1845.] On the invention of the Armenian Alphabet. 523 



inter docendum ex eo cepit, quod ipse cum lector, turn interpres erat, 

 neque a populo intelligi potuit, si quis forte, eo absente, legisset, 

 quoniam quidem non aderat interpres." L. III. Cap. XLVII. The 

 heart of St. Mesrop burned with a holy desire to translate the Scrip- 

 tures into the Armenian language, but the want of a perfect alphabet 

 operated as a check to the attainment of the great object he had in 

 view. This insurmountable obstacle tended, in no small degree, to the 

 revival of paganism in some parts of Armenia, the inhabitants of 

 which had embraced Christianity. The mind of St. Mesrop, was, 

 therefore, literally absorbed in the plan of systematizing and complet- 

 ing the Armenian alphabet, fully sensible that on the success of this 

 important project depended the civilization and happiness of his coun- 

 trymen. Moses Chorenensis, referring to the object in view, adds: 



« \\ujuU npnj trt^ '/i iTwft <y'buj[itr[__ qtnu/btr^'bjufbuttfrppu Z^ujinq fjrqnt.[iu * &_ 

 u/pt(b uif_ cfuibX'b 'fi ui^uui^u $ufbu u{i;uuik" iftnp&fti-tg tniuJ-ufb^nx" c - AtQUe 



ob earn rem rationem iniit, quemadmodum Armeniacae linguae charac- 

 teres inveniret ; qua in re dum operam poneret, variis premebatur 

 difficuitatibus." L. III. Cap. XLVII. 



St. Mesrop was eminent for his profound learning, and his know- 

 ledge of the Greek and Syriac languages. His unrivalled qualifica- 

 tions had obtained for him the appointment of Secretary to the King 

 Viramshapuh. Having filled this situation for a certain time, he preferred 

 the quiet of monastic seclusion to the bustle of public life. Urgent busi- 

 ness induced Viramshapuh to sojourn in Mesopotamia, where the absence 

 of his able and experienced Secretary, or of one equally competent to 

 discharge the duties of his office, was a serious impediment to the pro- 

 gress of the transactions of his court. The use of Persian characters in 

 public writings presented many difficulties. Hereupon, a priest or 

 monk, named Abel, offered to the king to introduce Armenian letters, 

 the prototype of which was said to be in the possession of a Syrian 

 bishop, known by the name of Daniel. These letters are mentioned 

 in the annals of ancient Armenian writers by the designation of Dani- 

 elian characters, which, however inelegant and incomplete, were des- 

 tined to be improved, systematized and completed by the genius of St. 

 Mesrop. 



It is thus evident that Armenian letters were extant prior to the 

 fourth century, but these, like the Hebrew and Arabic alphabets, were 



