300 
be made, with reference to the Hieratic 
characters, though it was possible with 
regard to the Enchorial: and we think 
that. some such means, of fixing the 
meaning of that more depraved hiero- 
glyphical writing, was resorted to:— 
hence, perhaps, the necessity of invent~ 
ing the Enchorial character, as well as 
the difficulty of making it quadrate, 
either with alphabetical or hieroglyphi- 
cal analysis. 
We have remarked, that the Chinese 
written language bears evident marks of 
being invented by a body cf Literati, 
and is, in reality, the much-sought-for 
“ Universat or PurtosoruicaL Cua- 
rnacteR.” We should add, that it was 
only philosophical as far as the limited 
notions of the inventors extended; and 
so, it may safely be surmised, was the 
Egyptian. Its general classification of 
things, qualities and ideas under sepa- 
rate heads, which serve as keys to the 
whole class, is indeed philosophical, and 
agrees with the system which Bishop 
Wilkins proposed. But the particular 
arrangement of the matters under their 
appropriated keys, is, generally speak- 
ing, highly unphilosophieal. A deep ex- 
amination into this arrangement would 
lead us too far; and we only allude to 
the principle of it, in order to demon- 
strate, that antiquarians who labour at 
interpreting the combined symbols of 
the hieroglyphics, must guide themselves 
through the labyrinth of images by a 
similar clue. Thus, under the key tree, 
twelve hundred characters are arranged; 
and, of course, the symbol is always 
found in union with those characters, 
either above, below, or on one of the 
sides. That this number, as the leading 
sign, implies every species of tree, and 
every sort of wood, is not surprising ; 
neither is there any objection to the 
same number being arranged under the 
character for hand 4; since it implies, 
not only all that can be done by the 
hand, but is used, in half the instances, 
metaphorically. For the same reason, 
eight hundred are arranged under heart, 
because that symbol is made to repre- 
sent all the passions and affections of 
the human being. ‘To this there is no 
great objection on the score of scientific 
analysis ; but the error lies in employing 
things as keys, or genera, such as 
Jish, metals, feathers, skins, which ought 
to be classed under genera themselves. 
We now take leave of the subject. 
Though much may, unquestionably, be 
Researches in Egypt.—Crown Lands. 
[May 1, 
done, we are not sanguine as to any 
entirely successful interpretation of the 
hieroglvphical language. Whatever suc- 
cess is to be obtained, is, we venture to 
think, attainable only by the rules we 
have laid down. At all events, if the 
main object of inquiry baffle investiga- 
tion, it may. happen to the research—as 
it happened to the two sons of the old 
man in the fable,—although the imagi- 
nary treasure is not to be found, many 
interesting facts, in Egyptian history 
and science, may be brought to light, 
and the antiquarian fields of literature 
may be rendered more rich and fruit- 
ful, by the labour and industry em- 
ployed. 
—< 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
Sin: 
N the Review of Lord John Rus- 
sell’s Menioirs of Europe, in your 
preceding Supplement (see p. 582), in 
speaking of the circumstances that pre- 
served this country from falling into 
despotism in the age of Henry VIII. and 
the Tudors, you place great stress upon 
the pecuniary dependence of the Crown 
on the votes of parliament. And, sup- 
posing the parliament to be dependent, 
in its turn, upon the people, this may be 
the best of all securities. The throne, 
which is independent in its resources, 
is necessarily above the restraints of law. 
Its despotism may be somewhat eivilized 
by traditionary customs ; but, it is evi- 
dently as despotic as it may choose to be. 
This suggests to me a question, which 
may, perhaps, display more of the jea- 
lousy of a liberty-boy, than of the 
knowledge of a politician—namely : Is 
there no lurking danger hid beneath the 
parade of those expanding streets and 
architectural splendours which daily 
amuse our eyes? These improvements 
principally, Iunderstand, are taking place 
upon Crown-lands, which, if I mistake 
not, are sources of unvoted revenues to 
the throne, An enormous increase of the 
rent-roll of these Crown-lands results, 
as I understand, from these improve- 
ments ; and where they may stop, it is 
certainly not yery easy to conjecture. 
Will any of your better informed cor- 
respondents be kind enough to instruct 
me, how far I am right in the supposi- 
tion that this increase of ground-rent on 
Crown-lands does really go to the aug- 
mentation of an independent or unvoted 
revenue; and, if so, to what probable 
amount such augmentation may ulti- 
mately extend.— Yours, &c. 
Oxp Q. 
