Page:A Study of the Manuscript Troano.djvu/265

thomas.]

I shall take for granted that the inscription commences with the large character in the upper left-hand corner, but whether it is to be read in columns from top to bottom, or in lines from left to right, remains to be discussed; the tendency of belief at present appears to be that it is to be read in lines from left to right.

As I have demonstrated, satisfactorily to myself at least, that in the Manuscript Troano the characters are, as a general rule, placed in columns to be read from the top downwards, but that, where circumstances require it, they are placed in lines to be read from left to right, we will be justified

in assuming the same rule applies to this tablet, especially as we here see single columns and single lines. But let us examine the inscription carefully and see if we can find anything in it that will aid us in deciding this