ave supplied its place. It is spoken in all the courts urope; and most of the literati, even those who do speak it, have acquired knowledge of it, to enable n easily to read the books that are written in it. s gives a considerable advantage to that nation. It les its authors to inculcate and spread through er nations, such sentiments and opinions, on imporpoints, as are most conducive to its interests, or ch may contribute to its reputation, by promoting common interests of mankind. It is, perhaps, owto its being written in French, that Voltaire's atise on Toleration has had so sudden and so great ffect on the bigotry of Europe, as almost entirely isarm it. The general use of the French language likewise a very advantageous effect on the profits he bookselling branch of commerce, it being well wn, that the more copies can be sold that are struck rom one composition of types, the profits increase much greater proportion than they do in making eater number of pieces in any other kind of manuure. And at present there is no capital town in ope without a French book-seller's shop corresding with Paris. Our English bids fair to obtain second place. The great body of excellent printed nons in our language, and the freedom of our wri s on political subjects, have induced a great number ivines of different sects and nations, as well as gen en concerned in public affairs, to study it, so far at as to read it. And if we were to endeavor the itating its progress, the study of our tongue might ome much more general. Those who have emed some part of their time in learning a new lange, must have frequently observed, that while their aintance with it was imperfect, difficulties, small hemselves, operated as great ones in obstructing

their progress. A book, for example, ill printed, or a pronunciation in speaking not well articulated, would render a sentence unintelligible, which from a clear print, or a distinct speaker, would have been im mediately comprehended. If, therefore, we would have the benefit of seeing our language more generally known among mankind, we should endeavor to remove all the difficulties, however small, that discourage the learning of it. But I am sorry to observe, that of later years, those difficulties, instead of being diminished, have been augmented.

In examining the English books that were printed between the restoration and the accession of George the Second, we may observe, that all substantives were begun with a capital, in which we imitated our mother tongue, the German. This was more particularly useful to those who were not well acquainted with the English, there being such a prodigious number of our words that are both verbs and substantives, and spel in the same manner, though often accented differently in pronunciation. This method has, by the fancy of printers, of late years, been entirely laid aside; from an idea, that suppressing the capitals shews the charac-ter to greater advantage;; those letters, prominent above the line, disturbing its even, regular appearance.. The effect of this change is so considerable, that a learned man in France, who used to read our books, though not perfectly acquainted with our language, in conversation with me on the subject of our authors, at tributed the greater obscurity he found in our modern books, compared with those written in the period above mentioned, to change of style for the worse in our writers; of which mistake I convinced him, by marking for him each substantive with a capital, in a paragraph, which he then easily understood, though before he. could not comprehend it. This shews the inconven ience of that pretended improvement.

From the same fondness for an uniform and even appearance of characters in the line, the printers have:

cy has induced other printers to use the round s inad of the long one, which formerly served well to tinguish a word readily by its varied appearance. rtainly the omitting this prominent letter makes a e appear more even, but renders it less immediately ible; as the paring of all men's noses might smooth 1 level their faces, but would render their physiognoes less distinguishable. Add to all these improvents backwards, another modern fancy, that grey nting is more beautiful than black. Hence the Eng1 new books are printed in so dim a character, as to read with difficulty by old eyes, unless in a very ong light and with good glasses.. Whoever comes a volume of the Gentleman's Magazine, printed tween the years 1731 and 1740, with one of those nted in the last ten years, will be convinced of the ich greater degree of perspicuity given by the black in by the grey. Lord Chesterfield pleasantly reirked this difference to Faulkener, the printer of the blin Journal, who was vainly making encomiums on. s own paper, as the most complete of any in the rld. "But Mr. Faulkener," says my lord, "don't u think it might be still farther improved, by using per and ink not quite so near of a colour.'-For all ese reasons, I cannot but wish that our American nters would, in their editions, avoid these fancied provements, and thereby tender their works more reeable to foreigners in Europe, to the great advan ge of our bookselling commerce.

Farther, to be more sensible of the advantage of clear distinct printing, let us consider the assistance it ords in reading well aloud to an auditory. In so do 5 the eye generally slides forward three or four words Fore the voice. If the sight clearly distinguishes at the coming words are, it gives time to order the

modulation of the voice, to express them properly. But if they are obscurely printed, or disguised by omitting the capitals and long 's, or otherwise, the reader is apt to modulate wrong, and finding he has done so, he is obliged to go back and begin the sentence again; which lessens the pleasure of the hearers. This leads me to mention an old error in our mode of printing. We are sensible that when a question is met with in the reading, there is a proper variation to be used in the management of the voice. We have, therefore, a point, called an interrogation, affixed to the, question, in order to distinguish it. But this is absurdly placed at its end, so that the reader does not discover it till he finds that he has wrongly modulated his voice, and is therefore obliged to begin again the sentence. To prevent this, the Spanish printers, more sensibly, place an interrogation at the beginning as well as at the end of the question. We have another error of the same kind in printing plays, where something ofted occurs that is marked as spoken aside. But the word aside is placed at the end of the speech, when it ought to precede it, as a direction to the reader, that he may govern his voice accordingly. The practice of our ladies in meeting five or six together to form little busy parties, where each is employed in some useful work, while one reads to them, is so commendable in itself, that it deserves the attention of authors and printers to make it as pleasing as possible, both to the readers and hearers.

My best wishes attend you, being, with sincere es-teem, Sir, your most obedient and very humble servant, B. FRANKLIN

An account of the highest court of Judicature in Pennsylvania, viz.

THE COURT OF THE PRESS.

Power of this Court.

Ir may receive and promulgate accusations of alt kinds, against all persons and characters among the citizens of the state, and even against all inferior courts ; and may judge, sentence, and condemn to infamy, notonly private individuals, but public bodies, &c. with or without enquiry or hearing, at the court's discretion. Whose favor, or for whose emolument this Court is established.

In favor of about one citizen in five hundred, who, by education, or practice in scribbling, has acquired a tolerable style as to grammar and construction, so as to bear printing; or who is possessed of a press and a few types. This five hundredth part of the citizens have the privilege of accusing and abusing the other four hundred and ninety-nine parts at their pleasure; or they may hire out their pens and press to others, for that purpose..

Practice of Cthisourt.

It is not governed by any of the rules of the common courts of law. The accused is allowed no grand jury to judge of the truth of the accusation before it is publicly made; nor is the name of the accuser made known to him; nor has he an opportunity of confronting the witnesses against him, for they are kept in the dark, as in the Spanish court of inquisition. Nor is there any petty jury of his peers sworn to try the truth of the charges. The proceedings are also sometimes so rapid, that an honest good citizen may find himself suddenly and unexpectedly accused, and in the same morning judged and condemned, and sentence pronounced against him that he is a rogue and a villain,mė