FACULTIES OF THE MIND. 9907 
symbol would either represent the animal itself, or the par- 
ticular sound by which it was designated. With the same 
facility with which sounds could be united, symbols 
could likewise be combined; so that in the same _pic- 
ture might be represented a variety of objects or actions. 
Such, appears to be the origin and structure of much of 
the written language of China and Japan at the present day. 
When the ear began to discriminate the different kinds 
of sounds used in speeeh, it would not be a difficult opera- 
tion to devise symbols to express the elementary parts, so 
that words could be formed by symbols with as much fa- 
cility as by sounds. The obvious utility of these symbols, 
in communicating intelligence to the absent, would recom- 
mend their general adoption. But it is obvious, that, in 
the invention of letters, each tribe would devise symbols pe- 
culiar to itself; so that a great dissimilarity of form would 
-prevail among the different alphabets. Even some of the 
circumstances which operated in the introduction of change 
into speech, would likewise operate in varying the form and. 
import of letters: But, while the principle of change in the 
former still continues to exercise its influence, in the latter 
it has been effectually overcome, by the mechanical arts of 
engraving and printing. But, even with all the advantages 
of artificial sounds and signs, we feel disposed, when deep- 
ly interested in communicating the knowledge of an event 
to others, to use the language and the gestures of nature ; 
and, by the movement of our body, to draw as it were, a 
picture of that which description is inadequate to represent. 
—To prosecute this subject farther, would obviously be fo- 
reign to the purpose of the present work. 
c. On the mutual communication of Feeling, by means of 
Signs addressed to the Touch.—'The more perfect ‘animals 
employ the sense of touch in a very limited degree, in the 
communication of their feclngs. But among insects it 
