THE INVENTION OP ALPHABETS. 351 



scured the true path which might have led to the discovery of let- 

 ters. Monsieur Fourmont, Bishop Warhurton, and Monsieur 

 Gebelin, have endeavoured to shew, that alphabets were originally 

 made up of hieroglyphic characters ; but it will presently appear, 

 that the letters of an alphabet were essentially different from the 

 characteristic marks deduced from hieroglyphics, which last are 

 marks for things and ideas, in the same manner as the ancient and 

 modern characters of the Chinese ; whereas the former are only 

 marks for sounds; and, though we should allow it an easy transi. 

 tion, from the Egyptian hieroglyphics, td the characteristic marks 

 of the Chinese, which have been demonstrated by Du Halde and 

 others to be perfectly hieroglyphic, yet, it doth not follow, that 

 the invention of an alphabet must naturally succeed these marks. 

 It is true, there is a resemblance between the Mexican picture, 

 writing, the Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the Chinese characters; 

 but these are foreign to alphabetic letters, and, in reality, do not 

 bear the least relation to them. 



The hieroglyphic characters of the Chinese, which are very nu- 

 merous, are in their nature imitative, and do not combine into 

 words, like arbitrary marks for sounds or letters, which are very 

 few, and are of a symbolic nature. We shall shew, that these 

 authors, whose learning and ingenuity entitle them to the highest 

 respect, and whose writings have furnished many useful hints to. 

 wards the discovery of alphabetic characters, have not filled up the 

 great chasm between picture-writing and letters, which, though 

 the most difficult, was the most necessary iking for them to have 

 done, before they could attempt to account for the formation of an 

 alphabet. We shall demonstrate, that letters do not derive their 

 powers from their forms, and that originally their forms en- 

 tirely depended on the fancy or will of those who made them *. 

 Other writers who have considered this difficult subject, have freely 

 confessed that it was above their comprehension t. 



Many learned men have supposed that the alphabet was of di. 



vine origin ; and several writers have asserted, that letters were 



/ 



* See Moiis. Founnont's Reflections Crit. sur les Hist, des Anc. Peuples, 

 torn. ii. a Paris, 1735. The Divine Legation 8f Moses, by the late Dr. Warbiir- 

 ton, bishop of Gloucc-Mer, vol. iii. p. 121. MODS. Gebelin's Monde Primilif, 

 vol. iii. Paris, 1775. 



t Mr. Wisp's Essay on the Origin of the Language and Letters of Europe, 

 p. 92, 93. See Universal Historv, vol. xx. p. 18, n. M. 



