Major Pricr’s Extracts from the Mualijat-i-Ddard Shekohi. 43 
nication through the tongue. Another excellence peculiar to what is com. 
mitted to writing, is its being conveyed in a language in which the charac- 
ters are in the place of sound; and what is spoken by the writer remains 
unchangeable so long as the character stands unobliterated. The writer 
having thus placed himself as much beyond the power of disavowal, as if 
the utterance had occurred in the hearing of any number of witnesses.* 
Writing then, is that sort of speech which is self-enduring after the 
speaker shall have ceased from speaking: furthermore, the words and 
figures that are written are to the eye what the words and figures that are 
spoken are to the ear; but there exists before the eyes of him who cannot 
write a veil to which he that can write is a stranger. Nevertheless, both are 
equally capable of seeing the forms of words and letters, as of other things 
visible to the eye; and this is the case with him who hears a conversation, 
and yet acquires no knowledge of the thing spoken of, neither collects any 
meaning from the sounds which strike the ear, while another both hears the 
conversation and comprehends the meaning. Both these parties are hearers 
in appearance; those who in words or speech do not comprehend the 
meaning, cannot be well considered as having heard either word or speech, 
and must be content to collect the meaning of what is said from others ; 
just as he who in a piece of writing does not comprehend the design of 
what is written, cannot be said to have seen the writing; and just as one 
that in common sees as well as another, and yet in some particular cannot 
be made to see, may be considered as blind, since, in this respect, he fore- 
goes the advantage of vision. In the same manner, he who hears what is 
said equally well with another, and yet will not attend or understand, may 
be considered as deaf, and having foregone the advantage of hearing,t and 
must accordingly submit to the superiority of that other. 
From what I have stated, it must appear that among mankind, with eyes 
to see and ears to hear, there are many nevertheless who are blind, and 
many that are deaf: we have indeed a passage in our sacred code, which 
compares those who possess the power of speech, and sight, and hearing, in 
* This passage is so ambiguously expressed in the original, that it has been difficult to give it 
any sort of literal translation, the reader must judge, ye Oya nd wl Nga 5) s un wu 
2 A> a oe Soot ls 
ly s eal, woh SI Opts nd 9 Oye Nt os Sol |) a8 po 6 Glia t 
Dyed w9S Go 
G2 
