The next remarkable circumstance it gave way before the system, added to be noticed is, that M. Champollion, something to the alphabet, until a in his publication of 1821, (which was complete and consistent phonetic sesuppressed, and for our knowledge of the existence of which we are beholden to M. Klaproth,*) two years after that of Dr. Young's exposition, denied the existence of the phonetic principles, of which he soon became the great maturer; insisting that the sacred Egyptian characters were "signs of things, not signs of sounds." In another year, however, appeared his letter to M. Dacier,t a composition displaying genius and acquirements of the highest order, in which the public were presented with an extended hierogly phic as well as an enchorial alphabet, grounded on uniform principles, and capable of universal application, at least so far as the decipherment of proper names.

The immediate cause of Champolhon's change of opinion, and of his rapid success, must not here be passed over, although he appears himself to have lost sight of it. It is precisely analogous to that which pointed out to Akerblad the groups from whence he derived the first enchorial alphabet. The name of Cleopatra was clearly identified by Mr. Bankes on the obelisk brought by Belzoni from Philæ, by means of a laborious comparison of monuments, founded on Dr. Young's previous detection of the names of Ptolemy and Berenice, and confirmed by a Greek inscription on the base of the obelisk. A lithographic copy of the inscription, having the identified narne indicated in pencil, was transmitted by Mr. Bankes to the Institute, through M. Letronne: and this new name, being subjected to analysis by Champollion, was found to correspond, letter for letter, with the Greek of Cleopatra; and in agreement with the force of the same characters, so far as they appeared in the names of Ptolemy and Berenice. It also supplied the alphabetic value of most of the hieroglyphics which Dr. Young either mistook or passed over. The number of letter-values thus obtained was found enough for the resolution of other Greek and Roman names. Each name, as

⚫ Examen, p. 3.

ries was formed, capable of unlimited application. It is to be regretted that Champollion should have suppressed his obligation to Mr. Bankes, and rested his alleged discovery of the name on the Greek inscription, which, of itself, could not have indicated the particular shield of Cleopatra among several contained in the hieroglyphics; not less than that he should affect to have been only anticipated in publication, not in discovery, by Dr. Young-with such conclusive proof to the contrary' in existence as that adduced by Klaproth. His rapid and masterly conception of the system, and resolution of its principles, when once he saw occasion to admit their existence, make it all his own, without interfering with the merits of those who had previously demonstrated the existence of those principles, but were not so fortunate as to resolve them, or to form just conclusions regarding their extent. It appears that eight months only intervened between Champol lion's first acquaintance with the obelisk of Philæ, and the promulgation of his letter to M. Dacier, that is, from January to September, 1822:- and when this brief interval is compared with the matured results of that memoir, the latter must be viewed as amongst the most surprising examples of genius and industry on record.Had not the question been thus taken up by such a man as Champollion, it is sufficiently clear that it could never have advanced beyond Dr. Young's inferential exposition of 1819. It seems, on the other hand, quite improbable that, were it not for that exposition, followed up by the detection of the group representing the name of Cleopatra, Champollion's views would ever have received a right direction.

The grand step was now taken; and thenceforward the elucidation of hieroglyphic remains proceeded with rapidity. The monuments of the Pharaohs, and of their Grecian and Roman successors, were classed ac

+ See "Precis dua Systeme Hieroglyphique," &c. Paris, 1828. 2d edition. See the Right Hon. C. P. Yorke's account of this transaction, in the note to the work of Mr. Salt.

*

present time, would appear unbroken; and it furnishes a parallel coequal in antiquity and duration with the sacred and profane literature of the rest of the world.

cording to their respective antiquity, and the progress of Egyptian art determined. From this decisive epoch, Dr. Young, aided by the systematic labours of Champollion, directed his studies successfully and almost exclu- The Coptic versions of the Scriptures sively to the enchorial manuscripts; present us with the Coptic or Egypt an acquiring new and unanswerable proofs dialects, as they were known in the that his efforts were rightly directed; age of the latest hieroglyphic inscripand crowning these efforts, and the tions and enchorial writing, (when the labour of his valuable life, with his enchorial, or ancient national character, "Rudiments of an Egyptian Diction- became finally superseded by the preary," in the cnchorial character, which sent Coptic alphabet,) and, conseappeared as a supplement to the Rev. quently, with the data for rendering H. Tattam's "Grammar of the Egyp- the hieroglyphic and enchorial alphatian Language," in 1836. He, never- bets, if well established, available for theless, continued to collect and pub- the interpretation of the latter inscriplish much original hieroglyphic mate- tions and papyri; and, more remotely, rials; leaving the interpretation of in reference to those of the ages before them to his more successful rival.- the language had suffered the changes But we feel called upon to state, by and corruptions necessarily incidental way of a slight counterpoise, to the on the sojournment of the Jewish napeccadillocs of Champollion, that Dr. tion, and the successive Persian, MaYoung never fully admitted the authen- cedonian, and Roman dom nations.ticity of a system which supplied the For, it is not to be supposed that the defects of his own original and funda- tongue of the Pagan inhabitants, the mental conceptions; we mean, with authors of the inscriptions and of the regard to the phonetic hieroglyphics.- enchorial manuscripts, remained in its For, our learned countryman speedily original purity at a time when that of agreed to his rival's comprehensive the Christians (whose descendants of views in regard to the general alpha- the present day proclaim themselves, betic force of the encherial characters, by their physical conformation, to be as his ulterior researches and publications demonstrate; and in this respect, like Champollion, he found it necessary to relinquish his original opinion, that both the hieroglyphic and enchorial characters were ideographic, or signs of things rather than of sounds, with the exception of limited alphabets, or syllabaries, used for the expression of proper names and words in foreign languages.

