（九月一日）
As sight is quicker than hearing, so ideas reaching the mind by the eye are quicker, more stricking, and vivid, than those which reach the mind by the slower process of sound. The character forms a picture which really is, or, by early association is considered, beautiful and impressive. The Chinese fine writing darts upon the mind with a vivid flash; a force and a beauty, of which alphabetical language is incapable.
—Morrison: Intro. to his Dict.
〔中译〕
视觉比听觉灵敏，因此，思想由眼睛到达大脑，比起由缓缓传递之声音传到大脑，前者来得更快些，更显著些，更生动些。就其引起之最初联想来看，中国文字所形成之想象画面确实是美丽动人的，印象深刻的。那优美之中国书法，以其生动之形象、力度和美感嵌入人之大脑。而这些正是拼音文字所无法达到的。
——莫利逊：《中国字典》序论