^^^l l^tHTiaral: JFiguFes < on . Characters, is manifeft from 
this, ^that they have alfo word Characters for every Num- 
ber, And they can (in the lame manner as the Romans 
could )ex prefs a Number by their numeral Charactars or 
Marks/ and by their Litteral or word Characters- ; for as one 
fipgle Jlroke lignifyes one or the firft, fo does the Character 
( in the fhte mcLrkeii mth E J fignify the lame thing, that is 
.on@ or thefirft. 
. Having thus difcoyered their CHaraQiers for Numbers, and 
their way of Numeration, I was next defirous to underftand 
fomething concerning their Language and Charader* 
Upon Perufmg all the Accounts I could meet with in 
Books, I found very Uttle fatsfaftion as to what I principally 
inquired after, which was firft concerning the Method of the 
Character,whcther it confifted of a certain Number of Marks^ 
Methodically difpofed like Letters in a Literal, or Uke Num 
bers in a Numeral or like Radicals in Compofite & Decom- 
pofite Derivations ? "^tis faid to be Legible into a great many 
Languages confiderably different one from another, but how; 
this isefeffced is apt related, only \is faid that the marks are 
of the _Nature of ;pur.iAri|h^jJfic§f Fig^a be- 
corne almoft Uniysrfa^iat us-hej^e in and ie- 
condly, concerning the Numbi^r of thele Charaders^f ^ 
which I found as little %is|kdioH, for,, by fome Relations I 
found fhat tlierg '^.^9^fb^, ^iC .-Others ■ 8 oooo and 
by othej:s 6pqQp^ Ad^i^^p^i^ti^^ h^^gU^tQ r^ifieinber, 
to Write and RcmM left 8-opo, pr i GoPOjbefor^^^^^ 
able to exprefs his meaning t^iereby, &;that it i^rthe bufinefs 
of a Mans whpleXif^ tp^K^ throughly u^erfta^^ 
.whole Chaiader5{eeming;toi^^ tlie^Qiaraftejrs are 
Immethodical, anfcj ^heregrejas Ipafiy PnTO^ 
Words. Others tell us of varioBs kinds pfChai-aaers^ 
have been in ufe in, ieveral Ages. . The firft they fay w^re Hi-- 
erogljphkal like the jEgypian or Mexicm coi}£i%^.)ig pf the Pir 
ctures of Animals & Vegetables. But that tjiel^ft are m^^ 
of Lines & Poin ts,thajL they h^vig^gp^^icliitJiig^ 
