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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. 
