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Letters

.

Their proportionate use is as follows:—

1
E . 1,000
T .. 770
A .. 728
I .. 704
S .. 680
O .. 672
N .. 670
H .. 540
R .. 528
D .. 392
L .. 360
U .. 296
C .. 280
M .. 272
F .. 236
W .. 190
Y .. 184
P .. 168
G .. 168
B .. 158
V .. 120
K .. 88
J .. 55
Q .. 50
X .. 46
Z .. 22

Consonants, 5,977. Vowels, 3,400.

As initial letters the order is very different, the proportion being:—

3 S .. 1,194
C .. 937
P .. 804
A .. 574
T .. 571
D .. 505
B .. 463
M .. 439
F .. 388
I .. 377
E .. 340
H .. 308
L .. 298
R .. 291
W .. 272
G .. 266
U .. 228
O .. 206
V .. 172
N .. 153
J .. 69
Q .. 58
K .. 47
Y .. 23
Z .. 18
X .. 4


E is the most common letter (except in initials), and r, s, t, d, are the most common final letters.


I and a are the only single letters which make words. Perhaps o, as a sign of the vocative case, should be added. Of two letters, an, at, and on are the most common, and of three letters the and and. (See Long Words.)

Letters. Philo affirms that letters were invented by Abraham.

Many attribute the invention to Badamanth, the Assyrian.

Blair says they were invented by Memnon, the Egyptian, B.C. 1822.

The same authority says that Menēs invented hieroglyphics, and wrote in them a history of Egypt, B.C. 2122.

Josephus asserts that he had seen inscriptions by Seth, son of Adam.

Lucan says:—

“Phœniʹcēs primi, famæ si creditur, ausi

Mansuʹram ruʹdibus vocem signaʹre figuʹris.”


Pharsalia, iii. 220.

Sir Richard Philips says—“Thoth, the Egyptian who invented current writing, lived between B.C. 2806 and 3000.”

Many maintain that Jehovah taught men written characters when He inscribed on stone the ten commandments. Of course, all these assertions have a similar value to mythology and fable.

Cadmos, the Phœnician, introduced sixteen of the Greek letters.

Simonʹidēs introduced η, ω, ξ; and Epicarmos introduced θ, χ. At least, so says Aristotle. (See Lacedemonian Letter, and Letter of Pythagoras.)

Father of Letters (Père des Lettres). François I. of France (1494, 1515–1547).

Lorenzo deʹ Medici, the Magnificent (1448–1492).

A man of letters. A man of learning, of erudition.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Lethean Dew
Letter-Gae
Letter-lock
Letter of Credit
Letter of Licence (A)
Letter of Marque
Letter of Orders (A)
Letter of Pythagoras (The)
Letter of Safe Conduct
Letter of Uriah (2 Sam, xi. 14)
Letters
Letters
Letters Missive
Letters Overt
Letters Patent
Letters at the Foot of a Page
Letters of Administration
Letters of Bellerophon
Letters of Horning
Letters of Junius
Letters of the Sepulchre