508 REMARKS ON THE ORIGIN . 
come in contact with it as it were line by line, a 
very slight pressure would in this way produce 
an effect in the way of impression, which in the ~ 
case of a seal, whose flat surface was equivalent 
to that of the cylinder, would require a very con- 
siderable force to produce the same effect. This 
simple principle practised upwards of 4000 years 
ago, includes the entire theory of the action of 
rollers, as employed in pressing or extending 
materials. 
Ere I leave this part of my subject, namely, 
the modes by which the arrow-head characters 
were produced originally in clay, by the style, 
and subsequently in stone and marble by the 
chisel, 1 shall now offer a few remarks by way of 
conjecture as to the manner in which the first idea 
of this truly beautiful and remarkable character 
suggested itself to the primitive brick-making 
Babylonians. What I have to offer on this sub- 
ject I am perfectly willing to admit, is open to 
attack, as being over fanciful and highly specula- 
tive. Be that as it may, my readers shall have 
my ideas on the subject, and they may receive or 
reject them as best pleases their own fancy ; for as 
I am in possession of no absolute fact whereon to 
found my views in regard to ¢his part of my 
subject, 1 must fall back upon probabilities ; and 
