Evolution of the Alphabet 



them into various parts so that each part formed a char- 

 acter, and each character, thus formed, represented a sound. 

 These characters were combined so that they represented 

 words. Words are dying out and becoming obsolete while 

 other new words are being added to our language in about 

 the same ratio so that the decrease is about offset by the 

 increase. By adopting a series of twenty-six characters such 

 as our English alphabet contains, we have a system, the 

 combinations of whose characters may form many thou- 

 sands of times more words than are now found in any 

 dictionary. 



It was thus that the alphabet was formed, but we know 

 not where nor when. It may be said, with certainty, that 

 it was not formed at any one place or at any one time, but 

 like every branch of both Cultural and Organic Evolu- 

 tion, it is the result of necessity, adaptation, modification, 

 change and growth. It has followed the Universal Plan of 

 Creation. 



In discussing the development of the art of writing and 

 of the alphabet, the story of Cultural Evolution, by way of 

 contrast, has been advanced for a period of at least 100,000 

 years out of its regular order. Before the age of writing 

 had been reached, there were more serious problems to be 

 met and solved. These problems had engaged primitive 

 man's attention for unknown centuries before the necessity 

 arose for a system of writing. The law of self preservation 

 was his greatest urge and its impulse must be obeyed if he 

 was to survive in the struggle for life. 



[67] 



