[ 4*8 ] 
milar to one of the equipollent characters ufed (52) 
at Sidon. As the word vixit, therefore ma- 
nifedly requires a numeral, I have taken the liberty 
to tranflate this twenty. The learned world may 
expedt a farther account of this numeral in my fu- 
ture didertation. 
10. The next character diffidently refembles (53) 
the Palmyrene form of Schiti, on a Parthian coin by 
me formerly explained, as well as in the Palmyrene 
alphabet. It may therefore pafs for that element, 
though it is fomewhat longer; efpecially, as the 
Syrians were neighbours to the Phoenicians, and the 
letter Schin here begins a word fo confonant to the 
tenor of this part of the infcription. That word is 
apparently njW, which comes very appofitely after 
anew »n» vixit viginti, or rather q^vi vixit 
viginti. As it appears here in contraction, it is 
a lingular ; but mull neverthelefs be trandated annos, 
the genius of the Phoenician language in this re- 
fpedt being probably the fame with that of the 
Hebrew. The Aleph is to be confidered as a mater 
lefiionis, in the term before me ; the letters Aleph , 
Vau, Jod, (54) not infrequently occupying the places 
of vowels amongd the earlier Hebrews, and confe- 
quently, as there is great reafon to believe, amongd 
the Phoenicians alfo. But of this more hereafter. 
1 1 . The Phoenician fubdantive chy, as in He- 
brew, is undoubtedly equivalent to secvj.vm, zeter- 
NITAS, DVRATIO HOMINIBVS ABSCONDITA, &TC. 
(52) Philofoph. Tranf. Vol. L. Tab. XXXIT. p. 805. 
( 53 ) Philofoph. Tranf. Vol. XLIX. Tab. XVIII. p. 593. 
(54) Campeg. Vitring. Obftrvat. Sacr. p. 186. 
It 
