86 PROCKEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



can letters, but the chan.stes of which they are susceptible, their 

 possible combinations, the laws of syncope, of inlaut and auslaut, of 

 anlant and ablaut, in fact a thorough treatise on the subject. 



Prof. Campbell ignores the results arrived at by these scholars, 

 whose names are a sufficient guarantee of the conscientiousness of 

 their labours, of their industry and judgment, their extensive learn- 

 ing, and their sincere love of the truth. Lepsius w is perhaps better 

 versed than any other in Egyptian writing, and his researches are 

 marked by striking calmness and judgment. Grotefend and Lassen 

 devoted themselves with equal success to the study of the cuneiform 

 inscriptions. Kirchoff and Aufrecht have tlirown a flood of light on 

 the old Italian dialects. Momrasen is our greatest authority on 

 Roman history and Roman epigraphy. Why has Prof. Campbell 

 ignored the works of all these eminent scholars ? He once quotes 

 from Deecke, but it is from that rather meagre article which Deecke 

 contributed to the Encyclopedia Brittannica — an article scarcely in 

 keeping with Deecke's erudition. These earnest students were 

 obliged to confess their inability to translate the Etruscan inscrip- 

 tions, or to establish the affinity of the Etruscan language. But 

 where these men, who spent their lives in siich studies, failed, Prof. 

 Campbell claims a complete victory. He enters the field, and waves 

 his magic wand, and all is done ; the old Etruscan starts again into 

 life, and gives up its long impenetrable secrets. " Etruria capta 

 est," and he declares : '• I have the honour to report to this Institute, 

 as one of the most important results of my studies in Hittite Palaeo- 

 graphy, the solution of the Etruscan problem." Perha]>s we are un- 

 fitted for criticising this last wonderful achievement, as we had 

 attached no importance to the results which Prof. Campbell imagined 

 he had reached in regard to other languages, but we were long at a 

 loss to understand, even from his own point of view, what possible 

 connection there could be between Hittite Palse :>grapliy and this 

 Etruscan problem. But this present contribution is only a part of a 

 great "Etruria Capta." He promises a fuller work in which he will 

 offer a translation of the Eugubine Tables. We quote his words : 

 " Of these Tables, seven only and a part of the eighth are in the 

 Etruscan character, the rest are written in the Roman alphabet, and 

 are in Umbrian. These Umbrian Tables are being translated and 

 will be shortly presented to the world as the oldest Celtic documents." 

 U mbrian Celtic '? As well tell us that English is Japanese or Choctaw. 



