Il8 MENTAL EVOLUTION IN MAN. 



cally, or for degrees of comparison. The relations of ideas 

 and objects are therefore expressed by placement, and their 

 connection is established when necessary by the abstraction 

 of ideas. The sign-talker is an artist, grouping persons and 

 things so as to show the relations, and the effect is that which 

 is seen in a picture. But though the artist has the advantage 

 in presenting in a permanent connected scene the result of 

 several transient signs, he can only present it as it appears at 

 a single moment. The sign-talker has the succession of time 

 at his disposal, and his scenes move and act, are localized and 

 animated, and their arrangement is therefore more varied 

 and significant." * 



The following is the order in which the parable of the 

 Prodigal Son would be translated by a cultivated sign-talker, 

 with Colonel Mallery's remarks thereon : — 



" ' Once, man one, sons two. Son younger say. Father 

 property your divide: part my, me give. Father so.— Son 

 each, part his give. Days few after, son younger money all 

 take, country far go, money spend, wine drink, food nice eat. 

 Money by and by gone all. Country everywhere food little : 

 son huno-ry very. Go seek man any, me hire. Gentleman 

 meet. Gentleman son send field swine feed. Son swine husks 

 eat, see — self husks eat want — cannot — husks him give nobody. 

 Son thinks, say, father my, servants many, bread enough, part 

 give away can — I none — starve, die. I decide : Father I go 

 to, say I bad, God disobey, you disobey — name my hereafter 

 S071, no — I unworthy. You me work give servant like. So 

 son begin go. Father far look : son see, pity, run, meet, 

 embrace. Son father say, I bad, you disobey, God disobey — 

 name my hereafter son, no — I unworthy. But father servants 

 call, command robe best bring, son put on, ring finger put on, 

 shoes feet put on, calf fat bring, kill. We all eat, merry. Why? 

 Son this my formerly dead, now alive : formerly lost, now 

 found : rejoice.' 



" It may be remarked, not only from this example, but 

 from general study, that the verb ' to be ' as a copula or 



* Loc. cit., p. 54. 



