In many parts of America, people at present attempt to copy the English phrases and pronunciation--an attempt that is favored by their habits, their prepossessions and the intercourse between the two countries. This attempt has, within the period of a few years, produced a multitude of changes in these particulars, especially among the leading classes of people. These changes make a difference between the language of the higher and common ranks; and indeed between the _same_ ranks in _different_ states; as the rage for copying the English, does not prevail equally in every part of North America. But besides the reasons already assigned to prove this imitation absurd, there is a difficulty attending it, which will defeat the end proposed by its advocates; which is, that the English themselves have no standard of pronunciation, nor can they ever have one on the plan they propose. The Authors, who have attempted to give us a standard, make the practice of the court and stage in London the sole criterion of propriety in speaking. An attempt to establish a standard on this foundation is both _unjust_ and _idle_. It is unjust, because it is abridging the nation of its rights: The _general practice_ of a nation is the rule of propriety, and this practice should at least be consulted in so important a matter, as that of making laws for speaking. While all men are upon a footing and no singularities are accounted vulgar or ridiculous, every man enjoys perfect liberty. But when a particular set of men, in exalted stations, undertake to say, "we are the standards of propriety and elegance, and if all men do not conform to our practice, they shall be accounted vulgar and ignorant," they take a very great liberty with the rules of the language and the rights of civility. But an attempt to fix a standard on the practice of any particular class of people is highly absurd: As a friend of mine once observed, it is like fixing a light house on a floating island. It is an attempt to _fix_ that which is in itself _variable_; at least it must be variable so long as it is supposed that a local practice has no standard but a _local practice_; that is, no standard but _itself_. While this doctrine is believed, it will be impossible for a nation to follow as fast as the standard changes--for if the gentlemen at court constitute a standard, they are above it themselves, and their practice must shift with their passions and their whims.