only in connexion with vowels. The first consonants, in the above distribution, are denominated labials, (LABIALIS from LABIUM, lip,) because they are formed by a compression of the lips: the second are denominated gutturals, (GUTTURALIS from GUTtur, throat,) because they are formed by a compression or action of the throat: the third are named dentals, (DENTALIS from DENS, tooth,) because they require the compression or action of the teeth: L and R are denominated linguals, (from LINGUA, the tongue,) because they require the action of the tongue upon the roof of the mouth: the only difference is, that in forming r, the tongue is not brought into such close contact with the palate, as in forming 1, whilst it has a slight jarring or vibratory motion. It is somewhat remarkable, that these two are almost the only letters in the alphabet, in the formation of which the tongue has any share; though it has had the honour of giving name to speech among most, if not all, nations.

As to the reason or justness of the above designations, the reader may satisfy himself with experiments upon (or in) his own mouth in the course of a few minutes; and there is a convenience in them, which is all the value we attach to them.

The interchanges of the vowels are so frequent, and so familiar to every one who has given the smallest attention to the subject, that we shall not trouble the reader with a single instance, but proceed directly to their interchanges with the consonants.

And here it will be proper to notice, first, those letters which have a middle nature between vowels and consonants, and which are considered as sometimes the one and sometimes the other. U, V, W, are essentially the same letter; as are I, J, Y: hence their numerous interchanges; as in the following instances: VACILLO, which we have Waggle, contracted into Wag; VAE, Woe; VALEO, Well; VALL-UM, Wall; VARUS, Wry; VASTUS, Waste; VELLUS, VILLUS, Wool; VENTUS, Wind; VERMIS, Worm; VIN-UM, Wine; VIRT-Us, Worth; VOLO, Will, &c. &c.

Thus F, as well as the other labials, frequently changes into W: as, Wear, i. e. FERO; Woman, i. e. FŒMINA; With, Mith, i. e. METH; Wave from Move; Wrack and Wreck from Brek, Break; Wend and Wind from Bend; Wench from Minx; War, i. e. Mars.

In the same manner are M, V, Ou, U, changed into Y: Yellow, i. e. MELLEUS; Yea, Yes, i. e. Oui, Fr; Yell, (as also Howl, Wail,) i. e. ULULO; You, i. e. Vous, Fr. pronounced Voo, &c. &c.

Thus, also, J. becomes Y: Yoke, i. e. JUG-UM ; Young, (whence Youngth, now Youth,) i. e. JuVENCUS, &c.

There is a great affinity between the vowels and the labials, which are the easiest of all consonants, except, perhaps, J, G, and C soft, S and Z: these letters, therefore, and the labials, interchange more

frequently with the vowels than do the other conso

nants.

The interchanges of the labials among themselves are so obvious and so frequent in their occurrence, as to render instances wholly unnecessary. It will be sufficient, therefore, to notice their relation to the other consonants. B (which requires the strongest effort in utterance of all the labials) often interchanges with D and T: thus, Dis, BIS; BELLUM, DUELLUM; Word, Wort, (Ger.) i. e. VERB-UM ; Beard, Bart, (Ger.) i. e. BARBA, &c. &c. M, besides its labial, has a nasal property; hence it frequently interchanges with N, which also has a nasal property, besides being a dental. Thus the Greek termination ON is UM in Latin; ME in Greek is NE in Latin; Natte in French is Mat in English; Besom and Bosom are Besen and Busen in German, &c.

V and F, which may be termed the aspirate or breathing labials, have an affinity to H, Th, and Wh, which are also aspirates; and, therefore, frequently interchange with them: thus, VALLIS, Valley, became Thal, (as it still is in German,) then Dale, Dell; Haste is from Fast, i. e. FESTINUS; Horse is a corruption of FERUS; Hunt, (whence + Hund, Hound,) i. e. VENATUS; Haunt, i. e. VENTITO; Hors, Fr. i. e. FORIS, Fuor, It. and our Forth; Hablar, Hacer, Hambre, Harina, Sp. i. e. FABULOR, FACERE, FAMES, FARINA, &c. &c.

The letter has, in not a few words, changed into soft G: Age, i. e. Æv-UM; Abréger, Fr. Abridge, i. e. ABBREVIO; Sergeant, i. e. Servant, &c. &c.

The letter H has been classed with the gutturals; but, as it has several peculiarities, it may as well be disposed of in this place. It is in all respects a most capricious member of the alphabet; and the Italians, not without reason perhaps, have denied it all claim to the honour of a letter; and one of their proverbs is-not worth an H; and the only office assigned to it in their language, is the humble one of showing when C and G are to be pronounced hard before e and i as Chino, Cheto, pronounced Kino, Keto. The following remarks shall suffice for H.

1. It is frequently dropped in words that once enjoyed the honour of its company: as Able, i. e. HABILE.

2. It is frequently inserted where it had originally no place: as Hal, Hall, i. e. AULA, i. e. AULE; Hang, i. e. ANGO, i. e. AGCHO; Harvest, i. e. ARISTA; Hearth, i. e. Earth; Hint, i. e. Intimate; Hackney, i. e. Achinea, It.

It may be remarked, that the uneducated are usually guilty of much impropriety in the use of H, prefixing it to most words beginning with a vowel, whilst they frequently omit it in those cases which grammatical custom has rendered proper.

3. It is a corruption of C, G, and other gutturals: as Horn, i. e. CORNU; Heart, Herz, Ger. i. e.

CORS; House,

Ger.

Hafod,

Hus, Hasa, i. e. CASA; Haupt,
Heafd, Head, i. e. CAPUT.

4. It is put not only for F, V, as noticed above, but also for the other labials: as Hire, i. e. MEREO; Hand, i. e. MAN-US; Hag, i. e. MAGA, SAGA. |

5. Many instances occur of its being put for dentals: Home, i. e. Doм-us, &c.

6. The H or aspirate of the Greek is frequently changed into S in the Latin: as HEX, SEX ; HEPTA, SEPTEM; HEMI, SEMI; HUPER or HYPER, SUPER, &c. &c. In all such instances we, as well as our modern neighbours, uniformly follow the Latins.

We frequently find V, as well as S, in Latin, for the Greek aspirate, or where the Æolians had B, concerning which there has been so much learned controversy: as VER, i. e. HEAR, or BER, Æol. F, V (the far-famed digamma of the Æolians). H (originally E long) and S are so frequently interchanged, and so frequently inserted where they had originally no existence, that we cannot, perhaps, ascertain their order and succession: certain it is, that many words in the Latin have these letters, which are not to be found in the Greek forms of the same words: whether the Greeks pronounced such words as if they had such letters, it is useless to inquire. Thus, also, many words with us have these letters which did not originally exist: as, Harvest, i. e. ARISTA, &c.