The original discoverers assumed the Coptic to be the language of the hieroglyphics; and if the existing Coptic be the legitimate representative of the tongue of the Pharaohs-a fact admitted by all, except those scholars whose delight is to amuse themselves with startling theories-the chain of Egyptian literature, during a period of 3600 years, or from about the eighteenth century before the Christian era until the

the true representatives of their mummied and sculptured ancestors) was a mongrel language; retaining, however, unquestionable proofs of its descent.We here differ from the opinion of Champollion and his disciples, that the inscriptions present no variation of language from the age of Sesostris till that of Antonius; and we fully agree with MM. Klaproth and Janelli, that under the Pharaohs, the Persians, the Ptolemies, and the Cœsars, it was, to a certain extent, different: although we cannot, with the first mentioned writer, consent to follow the course of corruption to the Arabian domination, (Examen, p. 16,) having before us the Biblical versions four centuries older.

We must likewise dissent, until evidence be adduced to the contrary, from the view advanced by Janelli, Count

See "Hieroglyphics" of the Egyptian Society, and the Royal Society of Literature, 1823, 1828. Plates 1 to 80.

+ Examen Critique, &c. Paris, 1832.

Alcune Questioni, &c. Neapoli, 1830. See Report on this System, Transactions of the Royal Society of Literature, Vol. III. Part I.

Robiano, and the learned author of ture of Egypt: the second, from the the treatise on "The Enchorial Lan- proved existence of three distinct diaguage of Egypt," that the sacerdotal lects, in the age of the versions alluded and vulgar tongues-the hieroglyphic to above-the Bashmuric, or lower and enchorial-were madically different Egyptian; the Sahidic, or Thebaic; and languages. Ancient writers uniformly the Coptic, properly so called, or the speak of the several kinds of writing Memphitic. This last mentioned fact or letters (ypapuara) used in Egypt, is conclusive for the antiquity of the not of several languages, as Herodo- parent tongue, however varied or cortus, Manetho, Eratosthenes, the Ro- rupted in its descent; while it is consetta Inscription, Diodorus, Clemens, firmed by another fact not less remarkand Porphyry. Manetho, as quot- able, because in complete keeping with ed by Josephus and Syncellus, in- the results of hieroglyphic discovery. deed, mentions the sacred and vul- The alphabet used in the expression of gar dialects; but this we believe to the several dialects, although considerrefer to a difference between the hiero- ably exceeding the Greek alphabet, graphic and enchorial, not much, from which it is principally derived, in if at all, exceeding that between the length, when reduced to its interexisting dialects of the Coptic; a dif- changable letters, is found to repreference probably arising from the su sent the primitive hieroglyphic alphaperior antiquity of the hierographic. bet, which does not go beyond twelve Eratosthenes calls the language of the or thirteen original sounds. In fine, sacred Theban sculptors, simply "the the Bashmuric, so far as the scanty Egyptian;"§ and Tacitus acquaints remains of that rude dialect permit us us that the exploits of the great to judge, is the nearest existing repreRhampses, were sculptured in the lan- sentative of the hieroglyphic of the guage of the country-patrium ser- monuments, and the Sahidic of the monem, the word patrium being Demotic or Enchorial inscriptions; here equivalent to that of "Enchorial" while the Coptic or Memphitic seems on the pillar of Rosetta; in reference to supply a further link in descent by to the national characters. So, Por- its closer affinity with the language of phyry (de Vita Pythagor.) tells us the Ptolemies. This philological dethere were three modes of writing "the partment of the inquiry has been malanguage of the Egyptians." terially promoted by the valuable Coptic lexicons of Tattam¶ and Peyron, and by the hieroglyphic researches of Salvolini, Rosellini, Wilkinson, and Sharpe.

