tion of such words : so that in the early languages all compounds would be form ed by the combination of simple articula tions. 5. The greater part of consonant sounds cannot be sounded singly without vowels, nor together, without vowels in tervening.. In many cases this is evident to the ear ; and where it is not perceived, it often is the fact, though the acquired rapidity of utterance may render it very little perceptible. 6. Some languages do hot admit of any two consonant sounds together. The Tartar language always requires a vowel between two conso nants. The Russian, we believe, does the same. The Chinese never join two consonants, unless we must except ng ; bet this appears to be only a simple sound, though represented by two of our letters. NI ith respect to the Chinese the point is of consequence ; because there is great reason to believe that they came from the stock of the Egyptians, before there had been any considerable addition to their vocabulary by combina tions of sounds, and before the transition had been made from hieroglyphical to al phabetical writing. It is true, many of
the Chieese words end in consonants, which seems to render improbable the position advanced: but it is to be observ ed, that in such cases the words should be considered as of two syllables ; for it is impossible, in continued speaking, to utter a complete consonant sound at the end of a word, without emitting a vowel sound. 7. That the Hebrew, which is to be considered as a representative of all the cognate eastern languages, never sounded a consonant without a vowel, may be inferred from this circumstance, that those who invented denotements of vowel sounds, while at least the leading features of the pronunciation remained, thought it necessary to add, or suppose understood, a vowel sound after every consonant.
Respecting the Chinese language, our readers will find many particulars in the article before referred to, viz. WRITING, origin of, alphabetical.