OF ASIATICK WORDS. 11 



by finking the roots of the upper teeth, while the 

 breath pafles gently through the lips ; another, by an 

 inflexion upwards, with a tremulous motion ; and thefe 

 two liquids coalefce with fuch eafe, that a mixed letter, 

 ufed in fome languages, may be formed by the firft of 

 them followed by the fecond. When the breath is 

 obftrucled by the prefTure of the tongue, and forced 

 between the teeth on each fide of it, a liquid is formed 

 peculiar to the Bridjli dialecl of the Ccltick. 



We may now confider in the fame order, beginning 

 with the root of the tongue, and ending with the per- 

 fect clofe of the lips, thofe lefs mufical founds, which 

 require the aid of a vowel, or at lead of the fimple 

 breathing, to be fully articulated : .and it may here be 

 premifed,that the har/Ji breathing didintzily pronounced 

 after each of thefe conjonants, as they are named by 

 grammarians, constitutes its proper ajpirate. 



By the affiftance of the tongue and the palate, are pro- 

 duced two congenial founds, differing only as hard jnd 

 Joft ; and thefe two may be formed ftill deeper in the 

 throat, fo as to imitate, with a long vowel after them, 

 the voice of a raven : but if, while they are uttered, 

 the breath be hardily protruded, two analogous articu- 

 lations are heard, the fecond of which feems to charac- 

 terize the pronunciation of the Arabs; while the najal 

 found, very common among the Perjians and Indians, 

 may be confidered as the Jc >/t palatine, with part of the 

 breath pafling through thenofe; which organ would by 

 itfelf rather produce a vocal found, common alio in 

 Arabia, and not unlike the cry of a young antelope, and 

 fome other quadrupeds. 



Next come different claffes of dentals ; and among 

 the firft of them mould be placed the Jibilants, which 

 moil nations exprefs by an indented figure. Each of 



the 



