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his scheme to make stones converse; told him he would find those stones very unentertaining company when he had nothing else for bread; and advised him to get his reason back, and settle down to regular & rational occupations, like other men. Gist sat in perfect silence; only repeating to himself, as he departed "I know I can make characters which may be understood:"

     Next morning, he took up the stone again. He went to work with the pin. He covered the stone with marks. "I know" word marked out reiterated he, exultingly, "that I can make characters which may be understood."
     He returned home. He immediately commenced contriving characters. Each character stood for a word. He had made considerable progress; he had invented a great number of  characters for words, when he discovered that the number of separate signed required for a complete set of words would be so great that no one could ever word marked out learn or remember them. He now changed his plan. By making one character to represent one sound. words marked out, and another to represent another sound, he saw that they would combine so