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SOCIETY for PURE ENGLISH (S.P.E).
TRACT No. I
Preliminary Announcement
&
List of Members
Oct. 1919
At the Clarendon Press
MDCCCCXIX
SOCIETY for PURE ENGLISH (S.P.E.)
The Society was founded in 1913, and was preparing to enter on itsactivities, when the declaration of war in Aug. 1914 determined theCommittee to suspend proceedings until the national distraction shouldhave abated. They met again after the Armistice in 1918 and agreed toannounce their first issues for October 1919. Although presentconditions are not as favourable as could be wished, it would seemthat the public are disposed to attend to literary matters, and thatthe war has even quickened the interest and increased the number ofthose to whom the special objects of the Society will be mostintelligible and attractive.
A false start is a misfortune, and recovery from its confusion musthave an awkward appearance, for which it is needless to make furtherapology or explanation.
1. THE TITLE OF THE SOCIETY.
In calling itself the Society for Pure English it was not overlookedthat the word Pure might carry a wrong suggestion. It should beexplained that it does not denote, as it is sometimes used to denote,the idea that words of foreign origin are impurities in English; itrather assumes that they are not; and the Committee, whether wisely orunwisely, thought a short title of general import was preferable to adefinition which would misrepresent their purpose by its necessarylimitations.
2. FINANCIAL.
The founders were originally confident that they could carry on theirwork without asking for any subscription from the members; andalthough the conditions of prices and commodities are now whollychanged and altogether unfavourable, they still hope that they may beable to keep to their scheme. If the publications of the Society areof sufficient merit, their profits should cover the expenses of anunsalaried staff; and though it shall be optional for their authors toretain a share of such prospective profits, it is hoped that most ofthose who contribute their work will be willing to allow all theprofits to go into the funds of the Society. In the place of a smallsubscription, which it is as inconvenient regularly to collect as itis to pay, the secretary invites donations of any amount, great orsmall, which will be duly acknowledged and deposited in the Society'sbanking account. The sympathetic response to their prospectus warrantsthe belief that more donations will be forthcoming. The Society havinga finite aim may, after a few years of activity, consider itsusefulness to be at an end; and if, when it is wound up, it shouldhave a balance in hand, the present Committee undertake to pay such abalance into the Pension Fund of the Society of Authors.
3. PUBLICATIONS.
The Society undertakes to publish a series of tracts on the subjectswhich it is founded to deal with.
It is impossible to foresee the quality or amount of such expertcontributions; but the Committee intend to issue at least a quarterlypaper which shall contain a report of proceedings up to date.Meanwhile the two first tracts a