Alphabetical Characters. 93 
From these considerations, it certainly seems 
to follow that the method of hieroglyphics is 
by no means fitted for leading men to conceive 
‘the possibility of such a simple contrivance 
as that of Alphabetical characters; but that 
on the contrary, from the total want of all 
quently the characters ceased to be hieroglyphical, and 
were merely marks of sounds. This practice would lead 
imperceptibly to the discovery that with a few hierogly- 
phies, every sound of the foreign language might be ex- 
pressed, and the hieroglyphies which auswered this pur- 
pose best, either as to exactness of sound or simplicity of 
form, would be selected for this use, and, serving as so 
many letters, would form in fact what is called an alphabet. 
This natural progression has actually taken place at Canton, 
where, on account of the vast concourse of persons using 
the English language who resort to it, a vocabulary has 
been published of English words in Chinese characters, 
expressive merely of sounds, for the use of the native 
merchants concerned in foreign trade, who by such means 
learn the sound of English words.” Sir G. Staunton’s 
Embassy to China, Vol. II. p. 576 
The fact here stated is singular, and the speculation 
founded upon it, and apparently suggested by it, with regard 
to the mode in which a transition may be conceived to have 
been cffected from hieroglyphics to an alphabet is certainly 
ingenious. At the same time it must be recollected that 
the expedient of employing the Chinese characters to de- 
note the sounds of English words or syllables similar to 
those of the corresponding Chinese words, seems to have 
been introduced by Europeans who were already familiar 
with alphabetical writing. The previous use of an alpha- 
bet may naturally enough be conceived to suggest this ex- 
