Chap. IX. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 153 



It makes founds vifible, and fpcaks, as it were, to the eyes. It is 



alfo of the greateft ufe, as it gives a fixednefs and permanency to 



fpeech, which, by its nature, is voluble and tranfitory, (for, as the 



poet fays, 



Semel emifTum volat incvocabile verbum.) 



and in that way preferves arts and fciences for many generations, 

 and tranfmits them from the mod dlftant countries and moll an- 

 tient times ; by which means the moft valuable learning we enjoy, 

 that is tlie antient learning, has been prefervcd to us. So won- 

 derful an art could not have been, any more than language, in- 

 vented at once: And, accordingly, there was a progrcfs in it 

 which we know, from the picture-writing, which was pradtifed by 

 the Mexicans in South America when they were firft dilcovered, to 

 the fymbolical or hieroglyphical writing, which was the firfl: writing 

 among the Egyptians, and is at this day uled by the Chinefe. 

 But though it be fo wonderful an art, it is the art which, next to 

 language, is of moft general ufc: And it is the firft art that our chil- 

 dren are taught; for they learn to write, even before they are taught 

 the art of language, and when they have acquired by uie the prac- 

 tice of it only*. But to return to language. — That all thofe different 

 founds, of which language is compofed, fo many, fo various, and fo 

 mixed together, produced by thoie hidden organs of the mouth that I 

 have mentioned, (the operations of whicli are not io obvious, and arc 

 much more delicate and nice than thofe of our other organs, fuch as 

 our legs or our arms), lliould have liecn invented without fupernatural 

 afliftance, in the firft and rudeft ag>.s of civil fociety, and before any 

 fjther art was invented, appears to me, as 1 have faid, abfolutely incredi- 

 ble f; and I am perfuaded it will appear fo to all my readers, when they 

 confider how language is at firft learned by us in our prefent ftate, 

 Vol. VI. U that 



* Who would defire to know more of this wonderful art of vriting, may read wi.it 

 I have written in Vol IV. p 26. a. d roli.i.\'i.,«; 



t That fupfrnatural affillancf, I have ellewhcre faid, was given to the Egyptians 

 by their Daemon Km^s, Ibid. p. 16^. 



