on the Englifh Alphabet. 173 
reading, as far as is at prefent known of a language 
no longer fpoken. And even where the Hebrew 
does change its vowels, accordingly as the inflection 
and regimen of words may require, there are efta- 
blifhed rules, whereby to prcceed. And thofe, 
who will not allow the vowel points to have been 
a part of the language before the Chriftian zra, 
will at leaft confefs, that they were, whatever was 
the time of their invention, an effort of great 
genius and nice diftinction ;* fince, in this fyftem, 
there are ail the moft ufeful varieties’ of vowel 
founds ; and, in point of proportion, as it were, a 
diatonic and chromatic fcale: For the primitive 
vowels are feven, and the fimple variations are 
exactly five, befide the fheva quiefcent, which is as 
our E mute: and this agrees nearly with the nature 
of mufical notes.f Thus 
* Beza fays: “ Pun&a vocalia ab Hebrxis Grammaticis, 
“* diviniflimo certé invento excogitata.’’ Indeed what is 
there to contradiét the opinion, that the whole Alphabet 
might have been of divine origin? Was it not as eafly 
for the Atmicuty to give Moses an Alphabet, as to 
- give him the Decalogue ? 
TheRev.Gilbert Wakefield obferves, “ that all the fagacity 
“ and experience of fucceeding generations, illuftrated as 
“they have been by a vaft influx of additional know- 
“ ledge, beyond the moft accomplifhed of their predecef- 
“ fors, have been unable to fuperinduce any real improve- 
“ment upon the Hebrew alphabet.” On the Origin of 
Alphabetical Charaéters, See 2d. vol. of thefe Memoirs,p, 296. 
+ ® Le Genre diatonique eft celui de trois qui procéde 
“* par tons et femi-tons majeurs, felon la divifion naturelle 
* dela Gamme,” Diftionnaire de Mufique pay M, Rouffeau, 
Again; 
+ 
