100 



and there is not the sHghtest probability of their having 

 studied the nature of Greek writing before it became to 

 them the medium of rehgious instruction. 



In order to compare the Abyssinian and Sanscrit sylla- 

 baries, it is necessary to leave out of consideration the 

 vowel sounds, in the latter system, of i in wine, and o{ ou in 

 pound, which do not occur in the Abyssinian language ; as 

 also the powers rz, ri, Yi, \i, an, ah, which the Brahmans, 

 through gross ignorance of the subject, have included among 

 their vowels. After this reduction, the syllables denoted by 

 the first of the Sanscrit letters will stand as follows : 



ka k5 kz ki \lu kw ke ko 



Each of the other letters undergoes similar modifications of 

 shape for similar alterations of its syllabic powers. 



Dr. Wall then proceeded to point out the close corres- 

 pondence which subsists between the two systems. Of the 

 many indications of their connexion, only two can be here 

 noticed. 1 . Whenever an Ethiopic letter has no mark added 

 to it, the syllable it then denotes regularly ends in a short a; 

 the same rule is also observed in the case of every Sanscrit 

 letter. 2. Every syllable of the Ethiopic alphabet, as well 

 as every simple syllable of the Ethiopic language, begins 

 with a consonantal, and ends with a vocal power : the same 

 remark applies to every syllable of the Sanscrit syllabary, 

 but not to every simple syllable of the Sanscrit language. 



A connexion between the two alphabets having been 

 proved, the circumstance last noticed still farther serves to 

 show the order which holds in that connexion, even without 

 any reference to what has been already stated upon the 

 origin of the Ethiopic alphabet. Of the systems compared 

 together, the Sanscrit syllabary must have been that which 

 was derived from the other ; for it agrees with that other in 

 a peculiarity suited to the Ethiopic, but not at all adapted 



