_Th_, tho not united in character, have a tendency to produce, in some words, a wrong pronunciation. For instance, we are very apt to say _Wren-tham_ instead of _Wrent-ham_. _Hotham_ is also ambiguous; there is nothing in the orthography to direct us, whether to pronounce it _Hot-ham_ or _Ho-tham_, altho custom decides in favor of the latter. These remarks show the propriety of attending to our orthography, and of attempting to remove causes of error, when it can be done without much trouble or danger of giving offence. RULES _of_ PRONUNCIATION. Having briefly explained the English alphabet, I proceed to the rules of pronunciation. In pronunciation, two things demand our notice; the proper sounds of the vowels and consonants, and the accent. In pronouncing both vowels and consonants, the general rule is, _that similar combinations of letters should be pronounced alike, except when general custom has decided otherwise_. Thus if _i_ in the words, _bind_, _find_, _mind_, has its first sound, it ought to have the same sound in other similar combinations, _kind_, _blind_, _grind_. This is the rule of _analogy_, the great leading principle that should regulate the construction of all languages. But as languages are not formed at once by system, and are ever exposed to changes, it must necessarily happen that there will be in all languages, some exceptions from any general rule; some departures from the principle of uniformity. The practice of a nation, when universal or ancient, has, in most cases, the force and authority of law; it implies mutual and general consent, and becomes a rule of propriety. On this ground, some deviations from the analogy of construction and pronunciation must be admitted in all languages. Thus from the analogy already mentioned, _wind_ is an exception; for general practice has determined that _i_ should, in this word, have its second or short sound.[40] Whether this deviation was admitted at first to distinguish this word from the verb _to wind_, or whether there were other good reasons which cannot now be explored, or whether it was merely the work of ignorance or accident, it is unnecessary to enquire; the common consent of a nation is sufficient to stamp it with propriety. Another rule in English, which admits of no exception, is, when the accent falls on a vowel, it is long, as _o_ in ho´-ly; but when the accent falls on a consonant, the preceding vowel is short, as in _flat´-ter_. It is also a general rule, that when a consonant closes a syllable, the preceding vowel is short, as in _fan-cy_, _habit_; altho this rule has its exceptions, as _Cam-bridge_, _dan-ger_, and perhaps _man-ger_.