Early in the seventeenth century English settlers brought the English language within the borders of the present United States. In using the language in this new environment they began immediately and necessarily to modify it. As time passed more colonists came and the settled areas along the Atlantic coast became larger. Modifications in the English brought from the homeland multiplied. For a long time neither the users of this changed form of English nor those who remained in England paid particular attention to what was happening to the language here. Those in England who first noticed the changes viewed the matter with easy tolerance. But in time, because of circumstances unnecessary to detail here, this attitude changed to one of alarm and criticism. Those in this country of sufficient education and culture to know or care about this linguistic matter were divided in their thinking. Some were disposed to agree with their overseas critics and to counsel stricter adherence to orthodox use of the language; others were of a decidedly contrary view.