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RAMMARa is the art of true and wellspeaking a language: the writing is but an accident.

The parts of Grammar are

Etymology, which is
}
Syntax,

the true notation of words. the right ordering of them.

A word is a part of speech, or note, whereby a thing is known, or called; and consisteth of one or more syllabes.

A syllabe is a perfect sound in a word, and consisteth of one or more letters.

e

A letter is an indivisible part of a syllabe, whose prosody, or right sounding is perceived by the

the orthography, or right writing, by the form.

g

power;

& Prosody, and orthography, are not parts of grammar, but diffused like the blood and spirits through the whole.

1 Litera, à lineando; undè, linere, lineaturæ, literæ, et litura. Neque enim à lituris literæ quia delerentur; priùs enim facta, quàm deleta sunt. At forma potius, atque ovcías rationem, quàm interitûs, habeamus. Scal. ibid.

i

Litera genus quoddam est, cujus species primaria duæ vocalis et consonans, quarum natura, et constitutio non potest percipi, nisi priùs cognoscantur differentiæ formales, quibus factum est, ut inter se non convenirent. Scal. ibid.

k Litera differentia generica est potestas, quam nimis rudi consilio veteres Accidens appellârunt. Est enim forma quædam ipse flexus in voce, quasi in materia, propter quem flexum fit; ut vocalis per se possit pronunciari: Muta non possit. Figura autem est accidens ab arte institutum; potestque attributa mutari. Jul. Cæs. Scal. ibidem. De vi, ac potestate literarum tam accuratè scripserunt Antiqui, quàm de quâvis alia sua professionis parte. Elaborârunt in hoc argumento Varro, Priscianus, Appion, ille, qui cymbalum dicebatur mundi: et inter rhetores non postremi judicii, Dionysius Halicarnassaus, Caius quoque Casar, et Octavius Augustus. Smith. ibid.

1Literæ, quæ per seipsas possint pronunciari, vocales sunt; quæ non, nisi cum aliis, consonantes.

Vocalium nomina simplici sono, nec differente à potestate, proferantur.

Consonantes, additis vocalibus, quibusdam præpositis, aliis postpositis.

m Ex consonantibus, quorum nomen incipit à Consonante, Mutæ sunt; quarum à vocali, semi-vocales: Mutas non indè appellatas, quòd parum sonarent, sed quòd nihil.

CHAP. II.

OF LETTERS AND THEIR POWERS.h

N our language we use these twenty and four letters, A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. V. W. X. Y. Z. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. k. 1. m. n. o. p. q. r. s. t. v. w. x. y. z. The great letters serve to begin sentences, with us, to lead proper names, and express numbers. numbers. The less make the fabric of speech.

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i All letters are either vowels or consonants; and are principally known by their powers. The figure is an accident.

A vowel will be pronounced by itself: a consonant not without the help of a vowel, either before or after.

The received vowels in our tongue are,

a. e. i. o. u.

m Consonants be either mutes, and close the sound, as b. c. d. g. k. p. q. t. Or half-vowels, and open it, as f. l. m. n. r. S. X. Z.

H. is rarely other than an aspiration in power, though a letter in form.

W. and Y. have shifting and uncertain sounds as shall be shewn in their places.

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E, quæ sequitur, vocula dissona est priori: quia deprimit altum modico tenore rictum, et remotos premit hinc, et hinc molares.

Apud latinos, e latiùs sonat in adverbio benè, quàm in adverbio herè: hujus enim posteriorem vocalem exiliùs pronunciabant; ità, ut etiàm in maximè exilem sonum transierit heri. Id, quod latiùs in multis quoque patet: ut ab Eo, verbo, deductum, ire, iis, et eis: diis, et deis: febrem, febrim : turrem, turrim priore, et priori: Ram. et Scalig.

Et propter hanc vicinitatem (ait Quinct.) e quoque loco i fuit: ut Menerva, leber, magester: pro Minerva, liber, magister.

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Porrigit ictum genuino propè ad ipsos
Minimumque renidet supero tenus labello.

Terent.

Where it endeth, and soundeth obscure and faintly, it serves as an accent to produce the vowel preceding as in máde, stéme, strípe, óre, cúre, which else would sound, màd, stèm, strip, or, cùr.

It altereth the power of c, g, s, so placed, as in hence, which else would sound henc; swinge, to make it different from swing; use, to distinguish it from us. It is mere silent in words where is coupled with a consonant in the end; as whistle, gristle, brittle, fickle, thimble, &c.

Or after v consonant, as in

love, glove, move.

Where it endeth a former syllabe, it soundeth longish, but flat; as in

dérive, prépare, résolve.

Except in derivatives, or compounds of the sharp e, and then it answers the primitive or simple in the first sound; as

agreeing, of agree; foreseeing, of foresee; being, of be. Where it endeth a last syllabe, with one or more consonants after it, it either soundeth flat and full; as in

descent, intent, amend, offend, rest, best. Or it passeth away obscured, like the faint i; as in these,

r

written, gotten, open, sayeth, &c.

Which two letters e and i have such a nearness in our tongue, as oftentimes they interchange places; as in

S

enduce, for induce; endite, for indite.

I

Is of a narrower sound than e, and uttered with a less opening of the mouth, the tongue brought back to the palate, and striking the teeth next the cheek teeth.

It is a letter of a double power.

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