Alphabetical Characters. 85 
bic alphabets, judging both from external 
and internal evidence, appear to be referable 
to the same quarter, so that all the alphabets 
of which we have any knowledge, may, it 
seems, be distinctly traced to one central 
point, not far distant from the borders of 
Egyptand Arabia. The facts brought forward 
by Mr. Wakefield and others in support of 
this position, are certainly singular and curi- 
ous, and the evidence appears to be sufficient 
to authorise our assent. But that this circum- 
stance, however undeniably it may be estab- 
lished, furnishes any argument for the divine 
original of letters, or that it is in any degree 
either extraordinary in itself, or peculiar to 
the invention in question, I do not at present 
see any reason to believe. On the contrary, it 
appears to be a circumstance attending this in 
common with various other arts, which yet, 
so far as I have ever heard, werenever sup- 
posed to be revealed from above. 'To men- 
tion one remarkable instance, which I select 
from among many others, chiefly on account 
of the striking analogy which it bears in other 
respects to the art of alphabetical writing. I 
mean the mode of arithmetical notation, per- 
formed by what are commonly called the Ara- 
bic numerals. This invention, I believe, was 
never attributed to a divine revelation, and 
