“Ella biasmandol sempre, e dispregiando

Se gli venia piu sempre inimicando.”

By her judicious and kind interposition, Emma often prevented the disagreeable consequences that threatened to ensue from Griselda’s disputatious habits; but one night it was past her utmost skill to avert a violent storm, which arose about the pronunciation of a word. It began about eleven o’clock. Just as the family were sitting down to supper, seemingly in perfect harmony of spirits, Mr. Bolingbroke chanced to say, “I think the wind is rising.” (He pronounced the word w?nd, short.)

“W?nd! my dear,” cried his wife, echoing his pronunciation; “do, for heaven’s sake, call it wīnd.”

The lady sounded this word long.

“Wind! my love,” repeated he after her: “I doubt whether that be the right pronunciation.”

“I am surprised you can doubt it,” said she, “for I never heard any body call it w?nd but yourself.”

“Did not you, my love? that is very extraordinary: many people, I believe, call it w?nd.”

“Vulgarians, perhaps!”

“Vulgarians! No, indeed, my dear; very polite, well-informed people.”

Griselda, with a look of unutterable contempt, reiterated the word polite.

“Yes, my dear, polite,” persisted Mr. Bolingbroke, who was now come to such a pass, that he would defend his opinion in opposition to hers, stoutly and warmly. “Yes, polite, my dear, I maintain it; the most polite people pronounce it as I do.”

“You may maintain what you please, my dear,” said the lady, coolly; “but I maintain the contrary.”

“Assertion is no proof on either side, I acknowledge,” said Mr. Bolingbroke, recollecting himself.

“No, in truth,” said Mrs. Bolingbroke, “especially such an absurd assertion as yours, my dear. Now I will go no farther than Mrs. Granby:— Mrs. Granby, did you ever hear any person, who knew how to speak, pronounce wīnd —w?nd?”

“Mrs. Granby, have not you heard it called w?nd in good company?”

The disputants eagerly approached her at the same instant, and looked as if their fortunes or lives depended upon the decision.

“I think I have heard the word pronounced both ways, by well-bred and well-informed people,” said Mrs. Granby.

“That is saying nothing, my dear,” said Mrs. Bolingbroke, pettishly.

“This is saying all I want,” said Mr. Bolingbroke, satisfied.

“I would lay any wager, however, that Mr. — — if he were here, would give it in my favour; and I suppose you will not dispute his authority.”

“I will not dispute the authority of Sheridan’s Dictionary,” cried Mr. Bolingbroke, taking it down from the book-case, and turning over the leaves hastily. —“Sheridan gives it for me, my dear,” said he, with exultation.

“You need not speak with such triumph, my dear, for I do not submit to Sheridan.”

“No! Will you submit to Kenrick, then?”

“Let us see what he says, and I will then tell you,” said the lady. “No — Kenrick was not of her opinion, and he was no authority.” Walker was produced; and this battle of the pronouncing dictionaries seemed likely to have no end. Mrs. Granby, when she could be heard, remarked that it was difficult to settle any dis............