330 
or Kamic, was originally purely pictorial and unalphabetic ; but, 
as direct and simple pictorial representation was obviously the 
most natural course, so equally, under the force of the Law of 
Least Effort, did the pictorial glide into the conventional, which 
latter at times became alphabetic, and drawing passed into 
writing. Thus, in Kamic we find : — 
I. The (so-called) Hieroglyphic. — Here, although direct ideo- 
graphs are exceedingly prominent, yet we have also certain 
phonetic or alphabetic signs representing a , i , u, b, p, f, 
m, n, r, k, q, h, ch , s, sh, t, and th. There is, moreover, 
the very important class of indirect ideographs, which con- 
vey the idea by metonymy or otherwise, e.g. by putting 
cause for effect ; hence a whip = to rule. 
II. The Hieratic . — This, which is of extreme antiquity, is merely 
the archaic contraction of the monumental (hieroglyphic) 
for ordinary use. 
III. The Demotic or Enchorial. — A still further abbreviated 
and common form of the country. These three forms com- 
pletely illustrate the transition from drawing to writing,* 
and are referred to by the Greek authors.f 
In the case of the cuneiform, we find similarly : — 
I. The Ideographic. — In Akkad, as everywhere, this is the first 
principle. As Clement of Alexandria says of the Egyptians, 
44 Wishing to express 6 sun ’ in writing, they make a circle ; 
and 4 moon,’ a figure like the moon, in its proper shape/’ J 
Here, too, of course, ideographs are direct and indirect. 
II. The Archaic. — This is the first phase of transition from 
picture-writing pure and simple. Thus ^ and 
= the solar circle. 
III. The (so-called) Hieratic. — A succeeding avatar which, with ' 
variations, was used by the Babylonians down to the latest 
J = sun. 
IV. The Ordinary Assyrian type. — Here = sun, the two 
perpendicular strokes of the last form having joined, and 
the two horizontal strokes having been shortened and made 
semi-perpendicular. 
The Chinese characters present a similar example. Thus the 
days of their monarchy. Here 
* Vide Specimen of the Rosetta Stone, in Bunsen’s Egypt's Place , vol. i., 
2nd edit., p. 625. 
t Herod., ii. 36 ; Diod. Sic. i. 81. 
% Stromata , v. 4. 
