Certain Personal Matters

For Freedom of Spelling

THE DISCOVERY OF AN ART

It is curious that people do not grumble more at having to spell

correctly. Yet one may ask, Do we not a little over-estimate the value

of orthography? This is a natural reflection enough when the maker of

artless happy phrases has been ransacking the dictionary for some

elusive wretch of a word which in the end proves to be not yet

naturalised, or technical, or a mere local vulgarity; yet one does not

often hear the idea canvassed in polite conversation. Dealers in small

talk, of the less prolific kind, are continually falling back upon the

silk hat or dress suit, or some rule of etiquette or other convention as

a theme, but spelling seems to escape them. The suspicion seems quaint,

but one may almost fancy that an allusion to spelling savoured a little