Object Record
Metadata
Accession number |
P26 |
Title |
The 'fonetik' New Testament, set in Comstock's 'purfect alfabet'. |
Notes |
The transcription and transliteration of the title page above is only an approximation of the characters in the special font of type that were cast for this phonetic alphabet of Andrew Comstock. Letters were created, Dr. Comstock claimed, not only for every elementary sound, but for the accents, inflections, and melody of the voice. He admitted that earlier attempts had been made to create a perfect alphabet for the English language, citing five previous in Philadelphia, the earliest that of Dr. William Thornton in 1793. His hope was that his system would cause a literary revolution and spread "the Gospel, as well as the arts and science, not only among hose to whom English is vernacular, but among foreign nations, particularly the heath"; however, his Phonetic Testament never reached a second edition. Comstock's was the first phonetic New Testament to be printed in America. |
Collection |
Framed Bible Leaves |
Subjects |
Bible Leaves Bible History |