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short a, as in America? Surely not. And if not, since we have to make provision for all the alphabets, and forestall the peculiar deviations from the parent stock in each,-is it not better, more consistent, more uniform, to employ the letter which exactly represents the corresponding one in the primitive Indian alphabets, and mark as anomalous in any particular dialect the retention of the original letter, while the pronunciation is more or less varied? In this case, most palpable it is that the anomaly lies not in our system of representation, but is wholly chargeable on the varying powers of the literal form represented. And if it be distinctly borne in mind, that our concern is not with what may answer best in this or that language, but with what may, on the whole, answer best in all the Indian languages, sure we are that this single circumstance of paramount importance were enough to obviate every difficulty, and remove every objection that can possibly arise on the present head.

2. The other class, or that which embraces alterations that may well be adopted, appears to be restricted to the two vowel sounds e and o, and to the nasal ns.

In no Indian language are the vowels e and o short. They retain invariably the long sound. Still, as we find the short and long sound of a, i, and u perpetually occurring, and as it was necessary to mark this difference, it was proposed, in accordance with established usage, to let the simple letters express the short sound, and distinguish the long sound, by accents placed above them; thus a, á, &c. Since then an accent became the special symbol of an elongated sound, it was deemed proper, for the sake of uniformity, to place it over e and o, as well as over long a, i, and u. And it cannot for a moment be doubted that this preserves the unity and harmony of the system, by effectually excluding any thing like inconsistency or contradiction. On the other hand, it has been urged, that these letters (e and o), and especially e, pervade the language to a greater extent than perhaps any others-and that we ourselves laid down the indisputable canon, that "it is expedient to employ diacritic and other marks as sparingly as possible." Influenced by these and other reasons, we have resolved to drop the accent from the long vowels e and o-assured that no mistake can arise, when we apprize the learner that these, in every Indian language and dialect, possess invariably the long sound, the former nearly like e in there, or exactly like e in the French tempête; and the latter like o in note.

Again, with reference to the nasal ns, it has been suggested, that the notation may in practice be simplified. Of this no doubt was ever entertained. In "the scheme" it was shewn, how by a few dots these nasals might be distinguished with the utmost precision. To save repetition, let the reader consult the explanation there given. He will find that the different classes of gutturals and palatines have each a nasal n, marked respectively n, n. Now it so hap

pens that these are never interchanged, i. e. the n, belonging to the gutturals, never precedes a palatine letter; the n, belonging to the palatines, never precedes a guttural. In this case, the notation of n in practice may be perfectly intelligible without farther precision. That is, if n without any dot, be found preceding a guttural, the reader may be sure it can be none other than n; if, preceding a palatine, it can be none other than n; and if preceding s or sh, h or a semivowel, none other than ng. By attending to this plain remark we shall get quit of several dots-and so simplify the practical use of the Roman character.

Altogether, when we consider the conflicting state of opinions on this subject amongst orientalists, we have been delightfully surprised at the average rate of unanimity that now prevails amongst those friendly to the substitution-an auspicious concord, that must proceed from the noble resolve to sacrifice selfish partialities on the altar of social well-being and national prosperity.

These preliminary remarks we shall now follow up by giving in separate tables the two parent alphabetic stocks, with the derivatives principally employed in Eastern India.

1.-The Deva Nágari and its branches.

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* The Burman and Butan letters thus marked are pronounced anomalously.

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Sound in
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Note. In the above tables, all the regular letters, with their proper sound, are given. This is in accordance with our plan of reserving explanations of particular variations or anomalies for each of the alphabets separately. But ere we proceed farther, it may be interesting and useful to collect and arrange in one tabular view all the Roman characters, combinations, &c. with such points and marks as have been adopted to complete the representation of the Indian Alphabets.

Sound.

Out of all the Alphabets arises the following complete Roman

Letter. Name.

Alphabet.

Letter.

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land. full-rill. full-reel.

It has been already stated, that in the derivative alphabets, certain anomalies, such as the retention of the original letter, with a different pronunciation, &c. have in the lapse of time slowly crept*

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* We cannot in connection with this subject refrain from quoting a few extracts from the truly admirable grammar of the Gaelic language, by the late Rev. Dr. Alexander Stewart : "In the first exhibition," says he, the sounds of a living language, by alphabetical characters, it is probable that the principle which regulated the system of orthography was, that every elementary sound should be represented by a corresponding character, either simple or compounded; and that the same sound should be represented by the same character. If different sounds were represented by the same letter;—if the same sound were represented by different letters ;— if more letters were employed than were necessary to exhibit the sound ;or if any sound were not represented by a corresponding character; then the written language would not be an adequate representation of the spoken. It is hardly to be supposed that in the first rude attempt at alphabetical writing, the principle above laid down could be strictly and uniformly fol lowed. And though it had, yet, in the course of a few generations, many causes would occur to bring about considerable departures from it. A gradu

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