311 
written at Cufa, which again was the parent of the Naskhi or modern Arabic. 
I do not think there is any doubt about that ; in fact, I believe it is undis- 
puted. 
The Chairman. — As the subject of a missionary alphabet has been men- 
tioned, I may point out that we have an instance of one dating from ten 
centuries back. Two Greek monks, Cyril and Methodius, endeavoured 
to adapt the Greek characters to the Sclavonic language. Their alphabet 
contains forty-eight letters, and is very complicated and artificial. Peter the 
Great reduced the number of letters to thirty-five, and that missionary 
alphabet, so adapted, is now used to represent the complicated sounds of 
the Russian language. Any one who has attempted to master Russian will 
admit that the alphabet is not easy to acquire, partly owing to the numerous 
different sounds which have to be dealt with, and partly owing to the 
character of the Cyrilic alphabet. Whatever we may say of the Slavs, one 
thing is to be wished, namely, that they had framed a better alphabet. 
Rev. H. A. Hall. — There is a link in the history of our language which is 
undeveloped— I mean that which conveys it to a particular neighbourhood. 
On the Baltic Sea there is a class of persons, by some called misguided, by 
others heretical, who say they are descended from the lost ten tribes. I 
should like to know whether there is anything possible in that notion, or 
whether it is absurd ? 
Mr. Taylor. — Any notion may be considered possible, if there is any 
evidence in its favour, but where we have no evidence at all, the best thing 
is to say nothing about our notions. But I fully admit that if you compare 
the Runic letters with the Semitic, you will find a remarkable resem- 
blance in almost every case ; so that it is a thousand to one in favour of the 
Scandinavian letters not being independently invented, but borrowed. 
Mr. Hall. — Mr. Taylor has pointed out the trade route from the Black 
Sea to the Baltic over which the Runic alphabet may have travelled. Is it 
not the case that in the Crimea are found Hebrew cemeteries, with Hebrew 
inscriptions ; and if there is that route, is it not possible that those who died 
and were buried in the Crimea may have been part of those who carried 
the alphabet to the people of Northern Europe ? 
Mr. Taylor. — That is, I think, hardly possible. The inscriptions in the 
Crimea are of the Babylonian type of square Hebrew, and are comparatively 
modern, whereas the earliest Runic inscriptions are somewhat older in date, 
and wholly different in character. If you go into the matter, I think you 
will arrive at the result that the Northmen were in possession of their Runes 
before the Karaite Jews settled in the Crimea. 
The meeting was then adjourned. 