Egypt, like all other primitive nations, had its peculiar race and language, and, like most of them, its several families and dialects. The first of these propositions is demonstrable from the ethno-geographical detail of the tenth chapter of Genesis, in which we find those names of the offspring of Mizraim, Pathrusim, Napthuhim, Caphtorim, &c., which were perpetuated in the chorographical nomencla

We have thus traced the materials from the quarry to the edifice; noticing the several stages of the discovery, from its birth until it became an available and profitable appendage to historical literature so far as appeared necessary to enable our readers to sep

• Etudes sur l'Ecriture, &c. de l'Egypte. Paris, 1834. This excellent paper appeared in the Dublin University Magazine, No. 3. See Ancient Fragments,' p. 168. Joseph. contr. Apion, lib. i. Syncellus ed Par., p. 40.

Syncell. p. 147.

# Annal. lib. 2.

** It is with feelings of high satisfaction that we perceive that the labours of Mr. Tattam are about to be extended in a way which is likely to prove equally serviceable to the cause of Biblical and to that of Egyptian literature, by a voyage to Egypt, under the sanction and at the expense of Government, and with a view to completing the Coptic Scriptures and Lexicon, from the unpublished and unknown manuscripts which abound in the Egyptian monasteries. We have seen testimonials in favour of the plan, and of Mr. Tattam's unquestionable competency, signed by all our leading philologists and Egyptian scholars, which we conceive to be irresistible. The certainty of another complete version of the Scriptures, of the early ages of Christianity, being one of the results,causes it to be an object of national importance, which it is incumbent on any Government to promote, independently of its literary and antiquarian interest.

VOL. XLIV.

10

cording to their respective antiquity, present time, would appear unbroken; and the progress of Egyptian art de- and it furnishes a parallel coequal in termined. From this decisive epoch, antiquity and duration with the sacred Dr. Young, aided by the systematic and profane literature of the rest of the labours of Champollion, directed his world. studies successfully and almost exclu- The Coptic versions of the Scriptures sively to the enchorial manuscripts; present us with the Coptic or Egypt an acquiring new and unanswerable proofs dialects, as they were known in the that his efforts were rightly directed; age of the latest hieroglyphic inscripand crowning these efforts, and the tions and enchorial writing, (when the labour of his valuable life, with his enchorial, or ancient national character, "Rudiments of an Egyptian Diction- became finally superseded by the preary," in the enchorial character, which sent Coptic alphabet,) and, conse appeared as a supplement to the Rev. quently, with the data for rendering H. Tattam's "Grammar of the Egyp- the hieroglyphic and enchorial alphatian Language," in 1836. He, never- bets, if well established, available for theless, continued to collect and pub- the interpretation of the latter inscriplish much original hieroglyphic mate- tions and papyri; and, more remotely, rials; * leaving the interpretation of in reference to those of the ages before them to his more successful rival.- the language had suffered the changes But we feel called upon to state, by and corruptions necessarily incidental way of a slight counterpoise, to the on the sojournment of the Jewish napeccadilloes of Champollion, that Dr. tion, and the successive Persian, MaYoung never fully admitted the authen- cedonian, and Roman dominations.ticity of a system which supplied the For, it is not to be supposed that the defects of his own original and funda- tongue of the Pagan inhabitants, the mental conceptions; we mean, with authors of the inscriptions and of the regard to the phonetic hieroglyphics.- enchorial manuscripts, remained in its For, our learned countryman speedily original purity at a time when that of agreed to his rival's comprehensive the Christians (whose descendants of views in regard to the general alpha- the present day proclaim themselves, betic force of the enchorial characters, by their physical conformation, to be as his ulterior researches and publica- the true representatives of their mumtions demonstrate; and in this respect, like Champollion, he found it necessary to relinquish his original opinion, that both the hieroglyphic and enchorial characters were ideographic, or signs of things rather than of sounds, with the exception of limited alphabets, or syllabaries, used for the expression of proper names and words in foreign languages.

The original discoverers assumed the Coptic to be the language of the hieroglyphics; and if the existing Coptic be the legitimate representative of the tongue of the Pharaohs-a fact admitted by all, except those scholars whose delight is to amuse themselves with startling theories-the chain of Egyptian literature, during a period of 3600 years, or from about the eighteenth century before the Christian era until the

mied and sculptured ancestors) was a mongrel language; retaining, however, unquestionable proofs of its descent.We here differ from the opinion of Champollion and his disciples, that the inscriptions present no variation of language from the age of Serostris till that of Antonius; and we fully agree with MM. Klaproth and Janelli, that under the Pharaohs, the Persians, the Ptolemies, and the Cœsars, it was, to a certain extent, different: although we cannot, with the first mentioned writer, consent to follow the course of corruption to the Arabian domination, (Examen, p. 16,) having be fore us the Biblical versions four centu ries older.

