GESTURE-LANGUAGE AND WORD-LANGUAGE. 59 



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utterance to which, the description of the primaeval lang-uage 

 in the Chinese myth may be applied ; " Suy-jin first gave 

 names to plants and animals, and these names were so expres- 

 sive, that by the name of a thing it was known what it was."^ 



To speak first of the comparison of gesture-signs with 

 words, it has been already observed that the gesture-language 

 uses two different processes. It brings objects and actions 

 bodily into the conversation, by pointing to them or looking at 

 them, and it also suggests by imitation of actions, or by " pic- 

 tures in the air," and these two processes may be used sepa- 

 rately or combined. This division may be clumsy and in some 

 cases inaccurate, but it is the best I have succeeded in making. 

 I will now examine more closely the first division, in which 

 objects are brought directly before the mind. 



When Mr. Lemuel Gulliver visited the school of languages 

 in Lagado, he was made acquainted with a scheme for im- 

 proving language by abolishing all words whatsoever. Words 

 being only names for things, people were to carry the things 

 themselves about, instead of wasting their breath in talking 

 about them. The learned adopted the scheme, and sages 

 might be seen in the streets bending under their heavy sacks 

 of materials for conversation, or unpacking their loads for a 

 talk. This was found somewhat troublesome. " But for short 

 conversations, a man may carry implements in his pockets, 

 and under his arms, enough to supply him ; and in his house, 

 he cannot be at a loss. Therefore the room where the com- 

 pany meet who practise this art, is full of all things, ready at 

 hand, requisite to furnish matter for this kind of artificial 



converse." 



The traveller records that this plan did not come into ge- 

 neral use, o^ving to the ignorant opposition of the women and 

 the common people, who threatened to raise a rebellion if they 

 were not allowed to speak with their tongues after the manner 

 of their forefathers. But this system of talking by objects is 

 in sober earnest an important part of the gesture-language, 

 and in its early development among the deaf-and-dumb, per- 

 haps the most important. Is there then anything in spoken 

 ' Goguet, 'De I'Origine des Lois,' etc. ; Paris, 1758, rol. iii. p. 322. 



