Chase. 1 2>|g [March. 



modelled from the outline of an ox's head, a supposition that seems 

 somewhat plausible, if we examine the head of the hieroglyphic ox- 

 hide in PI. I, fig. 72. But the Chinese archetypes in PI. 11, line 1, 

 all of which appear to denote either foundation, beginning or head, 

 seem to furnish a more marked correspondence with the most an- 

 cient forms of the first letter of the alphabet. 



2. 3. Beth, "a house; a place; a box." The Chinese arche- 

 types in the second line denote, 1, " a receptacle ;" 2, " an inclo- 

 sure ;" 3, 4, 5, 7, " a mound f 6, '' a house." 



3. J. Gimel, " a camel." The 8th, 9th, and 10th forms in line 

 3 of the archetypes, are derived from Bad. 16, ''a support," and 

 Bad. 8, "a top, or head," denoting " that which supports the head ; 

 the human neck; the throat; strong; unbending;" &c. The re- 

 maining forms denote either Ting, " to carry," or Keu, " a carriage." 



4. -I, Daleth, " a door." The 5th and 6th of the Archetypal 

 forms represent a door; the 1st and 7th appear to have been de- 

 rived from the outline of a knife or hatchet ; the 2d, 3d, and 4th 

 denote a mouth or opening. The 18th Chinese radical is Taou, 

 "sword ; knife." [PL II, 1. 22, fig. 6]. The form of the radical is 

 strikingly like that of the Hebrew Tau, and its name furnishes the 

 nearest monosyllabic approach that the Chinese can make to the pro- 

 nunciation of the Sanscrit root dal, ''to cut; to divide."* The He- 

 brew yh^, " to cleave," appears to connect these several meanings, 

 and to render it probable that the earliest hieroglyphic representative 

 of the dental sounds was either " a cleaver," or '' a cleft." 



5. n. He, " hollow." The archetypes appear to be all traceable 

 to difi'erent modifications of Bad. 16, Ke, " niche ; support ;" and 

 Bad. 21, Pe, " ladle." 



6. 1. Vau, "hook." The Chinese forms signify either " hand," 

 "claw," "angular," or "hooked." 



7. \. Zayin, "armor." The 3d and 4th archetypes are forms of 

 Bad. 48, Kung, "work; art." This radical is sometimes represented 

 by a hand. The others may be derived either from the hieroglyph 

 of a hand, or of something carried in the hands, — as a bow, a child, 

 or a shield. That the primitive idea was that of carrying, is ren- 

 dered the more probable from the relative positions of the Latin, He- 

 brew, and Greek letters, C, J, /', and 6, |, Z. 



8. n. Hheth ; meaning doubtful. The Chinese forms may be de- 

 rived from " table," and " sun." 



=* Compare Ger. thai ; Eng. tale, deal. 



