On an Universal written Character. 287 
tious words are*used, thus zpoxalayyeAAw, xp0- 
cya, premonsiro, prenuncic, predyavlyayott, 
(pred, before ; yavlyayou, I make manifest); pred- 
vestchayou (vestchayou, 1 inform). In English al- 
so we use predict, foreshew. 
We may remark that the meaning of these words 
is much modified by the subject to which they are 
applied: thus we say indifferently to pronounce a 
word, to pronounce judgment, to pronounce a man 
innocent, &c. The Latins, by no means, confine the 
use of the words I have taken notice of to denote 
what we call pronunciation. The Russians say, 
dat mne reich vuigovorit, (let me finish or speak out 
my speech). This figurative use of words gives 
additional facility to the construction of an universal 
character, as it shews that it is customary among all 
men to use words ina sense different from their po- 
sitive meaning. ‘This is a circumstance of very 
great utility in beautifying language, and fitting it 
for a wonderful variety of expression. 
As prepositions are signs denoting some circum- 
stances immutably connected with the nature of 
things, they must exist in every language, under 
some form or other. It appears to me, that a com- 
mon sign for each of these would recal to the mind 
the circumstance denoted by it; and, at the same 
‘time, the way in which it is expressed in the oral 
language of the reader of an universal character. 
I hope these hints will be sufficient to shew that 
