HIEROGLYPHICAL RESEARCHES. 801 



sent him an English translation, the receipt of which 

 is acknowledged by De Sacy in a letter dated Paris, 

 July 20, 1815. The opening paragraph of this letter 

 contains an allusion of considerable historic import- 

 ance: — * Outre la traduction latine de 1'inscription 

 egyptienne, que vous m'avez communiquee, j'ai recu 

 posterieurement une autre traduction anglaise impri- 

 mee, qjLie je n'ai pas en ce moment sous les yeux, V ay ant 

 jpretee a M. Champollion sur la demande que son 

 f :ere m'en. a faite d'apres une lettre quHl m'a dit 

 avoir recite de vous.' In view of the statement of 

 Champollion in a Precis of his researches published in 

 1824, that he had arrived at results similar to those 

 obtained by Dr. Young without having any knowledge 

 of Young's opinions, the foregoing extract is significant. 

 De Sacy goes on to recognise formally the progress 

 which had been made by Young at the date of the fore- 

 going letter. He asks some questions regarding Young's 

 method, which in certain cases appeared to him enig- 

 matical. The requisite explanations were promptly 

 given by Young. In a labour of the kind here under 

 consideration, that force of genius which we vaguely 

 term intuition must come conspicuously into play ; 

 and it is not always easy for him to whom the exercise 

 of this force is habitual, to make plain to others the 

 nature and results of its action. 



De Sacy embodies in the letter above quoted some 

 personal remarks which, were it not that their omission 

 would involve a virtual injustice to Young, one would 

 willingly pass over. * Si j'ai un conseil a vous donner,' 

 writes the Baron, c c'est de ne pas trop communiquer 

 vos decouvertes a M. Champollion. II se pourrait faire 

 qu'il pretendat ensuite a la priorite. II cherche en 

 plusieurs endroits de son ouvrage a faire croire qu'il 

 a decouvert beaucoup des mots c'e 1'inscription egyp- 



