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opinion, to lead us to neglect the study of the 

 symbolic and sacred characters. The know- 

 ledge of these characters is intimately connected 

 with the mythology, the manners, and the indi- 

 vidual genius of nations ; it throws light on the 

 history of the ancient migrations of our species ; 

 and is highly interesting to the philosopher, pre- 

 senting him, in the uniform progress of the lan- 

 guage of signs in parts of the Earth the most 

 remote from each other, an image of the first un- 

 folding of the faculties of man. 



