From these observations, even on the English forms only, we find thus much regularity; and from these observations, even on the English forms only, we may lay down a rule like the following: _viz._ that _i_ or _u_, short, before the consonants _m_, _n_, {315} or _ck_, is changed into _a_ for the singular, and into _u_ for the plural forms; that _i_ long, or diphthongal, becomes _ou_; that _e_ before _l_ becomes _o_; and that _u_ before _r_ remains unchanged. This statement, however, is nothing like so general as the one that, after a comparison of the older forms and the allied languages, we are enabled to make. Here we are taught, 1. That, in the words _bind_, &c., the _i_ was once pronounced as in _till_, _fill_; in other words, that it was the simple short vowel, and not the diphthong _ey_; or at least that it was treated as such. _Moeso-Gothic._ Binda Band Bundum Bundans. Bivinda Bivand Bivundum Bivundums. Fintha Fanth Funthum Funthans. _Anglo-Saxon._ Bind Band Bundon Bunden. Finde Fand Fundon Funden. Grinde Grand Grundon Grunden. Winde Wand Wundon Wunden. _Old Norse._ Finn Fann Fundhum Funninn. Bind Batt Bundum Bundinn. Vind Vatt Undum Undinn. When the vowel _[)i]_ of the present took the sound of the _i_ in _bite_, the _[)u]_ in the praeterite became the _ou_ in _mouse_. From this we see that the words _bind_, &c., are naturally subject to the same changes with _spin_, &c., and that, _mutatis mutandis_, they are so still. 2. That the _e_ in _swell_, &c., was once _[)i]_. This we collect from the following forms:--_hilpa_, Moeso-Gothic; _hilfu_, Old High German; _hilpu_, Old Saxon; _hilpe_, Middle High German; _hilpe_, Old Frisian. _Suillu_=_swell_, Old High German. _Tilfu_=_delve_, Old High German; _dilbu_, Old Saxon. _Smilzu_, Old High German=_smelt_ or _melt_. This shows that originally the vowel _i_ ran throughout, but that before _l_ and _r_ it was changed into e. This change took place at different periods in different dialects. The Old Saxon preserved the {316} _i_ longer than the Anglo-Saxon. It is found even in the _middle_ High German; in the _new_ it has become _e_; as _schwelle_, _schmelze_. In one word _milk_, the original _i_ is still preserved; although in Anglo-Saxon it was _e_; as _melce_, _mealc_=_milked_, _mulcon_. In the Norse the change from _i_ to _e_ took place full soon, as _svell_=_swells_. The Norse language is in this respect important. 3. That the _o_ in _swoll_, _holp_, was originally _a_; as