ous illustrations are found in words derived from the Greek. In
_chronic_, and _chronology_, the _h_ is silent, but serves to indicate
that the root of those words is identical with the Greek root _chron_,
which means _time_. Similarly the _g_ in _gnostic_, the _e_ in
_eulogy_, _p_ in _pneumonia_, the _h_ in _chromatic_.

In _honour_ and _favour_ _u_ is silent, and therefore a useless
letter, so far as sound is concerned. The _u_ signifies that the word
came to us through the French, instead of directly from the Latin. The
question is, whether we shall go to the trouble of writing the extra
letter in a large class of such words for the sake of the historical
association. Perhaps one in a thousand would choose to do so, but
others of us are more intent on saving time and ink. When the spelling
reform idea becomes operative with English speaking people, a great
many silent letters will go the way of the _u_ in _labour_, _favour_,
and the like.

The following are some of the numerous classes of silent letters
together with the principle found to be operative through them.

#[Sixth Month.]#

"_E_ final is silent when preceded by another vowel in the same
syllable."

change sense adverse Chinese condense
brace quite bade oppose deceive
force scribe burlesque embrace machine
crease measure canine emerge endorse
cease absolve caprice examine advise

#[Seventh Month.]#

"_B_ is usually silent before _t_ or after _m_ in the same syllable."

lamb tomb numb debt bomb
comb thumb dumb doubt crumb
limb climb plumb redoubt jamb

#[Eighth Month.]#

"_C_ is silent before _k_ in the same syllable. _C_ is silent in czar,
victuals, muscle, corpuscle, indict, and Connecticut."

back deck lack stack Patrick
buck duck hack stick reckon
burdock chick luck suck thicken
clock click lick beckon Cossack

EIGHTH YEAR.

#[First Month.]#

"_D_ is silent before _g_ in the same syllable."

edge hedge ridge lodge misjudge
wedge budge bridge sledge judgment
pledge drudge fudge begrudge lodgment

#[Second Month.]#

"_G_ is silent before _m_ or _n_ in the same syllable."

phlegm malign gnaw c