We must likewise dissent, until evidence be adduced to the contrary, from the view advanced by Janelli, Count

See "Hieroglyphics" of the Egyptian Society, and the Royal Society of Literature, 1823, 1828. Plates 1 to 80.

+ Examen Critique, &c. Paris, 1832.

Alcune Questioni, &c. Neapoli, 1830. See Report on this System, Transactions of the Royal Society of Literature, Vol. III. Part I.

Robiano, and the learned author of ture of Egypt: the second, from the proved existence of three distinct dialects, in the age of the versions alluded

the treatise on "The Enchorial Language of Egypt," that the sacerdotal and vulgar tongues-the hieroglyphic to above-the Bashmuric, or lower and enchorial-were mdically different Egyptian; the Sahidic, or Thebaic; and languages. Ancient writers uniformly the Coptic, properly so called, or the speak of the several kinds of writing Memphitic. This last mentioned fact or letters (ypaμnara) used in Egypt, is conclusive for the antiquity of the not of several languages, as Herodo- parent tongue, however varied or cortus, Manetho, Eratosthenes, the Ro- rupted in its descent; while it is consetta Inscription, Diodorus, Clemens, firmed by another fact not less remarkand Porphyry. Manetho, as quot- able, because in complete keeping with ed by Josephus and Syncellus, f in- the results of hieroglyphic discovery. deed, mentions the sacred and vul- The alphabet used in the expression of gar dialects; but this we believe to the several dialects, although considerrefer to a difference between the hiero- ably exceeding the Greek alphabet, graphic and enchorial, not much, from which it is principally derived, in If at all, exceeding that between the length, when reduced to its interexisting dialects of the Coptic; a dif- changable letters, is found to repreference probably arising from the su sent the primitive hieroglyphic alphaperior antiquity of the hierographic. bet, which does not go beyond twelve Eratosthenes calls the language of the or thirteen original sounds. In fine, sacred Theban sculptors, simply "the the Bashmuric, so far as the scanty Egyptian;"§ and Tacitus acquaints remains of that rude dialect permit us us that the exploits of the great to judge, is the nearest existing repreRhampses, were sculptured in the lan- sentative of the hieroglyphic of the guage of the country-patrium ser- monuments, and the Sahidic of the monem, the word patrium being Demotic or Enchorial inscriptions; here equivalent to that of "Enchorial" while the Coptic or Memphitic seems on the pillar of Rosetta; in reference to supply a further link in descent by to the national characters. So, Por- its closer affinity with the language of phyry (de Vitâ Pythagor.) tells us the Ptolemies. This philological dethere were three modes of writing "the partment of the inquiry has been malanguage of the Egyptians." terially promoted by the valuable Coptic lexicons of Tattam¶ and Peyron, and by the hieroglyphic researches of Salvolini, Rosellini, Wilkinson, and Sharpe.

Egypt, like all other primitive nations, had its peculiar race and language, and, like most of them, its several families and dialects. The first of these propositions is demonstrable from the ethno-geographical detail of the tenth chapter of Genesis, in which we find those names of the offspring of Mizraim, Pathrusim, Napthuhim, Caphtorim, &c., which were perpetuated in the chorographical nomencla

We have thus traced the materials from the quarry to the edifice; noticing the several stages of the discovery, from its birth until it became an available and profitable appendage to historical literature so far as appeared necessary to enable our readers to sep

• Etudes sur l'Ecriture, &c. de l'Egypte. Paris, 1834.

This excellent paper appeared in the Dublin University Magazine, No. 3. + See Ancient Fragments,' p. 168. Joseph. contr. Apion, lib. i. Syncellus ed Par., p. 40.

Syncell. p. 147.

Il Annal. lib. 2.

**It is with feelings of high satisfaction that we perceive that the labours of Mr. Tattam are about to be extended in a way which is likely to prove equally serviceable to the cause of Biblical and to that of Egyptian literature, by a voyage to Egypt, under the sanction and at the expense of Government, and with a view to completing the Coptic Scriptures and Lexicon, from the unpublished and unknown manuscripts which abound in the Egyptian monasteries. We have seen testimonials in favour of the plan, and of Mr. Tattam's unquestionable competency, signed by all our leading philologists and Egyptian scholars, which we conceive to be irresistible. The certainty of another complete version of the Scriptures, of the early ages of Christianity, being one of the results,causes it to be an object of national importance, which it is incumbent on any Government to promote, independently of its literary and antiquarian interest.

VOL. XLIV.

10