C 493 ] 
rin, appear like feveral Chinefe charafters, fuch aSr 
“ they are found in the great didlionary Tching,, 
“ tfee, tong: upon which he conjectures, firft, that^ 
“ the Chinefe characters are the fame in many re- 
“ IpeCts, as the hieroglyphics of Egypt; and fecond- 
“ ly, That one may be able to difcover the fenfe of 
** hieroglyphics by the comparative and appropriated' 
“ lignification of the Chinefe characters.’^ 
Tile author, thirdly, having mentioned the diffi- 
culty of rendering himfelf intelligible to the literati of 
Europe, for want ofa certain acquaintance with proofs 
of faCt and hiftory, criticifm and grammar, proceeds. 
to the hiflorical detail, which is the fubjeCt chiefly en- 
larged upon by him. He notes the enthufiafm of 
Voiiius for the antiquity of the Chinefe, and the 
rage of Renaudot againft it ; and then declares his- 
own opinion, that they have fubfifted as a nation, 
from the time, of the great emigration which followed' 
the confufion of tongues. He dates the antiquity of 
Egypt from the fame epoch, and gives rcafons, par- 
ticularly in the notes, for the probability of their dif- 
ferent routs.. He enquires into the ufe of writing;, 
and declares his opinion, . that it was already eflablifhedi 
in the antediluvian world ; and might be derived in. 
common to the two nations in quef^ion.. He makes^ 
light of any fuppofed variation of it, at the confufioii) 
of tongues: and wifhes that Mr. .Needham had ex-- 
pieffed his own opinion concerning the commence- 
ment of it. He affirms, that there is not the leafl: 
mark or trace now remaining of any fubfequent com- 
munication between the Chinefe and Egyptians. But- 
whether cur author’s opinion of the origin of writing* , 
or the contrary.one, of each nation. having.inVentedi 
its 4 
