The greater part of these, combining two ideas to indicate a third, are evidently of the fourth class. In several of them the ideas expressed by the formative and the primitive seem blended: but in others, the primitive seems to add one general idea to the formatives; thus the heart or spirit expresses itself at the mouth of a dog in foam; it adds force and effect to the hand; brought into contact with sickness, it is pain; added to a word, it produces sincerity, and brought near to gold, it is generally keen. In several it is difficult to trace the connection. Six of those have precisely the same Name with the primitive; the other six change the initial power alone.

We now proceed to examine the various classes of the Primitives.

II.

PRIMITIVES OF THE FIRST CLASS.

shee, an age, properly of 30 years, the age, the world,* produces

22 derivatives. Uniting with † yin, a man, it forms,

+ For the abbreviated forms of certain of the elements, see the foot of the page in the Synopsis beginning page 7

In perhaps the greater part of these, were the idea suggested by the pri mitive, (that of something current, or freely flowing,) added to the various formatives, the meaning of the derivative would be nearly indicated: as, a man living freely, may suggest the idea of a prodigal ; a tree's flourishing, that of a leaf; a flowing mouth, that of verbosity. The breath flowing; the foot moving freely, so as to proceed, advance, or even exceed ; a flowing robe, &c. need no comment. The Name, in fifteen of these, is the final syllable of the primitive; and in nearly all the rest, the final is retained, although it has the fourth or reflected tone.

Another of the first Class of Primitives exemplified.

III. The pronounngó, I ;* produces twenty-seven derivatives. By uniting with yin, a man, it forms,

* See page 39

That with the bird above, has the same name and meaning.

With [Į yčh, a head, a page, &c. ngo, level, even, &c With the rising tone, oblique. Tsah-yoon. With tchih, to eat,

Lingò, hungry. Yooh-p’hyen.

With I má, a horse, Bingo, (py-ngo,) a horse's shaking

the head. Shyeh-wun.

With tchee, a tooth,

Linh ngò, (khôngò,) a row of teeth.

Tsăh-yoon.

The general idea suggested by this primitive, seems to be that partial preference which the human mind naturally feels for itself, its own exertions, its own property, &c. and which here seems applied to a wife, the hand, colour, clothing, &c. as adding to these an idea of value or excellence. In two

or three instances, personal propriety seems intended, as, my own seal or office, religious rites performed by myself; my own desire of food. One character, ngo, the sound of one reading in a low voice, seems formed on the principle of the Sixth Class already mentioned, that of uniting the meaning of one character to the sound of another. In several the chain of connexion is scarcely discernible. The names of all, one excepted, are the same syl lable with that of the primitive.

H

PRIMITIVES OF THE SECOND CLASS.

IV. The character choong, the midst, right; within, thorough, form

ed by drawing a perpendicular stroke through birth to nineteen derivatives.

Uniting with

* See page 40.