187 



hustled together, without distinotion or order, apparently 

 as they issued at first from the brain that conceived them. 

 Nor would this be an unimportant observation, were we for- 

 tunate enough to possess many of the writings of the primi- 

 tive times : because it would furnish a test for discovering 

 the most ancient production in which alphabetic writing 

 was used, if it happened that such a production were still in 

 existence. For if on an analysis of the first lines of the 

 work into their elementary sounds, by the process which I 

 have endeavoured to describe, the characters r.epresehting 

 those sounds should arrange themselves in the order of the 

 alphabet — •! mean the alphabet of the language in which the 

 work was composed — little doubt, could remain, that alpha- 

 betic writing was used for the first time in recording that 

 very composition ; and was invented in the anxiety of its 

 author, to snatch from dissolution the perishable sounds of 

 which it consisted. 



Such an expectation is not now to be entertained ; and 

 even if it might, the investigation could scarcely be desirable 

 except to a mere antiquarian. A similar remark, perhaps, 

 may be made upon the discussion that has already detained 

 us so long. — I have nothing to say in its defence. — It exam- 

 ines a question of mere idle curiosity; and is scarcely inter- 

 esting even to a few. — It is useless and unnecessary to any 

 purpose or end — unless, indeed, it may be supposed of ad- 

 vantage, to open a more favourable view of the powers of 

 the human mind, and that it shall be considered, not altoge- 



