[ 1 33 ] 
either M. le Commandeur (22) de Marne, or M. 
l’Abbe Fourmont, or indeed any other perfon who 
attempted, before his memoir was read, an explica- 
tion of it. This cannot but be acceptable to the 
lovers of antiquity, and muff intitle him to the thanks 
of the learned world. 
XII. 
The language of the infcription is a mixture of 
Hebrew and Syriac. The firft word, mull 
be looked upon as Syriac ; as may likewife the fixth 
term, TU> on account of the fenfe wherein it is ufed. 
The feventh is Hebrew, as well as Syriac. The ninth, 
however we render it, is undoubtedly Hebrew ; and 
the eleventh, however this may have efcaped M.. 
l’Abbe, as certainly Syriac. The two lad words are 
manifeftly Hebrew, though in the laft fyllable of the 
former of them Jod is fuppreffed. But this is inti rely 
confonant to the Phoenician form, the coins ftruck 
at Sidon generally exhibiting DTO 1 ?, for CDUIVV, 
with the Jod expunged. The term p, son, ufed 
twice in this infcription, is here alfo apparently He- 
brew. We cannot therefore infer from the mo- 
nument under confederation, as (23) M. l’Abbe 
Barthelemy has done, that “ there is lcarce any 
“ difference at all between the Phoenician and Syriac 
“ languages.” Nor will M. (24) de Guignes me- 
(27) Saggi di Dijfertazion. Accadetnich. &c. di Corf on. Tom. I. 
Par. I. p. 25 — 34. In Roma, 1735. & Tom. III. p. 89 — in. 
In Roma, 1741. 
(23) M. de Guign. ubi fup. p. 47. 
