In the middle and southern states, _fierce_, _pierce_, _tierce_, are pronounced _feerce_, _peerce_, _teerce_. To convince the people of the impropriety of this pronunciation, it might be sufficient to inform them, that it is not fashionable on the English theater. For those who want better proofs, before they relinquish their practice, I would observe, that these words are derived to us from the French; _fierce_, _tierce_, from _fiers_, _tiers_, and _pierce_ from _percer_. In the two former, the French pronounce both _i_ and _e_; but it is evident the English originally pronounced _e_ only; for the _i_ was omitted in the spelling of _fierce_, and was not introduced into _pierce_ till after Spenser wrote. "--When he him knew and had his tale herd, As _fers_ as a leon pulled out his swerd." Chaucer, Knightes Tale 1600. "The drought of March hath _perced_ to the rote." Canterbury Tales. "For they this queen attended; in whose steed, Oblivion laid him down on Laura's herse: Hereat the hardest stones were seen to bleed, And grones of buried ghosts the heavens did perse." Verses to Edmond Spenser. _Pierce_ is also made to rhime with _rehearse_. Pope makes it rhime with _universe_. "He, who thro vast immensity can pierce, See worlds on worlds compose one universe." Essay on Man, 23. The rhime in the last quotation, is not unequivocal proof of the pronunciation in Pope's time; but the orthography in Chaucer's and Spenser's writings, are to me satisfactory evidence that _e_ in these words was short. The standard English pronunciation now is _ferce_, _perce_, _terce_, and it is universal in New England. I have only to add, that the sharp abrupt sound of _e_ in the two first words is most happily adapted to express the ideas. The English pronounce _leap_, _lep_; and that in the present tense as well as the past. Some of our American horsemen have learnt the practice; but among other people, it is almost unknown. It is a breach of analogy, at least in the present tense; the American pronunciation, _leep_, is therefore the most correct and should not be relinquished.