I. The ejection of such letters as were not wanted. Thus it was that the seventh letter (_zayn_, _zaeta_) was thrown out of the alphabet, and the new letter, _g_, put in its place. Subsequently, _z_ was restored for the sake of spelling Greek words, but was placed at the end of the alphabet. Thus also it was, that _thaeta_, _kappa_ (_c_ being equivalent to _k_), and the fifteenth letter, were ejected, while [psi] and [chi] were never admitted. In after-times the fifteenth letter (now _xi_) was restored, for the same reason that _z_ was restored, and, like _z_, was placed at the end of the alphabet. II. The use of the imported letters with a new power. Hence the sixth letter took the sound, not of _v_ or _w_, but of _f_; and the eighth of _h_. Beyond this the Romans made but slight alterations. In ejecting _kappa_, _thaeta_ and _chi_, they did mischief. The same in changing the power of c. The representation of [phi] by _ph_, and of [theta] by _th_ was highly erroneous. The retention of _x_ and _q_ was unnecessary. _V_ and _j_, two letters whereby the alphabet was really enriched, were mere modifications of _u_ and _i_ respectively. _Y_ also seems a modification of _v_. Neither the Latin, Greek, nor Hebrew orthographies were much warped to etymological purposes. It should be observed, that in the Latin the letters have no longer any names (like _beth_, _baeta_), except such as are derived from their powers (_be_, _ce_). It may now be seen that with a language containing such sounds as the _th_ in _thin_ and _thine_, and the _ch_ in the German _auch_, it is to their advantage to derive their alphabet from the Greek; whilst, with a language containing such sounds as _h_ and _v_, it is to their advantage to derive it from the Latin. It may also be seen, that, without due alterations and {205} additions, the alphabet of one country will not serve as the alphabet of another. s. 263. _The Moeso-Gothic alphabet._--In the third century the classical alphabets were applied to a Gothic language. I use the word alphabets because the Moeso-Gothic letters borrowed from both the Latin and the Greek. Their form and order may be seen in Hickes' Thesaurus and in Lye's Grammar. With the Greek they agree in the following particulars. 1. In the sound of the third letter being not that of [kappa] (_c_), but of the _g_ in _gun_. 2. In retaining _kappa_ and _chi_. 3. In expressing the simple single sound of _th_ by a simple single sign. This sign, however, has neither the shape nor alphabetical position of the Greek _thaeta_. With the Latin they agree, 1. in possessing letters equivalent to _f_, _g_, _h_, _q_, _y_. 2. In placing _z_ at the end of the alphabet.