One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
| Ancient form. | Present character. | |
| the human face. | ||
| the moon. | ||
| rain. | ||
| the eye. | ||
| an arrow. | ||
| the mouth. | ||
| the tongue in the midst of the mouth. | ||
| the teeth. |
In order to save a multiplicity of characters, a single one is often placed in various positions, to convey ideas which it would be very difficult, and often impossible, to express by a simple drawing of the object: for instance, how could the idea of ‘a corpse’ be represented on paper; the figure of a man, it is easily seen, is not sufficient, since we cannot tell, from looking at a picture so unfinished as the rapidity of writing would demand, whether the breath be in or out of the body; they, therefore, take the figure for man we have before seen, and lay it prostrate, thus