[226] Precisely the same change takes place in the growth of English from Saxon, and Danish from Icelandic.
[227] Hist. des Langues Sém. v. 1, 2, and 3.
[228] Über den Urspr. d. Sprache, p. 50. Another weighty testimony to the splendour of the English language may be found in Adelung’s Mithridates.
[229] See Benloew, p. 15 sqq. Humboldt, Über die Verschiedenheit des menschlichen Sprachbaues, ad finem.
[230] The Chinese ‘l’ is pronounced like ‘r.’
[231] Many readers may recall the story of the late Mr. Albert Smith about the Bishop being described in the mixed jargon of Hong Kong as the “A-one-heaven-business-man.”
[232] Adelung, Mithridates, i. p. 412. Some deny the monosyllabic character of Chinese. (Prof. Key, Art. Language, Engl. Cycl.)
[233] It should be observed that triliteralism is not necessarily incompatible with monosyllabism. See Hist. des Langues Sémitiques, p. 94, 2nde ed.
[234] As אָב father, אֵם mother, אָח brother, הר mountain, יָד hand, יוֹם day, &c.
[235] Renan, p. 168. I must content myself here with a general reference to M. Renan, to whose works I have been very greatly indebted throughout the chapter, and indeed, as I have repeatedly observed, throughout the book.