reason. He spoke ol' tlie composition of words, — as in the Chinese so in the 
Accadian, by way of apposition. I quite agree with him that a great many 
proper names are explained by simple apposition. It seems to be thought 
that in the Semitic languages the second word in a composite name is 
generally in the position of the genitive case. I cannot help thinking that 
some of these titles are in this position. I cannot help thinking they arc 
not to be interpreted on strict principles of Semitic grammar. I think we 
have a key in apposition to getting through the difficulty. That matter 
about Martu is extremely interesting, and in regard to Salem I believe it 
originated in the idea of rest and repose — as of the sinking sun. I am glad 
no member has thrown in any objection in regard to what I have said, and 
I hope we may be agreed in treating Abraham as an historical personage, 
all the more that palpable connections between his life, as described in 
Holy Scripture, and what we are otherwise discovering, arc becoming 
increasingly manifest. I think that these are not merely accidental, much 
less that Abraham is only a word for the nocturnal sky. I hope we have 
not quite heard the last of Abraham as there is yet something to say about 
him. 
The meeting was then adjourned. 
NOTES by the Her. 1). H. Haigh, Rev. A. H. Sayce, Dr. Ilmen, and 
TV. S. Chad Boscawen, Esq. 
b. Ur-via. I am not satisfied that this is right. Admitting the value v.r 
(there are others, sis, &c.) for the present, the name of the city is usually 
XJr-lab-ki, but where it forms part of a royal title we have Ur-lah-ki-ma. Ah 
(es) is "house,” lab "city,” ki "land”; so, though via is a word for 
" land,” I do not think it has that sense here. On the contrary, I take it 
(as Dr. Hincks did) to be a plural suffix, Jci-rna “ lands ” ; and this with the 
more confidence, since the name of the city Nisin is written with the plural 
suffix net, JYi. si. in. ki-na, “Nisin lands,” in similar context. These via and 
na I compare with the plurals, Heb. q-, Chald. p. So I read “the city 
land ” or "lands.” 
[Mr. Sayce rejoins. Dr. Haigh is wrong in making via and na signs of the 
Accadian plural. These were vies, vie, and cue. Ma means “laud,” as you 
stated correctly: jVm/i-ci-na = "of the laud of JV.” Ci-rna = "country 
such-and-such a town.”] See La Langue prim., 129. — H.G.T. 
12. Gikhkfutii. In a letter to Mr. Sayce I have long ago objected that this 
is wrong. “pn*J in Gen. is certainly distinct from m3. Now we have La. 
ha. an an Akkadian synonym of Pit. rat. turn. Mr. Sayce, finding an Assyrian 
value for sa, viz. <ji. i, supplies gi. i. liv, and hence deduces Gihhan. My 
objection is, that we have no right to insert an Assyrian value in an Akkadian 
