Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-04-26
THE HIEROGLYPHICS OF THE ENG
LlSH ALPHABET

correspondent of the st. Louis Renpb,;
can, at Garden Grove, Union county. Illinois
writes as follows
As much labor and ingenuity have been ex-
pended upon the hieroglyphics of the Egypt
ians and upon the letters of ancient Ianonsges
IL mas struck me that the English alphabet has
| Deen neglected, and have endeayored in this
| artlcie to supply the deficiency That nv in
| expectations may not seem distorted and fan
cHui, L make the following extract, to show
mnat' In one Instance, has been brought to light
| Dy the researches of another:
] Professor Moses Stuart, in reference tn 7
| ". Ill. uieppO,s Essay on the Hieroglyphic sys-
| tenn OF NJ. ChampolliOn Jr., says: 'One need
| only read the Interpretation of the names of the
Hebrew alphabet suceessively, in order to be-
iieVe that, originally there was some analogy
between the shape Of tho respective letter and
the object by whose names they are called
for example, beginning with the alphabet, we
proceed thus: OK, house, hollow hook, armor
travelling, scrip, serpent, hand, hollow-hand
ox-goad, water, fish, prop, eye, mouth, screech-
locust, ear, head, tooth, cross. These make out
the whole original alphabet of the Hebrews,
una no one can well suppose that these names
rather than others, were given to the letters
except on account of some resemblance between
them and the objects which bore these names ~
-Am Encyclopedia.
The wise men, those who invented our alpha
bet, might evidently be supposed to convey a
nieroglyphic meaning in the formation of it,
ana though the art of drawing was imperfect
In ancient days, L think L have discovered at
ieaSt some OF the symbolica meanings, and
without further preface proceed to present
them to the reader:
Inc hrst letter represents youth entering
upon the journey of life, ardent and hasty
MS iegs only being seen, the crOss-mark
implying that he is dressed
Describes a diagonal perspective of the mo.
ton made by his feet In walkino
That the road is open and he proceeds freely.
~ ne bow OF this letter implies that he has
fallen, and it describes the line Of his fall
T. rough picture of his face with his nose
smashed in.
! hat he is recovering
U And that he is proceeding whence comes the
phrase "Going it''
Il mat he meets a friend, and shakes hands.
winch Is represented by the cross-mark
l Implies that friendship is but name, -
the perpendicular clearly signifying that
he is alone.
And renews his journey, throwing his heels
X But he is stopped by person, imperfectly
represented rs a female-that is a rib.
which ia placed against his side.
l. The lower part OF this letter describes his
advances.
M And his respectful bows
N Her cOurtesies.
a' tno oIcie Is complete, so is bis hap
piness.
Still his joy is described as enclosing him
only from his breast to his head. and ae
wishes for more.
Y When she takes his arm.
Now her relation to him is changed from
what it was in OK" and her head rests
upon bis shoulder
That things become crooked, as they usually
do.
7 And he is pictured with his shoulders sb-,
ged and his arms hanging down
U But ne rscovers by taking Something to
drink, the cup being we'll executed
' Two persons about to embrace, being in the
act Of stepping forward
This letter evidently describes another per-
son who is intimately connected with abem.
y Who is decidedly cross
And becomes less 80.
And the two horizontal li.cs describe two
persons asleep, with another lying between
them, as indicated by the diagonal.
Yours, truly, Is"