CADMUS, 267 
‘fenting always the fame found, as far as thefe feveral cha- 
‘yaéters can be applied. If the fame found cannot always 
be found in one language that a letter in another repre- 
‘fents, this letter muft not be ufed in the firft, on any ac- 
‘count, asit would produce confufion; for it makes part 
only of an univerfal alphabet. Such charafters might 
however foon come into ufe, by adopting, with-all future 
difcoveries, the names given by the inventors, either in 
arts or fciences, and in whatever language. Any fubfe- 
quent improvements in the arts would be more eafily 
comprehended in writings, were the names and terms 
every where the fame. If one nation only take this ad- 
vantage one only will enjoy this benefit: but were 
more nations to doit, languages would in time aflimilate 
as knowledge became more diffufed by intercourfe; the 
origin of the difcoveries would be more eaftly traced, and 
all the world feem more nearly allied. Nothing indeed 
can be -more ridiculous, than to alter a proper name, 
merely to make its termination more correfpondent to the 
general laws ofa language: jyet in how many inftances 
have the French, Englifh, Germans and other nations 
done this! At the fame time they urge the neceflity of 
preferving an orthography which has very few traces left 
of the radicals, and has little more affinity with the fpo- 
ken language than two different languages have with 
each other: thus, to read and write, and to {peak the fame 
things, are arts as different and difficult as to learn two 
diftin& languages; for they are in general written by 
miferable hieroglyphics; and, it is as difficult for a per- 
fon to remember that a particular written word fignifies 
‘a certain vocal one, as to remember that the fame word 
fignifies a particular objet. We cannot then but lament 
the many mifpent years of our youth, and the continual 
exercife of cruelty which is inflited to make them imbibe 
Lia the 
