LETTER, a character used to express one of the simple sounds of the voice; and as the different simple sounds are expressed by different letters, these, by being differently compounded, become the visible signs or characters of all the modulations and mixtures of sounds used to express our ideas in a regular language. Thus, as by the help of speech we render our ideas audible; by the assistance of letters we render them visible, and by their help we can wrap up our thoughts, and send them to the most distant parts of the earth, and read the transactions of different ages. As to the first letters, what they were, who first invented them, and among what people they were first in use, there is still room to doubt: Philo attributes this great and noble invention to Abraham; Josephus, St. Irenæus, and others, to Enoch; Bibliander, to Adam; Eusebius, Clemens Alexandrinus, Cornelius Agrippa, and others, to Moses; Pomponius Mela, Herodias, Rufus Festus, Pliny, Lucan, &c. to the Phœnicians; St. Cyprian, to Saturn; Tacitus, to the Egyptians; some, to the Ethiopians; and others, to the Chinese; but, with respect to these last, they can never be entitled to this honour, since all their characters are the signs of words, formed without the use of letters; which renders it impossible to read and write their language, without a vast expence of time and trouble; and absolutely impossible to print it by the help of types, or any other manner but by engraving, or cutting in wood. See PRINTING.
There have also been various conjectures about the different kinds of letters used in different languages: thus, according to Crinitus, Moses invented the Hebrew letters; Abraham, the Syriac and Chaldee; the Phœnicians, those of Attica, brought into Greece by Cadmus, and from thence into Italy by the Pelasgians; Nicofrata, the Roman; Isis, the Egyptian; and Vulfilas, those of the Goths.
It is probable, that the Egyptian hieroglyphics were the first manner of writing; but whether Cadmus and the Phœnicians learned the use of letters from the
Letter. Egyptians, or from their neighbours of Judea or Samaria, is a question; for since some of the books of the Old Testament were then written, they are more likely to have given them the hint, than the hieroglyphics of Egypt. But wheresoever the Phoenicians learned this art, it is generally agreed, that Cadmus, the son of Agenor, first brought letters into Greece; whence, in following ages, they spread over the rest of Europe.
Letters make the first part or elements of grammar; an assemblage of these compose syllables and words, and these compose sentences. The alphabet of every language consists of a number of letters, which ought each to have a different sound, figure, and use. As the difference of articulate sounds was intended to express the different ideas of the mind, so one letter was originally intended to signify only one sound, and not, as at present, to express sometimes one sound and sometimes another; which practice has brought a great deal of confusion into the languages, and rendered the learning of the modern tongues much more difficult than it would otherwise have been. This consideration, together with the deficiency of all the known alphabets, from their wanting some letters to express certain sounds, has occasioned several attempts towards an universal alphabet, to contain an enumeration of all such single sounds or letters as are used in any language. See ALPHABET.
Grammarians distinguish letters into vowels, consonants, mutes, liquids, diphthongs, and characteristics. They are likewise divided into capital and small letters. They are also denominated from the shape and turn of the letters; and in writing are distinguished into different hands, as round-text, German-text, round-hand, Italian, &c. and in printing, into roman, italic, and black letter.
The term LETTER, or type, among printers, not only includes the CAPITALS, SMALL CAPITALS, and small letters, but all the points, figures, and other marks cast and used in printing; and also the large ornamental letters, cut in wood or metal, which take place of the illumined letters used in manuscripts. The letters used in printing are cast at the ends of small pieces of metal, about three quarters of an inch in length; and the letter being not indented, but raised, easily gives the impression, when, after being blacked with a glutinous ink, paper is closely pressed upon it. See the articles PRINTING and TYPE. A font of letters includes small letters, capitals, small capitals, points, figures, spaces, &c. but besides they have different kinds of two-lined letters, only used for titles, and the beginning of books, chapters, &c. See FONT.