100 On the Origin of — 
ideas to: the minds of his prophets by means 
‘of those articulate sounds which already made 
a part of human language. But a decisive 
‘objection to this hypothesis is derived from the 
circumstance that the art of writing is twice 
mentioned in this very book of Exodus before 
the account of the ten commandments;* to 
which it may be added, that in what is said 
to have been written on the two tables of 
stone, the whole Hebrew alphabet is not to 
be found. At thistime therefore the art can- 
not have been revealed; and no other precise 
time has ever been pointed out ; a very satis- 
factory proof to my mind that no:such time 
ever’ can be fixed, and that no such revelation 
ever was made. | ley eye 
In the third place, although:the chef ex- 
cellence of this art doubtless lies in the prin- 
ciple on which it is founded, and is uncon- 
nected with the peculiar nature or form of 
the characters employed, yet I cannot bring 
myself to believe that ma divine revelation so 
little attention would have been paid to con- 
venience or beauty... The main object: cer- 
tainly isto express our ideas; but it is alsoan 
object to do this expeditiously, and itis even 
desirable that the character should present an 
appearance pleasing rather than. otherwise to 
* Exod. xvii. 14. xxiv. 4. °° 
