352 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anNO 166Q, 



the Grecians. Also of the Jewish aera ; the aera or Ethnic account from 

 the taking of Troy ; and the Antiochenian epocha : the Olympiads and Agones 

 Capitolini : of the Julian year, the Spanish aera ; the aera of the victory at Ac- 

 tium ; the epocha of Nabonassar ; as also of the Philippean, Alexandrian, and 

 the Yezdegirdican epocha ; and of the Mahometan asra, the Hegira, or flight 

 of Mahomet. 



In the arithmetical part, the author explains the common characters of arith- 

 metic, as he does also the Indian, Roman, Hebrew, Samaritan, Grecian, 

 Syriac, Arabic and ^thiopic characters. And to the end of the second book 

 he has annexed an appendix, explaining the Hebrew, Syriac, Persian, ^thiopic 

 and Arabic words for the respective months of the year. 



II. Elements of Speech : an Essay of Inquiry into the Natural Productioa 

 of Letters ; together with an Appendix to instruct Persons Deaf and Dumb ; 

 by William Holder, D. D. and Fellow of the Royal Society. London, by John 

 Martyn, 1669, in octavo. 



After considering the nature of language, and alphabets and other represen- 

 tative characters, as also the different organs of speech, the ingenious author 

 examines how many different articulations can be made by several motions and 

 postures of the organs in the parts of the mouth ; which applied severally to 

 the kinds of matter, may make several discriminations of sound to the ear, i, e. 

 several letters. And of these (as to consonants, viz. letters made by appulse) 

 our author finds, and has described 9. And if possibly any more maybe found 

 out, he judges it to be most likely that they will not recompense the dis- 

 coverer's pains, by being of ready and graceful use, but will be fitter to be cast 

 out among several others. 



Now by these 9 articulations with appulse, there will be framed consonants 

 spirital 9 ; vocal 9 ; naso-spirital 9 ; naso- vocal 9 ; in all 36. Then rejecting 

 those that prove not graceful, nor easy to be pronounced, viz. 2 spiritals, 

 2 naso-spiritals, and 6 naso- vocals, in all 17 ; there will remain 19 consonants 

 proper for use, according to the design of letters. 



That which renders this piece the more commendable, is its usefulness, to 

 which the author has excellently applied his considerations of this subject ; viz. 

 the instructing of persons deaf and dumb. 



III. Gauging Promoted, being an Appendix to Stereomatical Propositions, 

 formerly published by Rob. Anderson. Printed for Josh. Corners, 1669, in 

 octavo. 



