Notices rnspecl'mg New Books. ' 387 



the arrival of the first Missionaries in China, is itself a copy: a 

 proof of jvhich is, that my Dictionary, and those of the Royal 

 Library, are entirely similar to it, with the exception of several 

 errors which are imputable to the copyist. Nevertheless, as 

 these errors are sometimes serious, I have collated the Diction- 

 ary of Father Basil with those of the Missionaries, every time 

 that the former gave a different or faulty translation, and in 

 doubtful cases I have restored the translation from the Chinese 

 text^. I have not thought it necessary to give various readings 

 under these circumstances ; because, all the dictionaries composed 

 by the Missionaries not being originals, but translations of texts, 

 it was sufficient to consult these same texts to have the true 

 meaning. 



" For example, under the character mi (10,404) we find in 

 all the dictionaries, qunddam animal urso simile, habens awes 

 elephanlis : I have restored the word nares, which is in the 

 Chinese text. In the same way, under the character ly (9918), 

 the Missionaries have said, res sal veiuisia mox perilura; it 

 must be res sat vefusta, since the text employs the words yong 

 kiedu, a thing which has been in use a long time, and is conse- 

 quently old. 



" Here I ought to do justice to M. Fourmonj;, by declaring' 

 that in his Dictionary he has adhered to the texts of the two 

 passages which I have quoted. This is a clear proof that 

 M. Fourmont was acquainted with the Chinese language ; and 

 yet some persons who have not the slightest knowledge of it 

 have taxed this truly learned man with being ignorant of it : so 

 true it is, that men of the greatest talents are always depressed 

 by those who have the least ! 



' " The number of characters, including the duplicates, amounts 

 in the table of Father Basil's Dictionary to 9959 f. I have made 

 them amount to nearly 14000 J. Ail the characters which I 

 have added are from the Chinese Dictionary entitled Tching- 

 tse-tong, and are distinguished by an asterisk. 



cility, the c-liaractcrf? from loft to ri<;lit. This arran^'rincnt does not in the 

 least affect the sii^nificatii.n of the character whicli \s ibolatcd : besides, it 

 is conformable to the order adopted by Tai her Basil and other Missio:ianes 

 in their dictionaries. 



* The Chinese dictionaries Tching-tse-timg, Tchouen-tse-oey and Tte-oey. 



t If there arc in Fatfier Basil's to\>ic dictionary any characters explained 

 beyond this miniber, they cannot be found; for tlicy are not represented 

 in his table of cliaractcrs arranged by keys. 



I I comprehend in this number the "duplicates : these characters are 

 sometimes employed instead of the primitive character, and have like it the 

 &ame pronunciation and the same signification; but, as they difler irom it 

 frequently l)y the key, it was important to add tliem, in order to enable the 

 translator to find them. , , 



B b 2 "In 



