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On the ORIGIN of ALPHABETICAL CHARACTERS. By GILBERT WAKEFIELD, B. A. late Fellow of Jefus College Cambridge. Read March 10, 1784.*

AT

T this period of time, when the human mind has acquired fo much honour by the introduction of fuch aftonishing improvements, into the various departments of philofophy and science, beyond the example of former ages; thofe fpeculations, which tend to aggrandize the dignity of reafon, are received with avidity, and admitted with a readier acquiescence. We are apt to conclude, that the fame ingenuity and ftrength of faculties, which have been able to inveftigate the fublime laws of the planetary system, to adjust the tides, to

The unfettled fituation of the author, and his abfence from books, would not fuffer him to difcufs the following fubject in any other than a popular manner. The most fatisfactory authorities, however, might be produced for every affertion of importance, and much more might have. been alledged to the purpofe of the queftion. But the reader must condefcend to take the attempt, as it is offered to his notice. With refpect to the Armenian language, with which the author is not acquainted, it is faid to be of more modern date, than the other oriental tongues, and to have a great affinity to the Greek.

difentangle

difentangle the rays of light, to detect the electric fluid, and to extend their refearches into the remotest regions of mathematic science; must be adequate to any attainments, and difcoveries whatsoever. Nor has any difputable topic of enquiry been accepted more implicitly of late, even by men accustomed to hesitate and to examine, than the gradual difcovery of Alphabetical Characters by the fucceffive exertions and accumulated experience of mankind-To call in queftion a maxim fo generally believed, may appear, in the judgement of philofophers, to favour of superftition and credulity: but, perhaps, it will be found, that the evidence in favour of this maxim, bears no proportion to the confidence, with which it is embraced. As a man, I rejoice in whatever is honourable to our nature but various fcruples have ever forbidden my affent to this popular article of belief. I will ftate my objections to it in a plain and popular manner with all poffible perfpicuity and concifenefs; and then fubmit the determination of this question to the judgement and candour of this audience.

I. The five first books of the Old Teftament are, I believe, acknowledged by all to be, not only the most ancient compofitions, but also, the most early fpecimens of Alphabetical Writing, at prefent exifting in the world. Now, if alphabetical writing be indeed the refult of

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human

human ingenuity, one great peculiarity diftinguishes it from all other human inventions whatfoever the very first effort brought it to perfection. All the fagacity and experience of fucceeding generations, illuftrated as they have been by a vast influx of additional knowledge, beyond the most accomplished of their predeceffors, have been unable to fuperinduce any real improvement upon the Hebrew alphabet. This feems to me a fingularity utterly irreconcilable to the common hypothefis: at leaft, I am acquainted with no plaufible answer to this objection.

Should any one reply, "that alphabetical "characters may have been in existence many ages "prior to the date of thefe fpecimens in the "Scriptures, but that the more ancient memori"als, in which they were exhibited, have perished

by the defolations of ignorance and the viciffi"tudes of time:" I muft demur at an argument that advances no premifes of fufficient validity to authenticate this conclufion. For, 1. It is mere affirmation, without the leaft fhadow of historical teftimony to give it countenance. 2. To wave the authority of the Jewish fcriptures upon this point; (which, however, I must beg leave to obferve, is corroborated by abundant evidence from philofophy and experience, as well as history) that fimplicity of manners, predominant in the early ages, fo obfervable in the accounts delivered

down

down by facred and profane hiftorians; the confeffed mediocrity of their intellectual acquirements, and the confined intercourfe of nations with each other, which would render fuch an expedient lefs neceffary, and therefore less likely to be discovered: all thefe confiderations feem to argue with no little cogency, that fo complex, fo curious, fo wonderful, fo confummate a devife as that of alphabetical writing could hardly be first detected by a race of men, whose wants were few, whofe advantages were circumfcribed, and whofe ideas were commenfurate to their fituation. This pofition, therefore, conjectural as it is, and unfubftantial, feems unworthy of further animadverfion.

II. If alphabetical writing were a human invention, the natural result of ingenuity and experience; might we not expect, that different nations, would have fallen upon the fame expedient, independently of each other, during the compass of fo many ages: when the faculties of the mind are equally capable at all times, and in every corner of the univerfe, and when the habits of life and modes of thought inevitably bear fo great a refemblance to each other in fimilar ftages of fociety? This I fay, were but a reasonable expectation: which however, corref ponds not to the event. For alphabetical writing, as now practifed by every people in the univerfe, may be referred to one common original. If

this

this propofition can be proved, the argument from fucceffive derivation, without a fingle inftance of independent difcovery, must be allowed to amount to the very highest degree of probability in my favour: and the common fuppofition will appear perfectly gratuitous, with the incumbrance alfo of this great paradox:

you tell us, I might fay, of an invention, "which is the regular confequence of refinement "in fociety, nothing more than a gradual ad"vancement from what is plain to what is "complex; by a similar process, pursued by the "mind in all its exertions for improvement: and

yet, we can perceive no reafon to conclude, "that any community but one, and that in no "wife diftinguished by any vaft fuperiority of "inventive genius, or the improvements intro"duced by them into common life, ever com"paffed this difcovery; though the human "powers have been uniformly the fame, and the "conduct of fociety has been greatly fimilar in "different nations at different periods of time."

Let us confider then, how the evidence ftands in this cafe only premifing, that, where a continuity of tranfmiffion appears to have taken place, arifing from the intercourfe of nations. with each other; and where the words are the fame, the grammatical conftruction, and other minute peculiarities of compofition much alike, in two languages; thefe languages are of the

fame