Smyrna times., 1870-02-02
MSSceIIUn 10 eOUS.
Monograns.

What is monogram? Oh +! it is your ini-
tlals twisted together, so that nobody can read
them, and then stamped on your note paper.
This is fair description Of monogram &C.
cording to the received notion in this nineteenth
century. Most people would be greatly aston
lshed to be told that these interlaced letters
are not monograms at all. They may be poly
grams-but mOnOgrams they are not.
The word monogram, as every one knows,
signifies single letter or symbol (naosOS single
granlTraG, letter.. Strictly speaking, then a
monogram is combination OF two or more let
ters combined so as to form a single symbol.
Tee dipthODgs G and E, for instance, are
pure monOgrams, and so also is the ampersand
(&l. ....
Dipthonged letters were probably first used
in translating from Greek into Latin. In Greek
writing, when vowels were written side by side,
but sounded together, the vowels were kept
separate; but in Latin writing, some of them
were Joined together, as in the dipthongs Just
quoted. Indeed, the medieval monks employ
ed numerous contractions, some monogramic,
some not, principally for the purpose of saving
labor and space. The most familiar example
| of these contractions is the ampersand. which
| is pure monogram of the Latin word et (and),
/ so contrived that it can he written by single
stroke Of the pen. Similar contractions are
common in Oriental writing. In Hebrew epis
tolary correspondence, which commences with
BY the help of God" Beesrah HasbenI, J
these words are represented by pure mono
gram composed ofthe letters B. Ii.
The foregoing examples show what is mean
by pure monogram They are not given a
Illustrations of the. early use of monogrms, o
of joined letters. These are of much highe
antiquity Mr. Berri, in his MoRogrGnes HIS
torTc0t and PRACTICAL gives it as his Opinion
that such devices took their origin from Egyp
tan hieroglyphics Take, for example, tn
triple tau or L, which among the Hebrews wa
the sign of security. The origin of the tau
. lost (; but some writers assert that it was Oh
form of the Egyptian Nilometer, used to ascel
: tain the height Of the waters Of the Nilo upo
which depended the sustenance and liyes Of tn
inhabitants of Egypt But, remarks Mr.. Bel
ri, whatever might have been its origin
whether it was derived from the Nilometer &
: the Egyptian Trinity, that simple mark hs
; been handed down from age to age." .,.t .t'
The lsraelites bore this symbol On their baI
E ner, sometimes singly, sometimes triply.
is said to be referred to in Ezekiel tx. 6 "Sla
utterly old and young, both maids, and lit
1 children, and women: but come not near ar
E man upon whom is the mark" This mark W;
, also called the letter of life, and among Il
4 Greeks the token of absOlution, because prisO
ers or culprits upon whom this mark was pla
+ ed had their lives spared. a- .'f y.
{ In modern times, the same style of mon
gram, if it may be called, is, according to son
3 authorities, found in -heraldry in the form
!, St. AntbOnys cross, so called because tn
, saint always bore this device on his hab
9 This form of the tau implies that g he wi
8 beareth it is stay or supporter of his prime
, and an upholder of the Christian faith"
i Astle, in The Origin and Progress of Wr
e ting, informs us that monograms were ancieI
7 ly used in Syria, Egypt, and Greece, and
IS gives numerous examples of joined letters ia
Il en- from early Greek manuscripts, though no
q from Syriac or Egyptian. fr