in such positions with the emission of the breath would be the pronunciation of the word.

Picture-writing is thought to have been the first effort of this kind; and from this, it is generally supposed there has been a gradual progress to the alphabetic mode of writing now in use. In all ages, and in almost all countries, some method has been practised of tracing the likeness of sensible objects. It is therefore probable, that this practice might suggest the idea of using such representations, with a view to give information about any particular object But such a mode of communication must have been extremely imperfect; it could only delineate external objects. No passion or emotion of the mind, except in as far as it appears in the countenance, could ever be expressed in this manner; and even in as far as it could, the expression must have been confined to a single instant; every change of expression or position must have required a new picture.

or event.

Picture-writing is said to have been the only method of recording events or of communicating intelligence, known to the Mexicans at the time of the discovery of America. Montezuma, the prince of Mexico, is said to have been informed of the arrival of the Spanish fleet, by the drawing of a ship sketched on cloth, and conveyed by a messenger.

This method of preserving knowledge was practised by the ancient Egyptians; and of all the im

provements made in it, that made by them, and known by the name of hieroglyphics, was the most celebrated. This abridgment was of three kinds, and, as appears from the greater or less art in the contrivance of each kind, made by just degrees and at three successive periods.

The first way was, to make the principal circumstance of the subject stand for the whole; thus, when they would describe a battle, or two armies in array, they painted two hands, the one holding a shield, and the other a bow; when a siege, a scaling-ladder. The second method of contraction was, putting the instrument of the thing, whether real or metaphorical, for the thing itself: thus, an eye, eminently placed, was meant to represent God's omniscience; an eye and sceptre, a monarch; and a ship and pilot, the Governor of the universe. The third method was, making one thing stand for, or represent another, where any quaint resemblance or analogy in the representative, could be collected from their observations of nature, or from their traditional superstitions. Sometimes this kind of hieroglyphic was founded on what they had observed in the form, and in the real or imaginary natures and qualities of beings. Thus the universe was denoted by a serpent in a circle, whose variegated spots signified the stars; and the sunrise, by the eyes of a crocodile, because they seem to emerge from its head; a king inexorable, and estranged from his people, by an eagle.

But the obscurity which attended the scantiness of hieroglyphic characters, joined to the enormous bulk of picture volumes, induced men to attempt another change in this kind of writing. This was effected, by converting the abridged hieroglyphic character into an arbitrary mark, which had no longer any resemblance to the object intended to be signified. In this kind of writing, which the Chinese have carried to a high degree of perfection, every idea has its appropriate mark, and consequently the number of characters must be in proportion to the number of ideas, and to that of the varied relations, which these ideas may have to others. The Chinese characters are said to amount to about eighty thousand; and there is little probability, that a mode of writing in which the characters are so numerous, and of so complicated forms, should have given rise to the alphabetic mode, in which the characters are so few, and the forms so simple.

Human wisdom could not have devised a mode of notation better fitted for the purpose, than that denominated the alphabetic: in this mode of writing, each character indicates a particular sound or articulation; and as all the sounds and articulations perceptible in speaking any language, do not exceed from twenty to thirty, that number of characters, commonly called letters, is sufficient for writing every possible variety of words.

Bishop Burnet thinks it impossible, that man could

have formed an alphabet without supernatural assistance; and that the Deity taught Moses the use of letters when he was so long with him and received the tables of the law.

on the Mount,

This opinion,

however, is not supported by any proof: on the contrary, writing is mentioned in the book of Exodus before the Israelites had arrived at Sinai, whence the law was given; and in the book of Job, which is generally attributed to Moses, the patriarch on one occasion is represented as saying, "Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!" Hence it is obvious that in the time of Moses, more than 3000 years ago, the art of writing was well known, as men never refer, in this manner, to arts with the nature and existence of which, they are unacquainted.

Sir Isaac Newton admits, that letters were known in the time of the patriarch Abraham, several centuries before; but their antiquity is so great, and the early history of most nations is so full of fable, that it is impossible to determine what nation may justly claim the honour of the invention. Letters are said to have been introduced into Greece by Cadmus, a Phoenician; and the Phoenicians are frequently spoken of as the inventors of this useful art; but some are of opinion, that the Hebrews have claims to this invention, superior to those of any other nation, and that when the Greeks spoke of the Phoni

cians as very early acquainted with letters, they confounded them with the Hebrews; the proximity of situation, and similarity of language preventing them from knowing the distinction.

The most ancient alphabets known to us are those of the Eastern languages. The Phoenician, Hebrew, and Syriac or Samaritan had the same origin; and from a comparison of alphabets made by some learned men, it is probable that all the others have been derived from these.

The Phoenicians, Hebrews, Arabians, and Assyrians wrote from right to left. The people of China, Japan, and some parts of Tartary write perpendicularly from top to bottom. The Phoenicians wrote at one period from right to left; then from left to right, alternately: the ancient Greeks, in imitation of them, adopted the same method, but finding it more convenient to write from left to right, this afterwards became their practice, in which they have been followed by all European nations.

The first attempts of men to preserve their knowledge might rather be termed engraving than writing, as the materials originally employed for this purpose were pillars, tables of stone, and plates of the softer kinds of metal. In some countries, pieces of wood thinly covered with wax were afterwards used, and the letters were formed by means of a stylus or bodkin of iron. Parchment or vellum, properly prepared from the skins of animals, seems to have succeeded,