound is hard, its power, is ig; in fact, it will scarcely admit of a name of any

kind, being rather a formation—that is, a peculiar position of the organs-than an articulate sound. In its more softened effect, as in giant, (ege) it is certainly audible; but, still, its power will not justify the name, which it bears in our alphabet. The same vagueness, and diversity of effect, characterize all the letters, both vowels, and consonants.

But, if such irregularity as this prevails in the use of single letters, what are we to say to that "confusion worse confounded," which exists in the use of dipthongs, tripthongs, and other combinations of letters? What affinity is there between the letters o,n,e, and the sound which they form? (wun,) or e,i,g,h,t, when a,t,e, give the same sound? B,o,u,g,h, sound bow, and e,n,o,u,g,h, enuf. Thousands of instances, could be multiplied, to shew, that the names, and powers of letters, have, in many cases, not the slightest relationship.

To return to our subject. I have stated, that the want of a knowledge of the Vocal Positions, is one cause of Stammering. An

other, and a still greater, is to be traced to an ILL-MANAGEMENT OF THE BREATH. All vocal sounds, are formed by breath coming from the lungs; and they cannot be formed during the process of inspiration. The Stammerer, having exhausted all his internal stock of air, in abortive attempts to speak with his teeth, and lips closed, still adds to his difficulty, by endeavouring, in vain, to get relief by an immission of air. In the first place-attempting to speak with his mouth closed,—his lips, protrude; in the second,―attempting to speak while he inhales breath-a muscular action, draws back his cheeks, and lips. When he is on the point of strangulation, the mouth, opens, and, with the force of a Borean tempest, the word, will out, followed by a sigh, that shakes the whole frame.

A THIRD cause of Stammering, is a harsh pronunciation of the Consonants. Consonants, are scarcely vocal*; they are, in general, mere

* Double Consonants, are vocal;-as br in brave; gl in glory, &c.—See Table of Double Consonants in the Practical Exercises.

formations. They are all obstructions of the breath, and, on that account, they must be formed lightly, and rapidly.

The tongue, to many, is an unruly member; but, in the Stammerer, it pranks with all the caprices of a restiff steed; and, in consequence of the aggravated motions, to which, a combat with the Impediment, gives rise, that member, is often found to be considerably swoln.

Whatever tends to impede the current of breath, is a certain cause of Stuttering. The air, passing to and from the lungs, through a narrow aperture called the glottis*, is very liable

* "To a person ignorant of anatomy, and therefore knowing not what or where the glottis is, it may be sufficient explanation, to say, that it is the slit, or narrow opening at the top of the wind-pipe, by which, the air, passes to, and from the lungs, being situated just behind the root of the tongue. It is that which is felt to close suddenly in hiccup, arresting the ingress of air; and that which closes, to prevent the egress of air from the chest of a person, lifting a heavy weight, or making any straining exertion: it is also that, by the repeated shutting of which, a person, divides the sound in pronouncing several times, in distinct, and rapid succession, any vowel, as o. o. o. o.”—Dr. Arnott on Physicks.

to be obstructed in its course, by the ungainly evolutions of the tongue. This, is to be prevented, by keeping the tongue as flat as possible in the lower jaw, that the glottis, may be kept open, and the smooth passage of the breath, unchecked.

ment.

Nor are painful attempts at utterance, the only evils, which may arise from this broken speech. A poor fellow, who was afflicted in this way, was travelling in quest of employNot knowing the road to Cupar,—a town in Scotland,—he thought, that he might civilly inquire of a person, who was engaged in repairing the highway. He tried to put the following question "Can you tell me the gate to Cupar?" The man of whom he asked this, happened to be afflicted in a similar way; and he, not thinking that this uncouth address, was a habit in the questioner, but, that he stuttered in derision, essayed to reply, "You, Sirrah, I'll gee you the gate to Cupar!" "Do you mock me?" stuttered the first. "I'll mock

you!" spluttered the second.

So they com