Particularly of the LETTER 2ITMA. 113 



conftituent elements, can be but very imperfectly expreffed by 

 figures of imitation ; becaufe there is of thefe founds an im- 

 menfe variety, which cannot poflibly admit of any fuch vifible 

 exhibition*. Thofe conventional figns, which we call letters, 

 are the only proper and complete mode of denoting fimple ele- 

 mental founds, and their infinite variety of combination in 

 fyllables and words. For although the alphabet of no one lan- 

 guage contains a fufficient number of letters to exprefs every pof- 

 fible modification of articulated found ; yet the letters compo- 

 fing the feveral alphabets of thofe written languages with which 

 we are acquainted, efpecially the ancient Greek and Latin, have 

 been found fufficient for denoting all the requifite elementary 

 founds in thofe particular languages j". 



Letters are called by the Greeks y^a^ara, a word whofe 

 etymology is evident ; for if ygcvpa fignify to write, ygccppa, 

 mud fignify a thing written, that is, a letter, or written charac- 

 ter, denoting an element of articulate found %. The ori- 



Vol. II. P ginal 



* See an excellent account of the difference betwixt imitative and fymbolic language, 

 by the late Mr Harris, fupported by quotations from Greek authors. Hermes, Book III. 

 Chap. 3. 



f Dr Wilkins has endeavoured to fhew tbe defefts in common alphabets, as to the 

 true order of the letters, their juft number, determinate powers, fitting names, proper 

 figures, <&c. EJJay towards a real CharaEler, &c. Part I. Chap. v. And he has exhi- 

 bited a table of fuch fimple founds as he thinks can be framed by men, with a twofold in- 

 ftance of a more regular character for the letters, together with feveral other curious 

 particulars. Part III. Chap. x. xi. xii. xiii. xiv. After all, he concludes as follows : 

 " Thefe thirty-four letters, before enumerated, will fuffice to exprefs all thofe articulate 

 " founds, which are commonly known and ufed in thefe parts of the world. I dare not 

 u be over-peremptory in afferting, that thefe are all the articulate Sounds, which either 

 " are, or can be in nature ; it being as impoffible to reckon up all fuch, as to determine 

 " the juil number of Colours or Tajtes." 



t The etymology of the Latin word Litera, is not fo well afcertained. See Scaliger 

 de Caujis Ling. hat. Lib. I. Cap. 4. Ammonius the Grammarian thus defines the dif- 

 ference betwixt ygtxf&na. and roi^eJoi'. T^etf/./^cc Zro^eia &«<p£g«. Zra/^oov fth yS is-tv is IkQio- 

 intrts k1 <pdiyyo$, a to y^J.f/.fjict trt a-rifiHov ^ t^tt©- v yypct. T^x^fi* differs from roiyftav. For 

 ys<^;«ov is the enunciation and the found, of which ypufipa is a Jign or type or figure. De 

 affinium vocab. differentia, voce ye/tupa., ubi vide quae annotavit vir do&iffimus Lun. 



Casp. 



