Sanscrit Writing and Language. 8 1 



mitted, it affords, in its application to the passage before us, another verification 

 of the powers of the Ethiopic letters ; not indeed as exact a one as that derived 

 from comparing proper names, but still sufficient to show to a certainty that the 

 general nature of those powers is syllabic, which is all that is necessary to be 

 proved upon the present occasion. 



The ground of M. Abel- Rem usat's mistake on this subject, — a mistake 

 indeed which pervades the whole of his treatise on the origin of the Tartar 

 alphabets, — is his having overlooked the difficulty which illiterate people expe- 

 rience of conceiving a consonantal power. It is true that the Abyssinian had a 

 clear conception of vowels, — this is obvious from the bare inspection of the table 

 of his alphabet ; — and he must have had an equally clear one of consonants, if he 

 had arrived at those vowels by any analysis made by himself of the syllabic sounds 

 of his language. But what would be the inevitable consequence ? Having by 

 this process discovered the powers of a superior alphabet, he could not be igno- 

 rant of the nature of his own discovery ; he must have been aware of its value, 

 and thence unquestionably would have availed himself of its use. It is quite 

 contrary to all that is known of human nature to suppose that any people would 

 encumber their memories with a system of 182 characters (besides twenty more 

 which do not regularly form part of the alphabet), if they had themselves found 

 out a way by which they could write equally well, or indeed better, by means of 

 only thirty-three signs ; namely, twenty-six for consonants, and seven for vowels. 

 Nations, I admit, often reject the inventions that have originated in other coun- 

 tries, through prejudice against what is foreign, or through ignorance of the 

 resulting benefits. But neither impediment here lies in the way ; and no well 

 ascertained instance can be produced from the history of the world, of men 

 arriving by their own efforts of thought at an important improvement in any 

 art, and yet foregoing its advantage. 



The fault of the Professor's reasoning on this point appears to have been, that 

 he began at the wrong end. Having himself a clear conception of a consonantal 

 as well as a vowel power, he took it for granted, that the Abyssinian had equally 

 clear notions on the subject, and was able to conceive an articulation separate 

 from any vowel sound by which it might be rendered perceptible to the ear. 

 Well, then ! the poor African having quite distinct in his thoughts the elements 

 of syllables, would take care to have their signs equally distinct ; and the very 



VOL. XVIII. L 



