346 M. Amedee Burat on the 



remarkable dissyllabic idiom had been developed of which 

 the Hebrew, the Syrian, and Phoenician were varieties. Thus, 

 in accordance, as I have said, with the speculations of Sir 

 William Jones, the three greatest dynasties of Asiatic lan- 

 guage are brought almost into juxtaposition, and that in 

 reference to a chronological period, which coincides with the 

 eai'liest dawnings of history. 



In these remarks, I have stated the opinions of the 

 most leai-ned men who have investigated the cuneiform in- 

 scriptions. I do not pretend to have an opinion of my own ; 

 but if I am entitled to form one, I must confess that it would 

 be opposite to that of MM. Westergaard and Raxvlinson. 

 I should not believe, without absolute proof, that the Median 

 was not an Indo-European language.* 



{To he continued in our next number.) 



On the Continuity/ of Metalliferous depositories in Depth. 

 By M. Amedee Burat. 



If we examine the conditions of mines in a state of activity 

 in the metalliferous districts, we will perceive that, by tak- 

 ing the year 1815, for example, as the point of departui'e 

 (that being a period at which their situation was pretty well 

 known), new discoveries have had but little influence on the 

 production of metals, with the exception of iron. The in- 

 crease of production has taken place principally in the coun- 

 tries of mines already wrought, either by the gradual exten- 

 sion of the works previously undertaken, or by the re-opening 

 of mines already commenced, and abandoned for a longer or 

 shorter time. 



* If one of the three languages of the Behistun and other Persian inscriptions 

 is really in a Tartar or Northern xVsiatic language, it might be conjectured 

 that the introduction of such an idiom took place through the medium of the 

 Chaldeans, or the Chasdim, and that this people was a northern and foreign 

 race, who came into Upper Asia, at a late period, according to the hypothesis 

 of Schlotzer, Michaelis, and others. 



