writing, in the history of the nations, till long after the days of Moses; unless the book of Job may be regarded as an exception.  The art of expressing almost an infinite variety of sounds, by the interchanges of a few letters, or marks, seems more like a discovery to man from heaven, than a human invention; and its beneficial effects, and almost absolute necessity, for the preservation and communication of true religion, favour the conjecture.”—­Scott’s Preface, p. xiv.

21.  The time at which Cadmus, the Phoenician, introduced this art into Greece, cannot be precisely ascertained.  There is no reason to believe it was antecedent to the time of Moses; some chronologists make it between two and three centuries later.  Nor is it very probable, that Cadmus invented the sixteen letters of which he is said to have made use.  His whole story is so wild a fable, that nothing certain can be inferred from it.  Searching in vain for his stolen sister—­his sister Europa, carried off by Jupiter—­he found a wife in the daughter of Venus!  Sowing the teeth of a dragon, which had devoured his companions, he saw them spring up to his aid a squadron of armed soldiers!  In short, after a series of wonderful achievements and bitter misfortunes, loaded with grief and infirm with age, he prayed the gods to release him from the burden of such a life; and, in pity from above, both he and his beloved Hermione were changed into serpents!  History, however, has made him generous amends, by ascribing to him the invention of letters, and accounting him the worthy benefactor to whom the world owes all the benefits derived from literature.  I would not willingly rob him of this honour.  But I must confess, there is no feature of the story, which I can conceive to give any countenance to his claim; except that as the great progenitor of the race of authors, his sufferings correspond well with the calamities of which that unfortunate generation have always so largely partaken.

22.  The benefits of this invention, if it may be considered an invention, are certainly very great.  In oral discourse the graces of elegance are more lively and attractive, but well-written books are the grand instructors of mankind, the most enduring monuments of human greatness, and the proudest achievements of human intellect.  “The chief glory of a nation,” says Dr. Johnson, “arises from its authors.”  Literature is important, because it is subservient to all objects, even those of the very highest concern.  Religion and morality, liberty and government, fame and happiness, are alike interested in the cause of letters.  It was a saying of Pope Pius the Second, that, “Common men should esteem learning as silver, noblemen value it as gold, and princes prize it as jewels.”  The uses of learning are seen in every thing that is not itself useless.[25] It cannot be overrated, but where it is perverted; and whenever that occurs, the remedy is to be sought by opposing learning to learning, till the truth is manifest, and that which is reprehensible, is made to appear so.