Of Alphaietkal Chara5fers. 307 



4. But this method, being too fubtle and com- 

 plicated for common ufe, the only plan to be 

 purfued, was a rcdudion of the firft ftage of 

 the preceding method. Thus a dot, inftead of 

 i. circle, might ftand for the fun : and a fimilar 

 abbreviation might be extended to all the fym- 

 bols. Upon this fcheme, every objedt and 

 every idea would have its appropriated mark : 

 thefe marks, therefore, would have a multi- 

 plicity commenfurate to the works of nature, 

 and the operations of the mind. This method 

 alfo was pradtifed by the yEgypiians, but has 

 received its higheft perfedlion from the Chine/e, 

 Their vocabulary is confequently interminable, 

 and almoft infinite: fo that the longeft life is 

 faid to be incompetent to a complete acquaint- 

 ance with it: and who does not fee, that it may 

 be extended to any afilgnable point whatever? 

 Now, if we compare this amazingly tedious, 

 and cumberfome, and prolix contrivance, with 

 the aftonifliing brevity and perfpicuity of alpha- 

 betical zvritingy we mufl: be perfuaded, that no 

 two things can readily be conceived more dif- 

 fimilar; and that the tranfition, from a fcheme 

 conftantly enlarging itfelf and growing daily 

 more intricate, to an exprefTion of every pofTible 

 idea by the modified arrangement of four and 

 fujenty marks, is not fo very eafy and percep- 

 tible, as fome have imagined. Indeed, this feems 

 to be Hill rather an exprefTion of things by 



X 2 correlative 



