8i'< Qn tJ}f Verfcpolitan Jn/irlptlotts. 



writing exhibits forty figns, that all the wedge- formed writ, 

 ing has a horizontal direilion, and that they are all alpha- 

 betic. There is fomethiqg alfo to be re£lified in the expla- 

 nation : r&v dabarum, for examp)e, as a title of Darius, is 

 not very probable : in regard to reBor mundt, it might be re- 

 ferred perhaps with more reafon to Ormuzd. But what may 

 give ys * prepoffefTiori in favour of the author's hypothefis is, 

 that it is founded on what the refearches and obfervations 

 hitherjto made,, give as the moltprobab'.c refult. From thefp 

 indeed we can admit that the buildings of Perfepolis belong- 

 to the time of the fucceflors of Cyrus. We may even go 

 further, and conclude that the greater part of the monuments 

 were fjnifhed under Darius and the followuig kings ; becaufe 

 the fhort duration of the reign of Cambyfes would not 

 have been fufficient for the execution of fuch works. 



As the infcriptions are as old as the monuments, they mpft 

 be referred to the time of thefp princes. In a word, it is feen 

 that the wedge- forpied writing on thole monumerits, and in 

 general vyhere it has a horizontal direction, proceeds froni left 

 to right. This circumftapce, which vyas pbferved by Niebuhr, 

 is inconteflably proved by a fimilar infcpption on llone found 

 in \.\\e. French national mufeum at Paris, and vihich C. Milliri 

 has givqn in the firft number oi Monu77iem Antiques, p]aies 8 

 <md g. The artift in this infcription has placed infulated 

 wedges, or groupes, or whole letters, for which there was no 

 room, above the lines, or in the fecond column, and always to 

 the right, where the end of the line ought confequently to 

 be. The author's explanation agrees vyith thefe obferyations. 

 He reads from left to right, and finds in the infcription^ allu- 

 lions to Darius, Xerxes, and certain points refpoAing the 

 worfliip of the magi. The legends which the author ha? 

 found are conlittent and probable, when confidered hillori- 

 cally. They have allo-the greatplt analogy with the infcrip- 

 tions of the S^ll'anide^, a dynally defccnded from the antien^ 

 Perfian kings, £^nd who endeavoured to re-ellabli(h the empire 

 and its religion. As thefe princes on antient coins and mo- 

 numents are flylcd kings of the kings of Izan, of divine ori- 

 gin, Sic. fimilar titles, but more finiple, are found in thefe 

 infcriptions. Time alone can {how whether the continujition 

 of the author's refearches will iuilify thefe explanations. 



H the learned fhould fucceed in decvphering the wcdge-r' 

 lormeTd writing, their difcoveries would throw great light ori 

 many points of ihc Afiatic antiquities, becaufe more nionu- 

 rnents of this writing are daily difcovered. They may be 

 divided into three clafles. i ft, The Babylonian, amon^ 

 which are reckoned the bricks of the walls of antient Baby- 

 '" ■ loiij 



