VI. WRITINGS OF THE NEW WORLD, before the Conquests of the Europeans.

The first view of so extended a table may appear startling, on account of the multitude of graphic processes, embracing an infinite variety of signs, varying still more in form and expression; and yet all these systems were instituted for the attainment of one and the same end, namely, that of rendering the thoughts visible to the eye and audible to the ear, and transmissible to any distance; in the first two families, by means of figurative signs, and in all the rest, by the assistance of simple letters, expressing the sounds of the voice.

In considering also the latter portion of this table, we cannot but render homage to the efforts made by the powerful minds of those who have strove to reduce to a satisfactory unity this lamentable diversity of signs, which have thrown such obstacles in the way of truth, and either by fortuitous or designed resemblance have so long retarded the progress of the comparative study of languages, and their etymological affinity, so important to their philosophical development, and consequently, the knowledge of their real origin, as well as of the characters employed in writing; fundamental principles, which, in referring each language to its true source, would enable us to study each group of languages at the same time, and thus to obtain (if it were possible to devote sufficient time to each) an universal knowledge of languages. To illustrate this proposition by an example, the study of the languages named Arabic, Hebrew, Samaritan, Ethiopic, Syriac, and Chaldæan, might, to a certain extent, be reduced to the study of only one, and a knowledge of the alphabets of each of the others, alphabets founded, for the most part, upon circumstances which have wholly passed away, but which nevertheless have given, and still continue to give, to each of the above-named languages an appearance of individuality, which they do not in reality possess, but which will subsist until this appearance shall vanish, and all these languages be written with the same alphabet, whereby it would at once be apparent, that they are merely dialects of one and the same mother-language, the Arabic. An able professor, who should occupy his scholars in this wide field of inquiry, explaining the rules of the mother-tongue, and the exceptions and peculiar characters of its dialects, might teach six languages, or rather an entire family of languages, at the same time.

An analogous idea, but of less easy execution, has been suggested, namely, the composition of an universal alphabet, or, at least, embracing all the languages of Europe. To succeed in such an undertaking it would be necessary to invent,-for it does not exist at present,-a series of signs, which should altogether repre

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sent (that is, call to mind without any confusion, and so be pronounced,) every sound, utterance, and articulation, employed in the oral use of every language of Europe. It has been asserted that the number of these alphabetic signs would not exceed fiftyfour, so that it would only be necessary to invent this number. But what good would result therefrom? None is apparent. All the languages of Greek or Latin Europe are written with the letters of the two alphabets of the same name: the phonetic value of each of these letters is well known; and as to the sounds peculiar to certain languages, which these letters do not naturally express, (thus manifesting their insufficiency,) there are special signs for these peculiar sounds, which possess a well-understood value among those desirous of reading or speaking these languages. But there is still an indispensable step between the letters and the pronunciation, namely, oral tradition or instruction, which imparts to the ear and mouth of the student the true sound of these peculiar signs. There is no figured sign which is by itself capable of giving the conception and exact use of these sounds, without oral tradition, which a master alone is capable of affording,

The same idea of an universal alphabet of all the languages of the East has still less chance of success; and its difficulty would increase in proportion to the vast extent of the subject. Every attempt, indeed, proves such an enterprise to exceed the human powers, and although prompted by laudable motives, certain to incur failure. The study of ten distinct alphabets, each of thirty letters, does not present greater difficulties than the study of a single alphabet, consisting of 300 signs, expressing so many different sounds; and besides this, it would be as impossible to wrest from a nation, however small in numbers, its national alphabet, as its religion or its prejudices. The Arabs would never read the texts of their language, except in their own writing.

We may remark, in closing this subject, the manifest advantage afforded to the study and use of a strange language by the possession of an extensive and complicated national alphabet. The Latin language is written and pronounced by the aid of twentyfour letters, and the Greek, with the same number of signs, although its sounds are not precisely identical with those of the Latin. With this small number of letters, we are able to obtain a larger number of natural sounds, aspirated or guttural; but it is evident that the number of sounds would be still greater, if the alphabet in question contained a greater number of signs. If, therefore, an alphabet should exist, which combined all the sounds of all the languages in the world, it is perfectly certain that the

people employing it would be more able than any others to speak every foreign language. Now, the Russian alphabet consists of thirty-six letters, which by their regular modifications produce a far greater number of sounds of different kinds; and we may comprehend, by this simple fact, the aptitude of the Russians to speak without any national accent all the languages of Europe; their ear and tongue being beforehand brought to acquire, by the use of their own language, this singular aptitude, which is something more than a mere natural imitative talent.

But how many useful considerations may not be derived from the study of such a subject as the theory of writing, and the examination of its different systems of signs, especially at the present time, when men of the greatest learning have so deeply studied the intimate constitution of languages, and the marvellous operations of the human mind in organizing the use of speech given to man by his Creator, and materializing by signs his ideas and the sounds of his voice? It must not, then, be forgotten that in the great work which we have here undertaken, it is especially the last step of this vast and difficult subject that we propose to illustrate ;-vast, indeed, for the use of writing has penetrated, often by unknown paths, into every region of the globe; and difficult, since the great variety in the writings testifies (as well as so many other monuments) to a corresponding variety in the dispersion and very different fortunes of the families of mankind.

If this subject, considered in its principal features, should appear in the present work to unite the merit of clearly-defined proportions with that of being minutely and carefully executed, and if each specimen represented in the Plates be also an evidence of the talent and integrity of their author, the latter will have attained the constant object of his exertions, and the sole aim of his labors during a period of ten consecutive years. M.Silvestre, in fact, after having conceived the general plan of the collection, weighed its difficulties, measured its extent, and calculated the amount of painful labor which its execution would entail on him, was not discouraged, but persevered in his resolution, and accomplished it in all its details; not having entrusted to any other person the least co-operation in a work, the real value of which he was aware must consist in the scrupulous fidelity not only of each fac-simile, but of each individual copy. Long research, and the reunion of all the requisite materials had previously preceded the publication of the work; the most celebrated libraries of Europe were visited, and numerous specimens were selected from their chief palæographical monuments, destined to occupy the places