ON THE CHINESE SYSTEM OF WRITING. 29 



that when those people read Chinese characters, they do not read them in their 

 own vernacular tongue, but in the Chinese which they have learned, with 

 only a different pronunciation of the words. It is otherwise with t?ie peo- 

 ple of Tunkin and Cochinchina, their language or languages being formed on 

 the model of that of the Celestial Empire, with only some variations, which, 

 in their schools, they learn to correct, and to employ the proper characters as 

 a superior orthography, they are thereby enabled to read the Chinese, as well 

 as their own language. 



I submit these ideas to your learned correspondent, which, I hope, he will 

 have the goodness to correct, if found erroneous. I beg you will be pleased to 

 transmit to him a copy of this letter, with the assurance of my respect. 



Your friend and obedient servant, 



PETER S. DU PONCEAU. 



Philadelphia. Sept. 20, 1839. 

 To John Vaughan. Esq, 



vn.— H 



