!
THE CHINA REVIEW,
from the above, that the phrase fih kuh can- not possibly mean "followers," nor even *followers carrying screens over a general in his chariot." One screen might, at any rate, suffice even for a general, whether Chinese or Assyrian. But as to the second half of the sentence, and its Assyrian refer- euce, Dr. Williams must have derived his inspiration from a source even more obscure to him than Kaughi's comments. It is perhaps impossible to decide whether the words "such as is seen" refer to the chariot or to the general, and it therefore appears to me that the "remarkable coincidence," to which N. P. refers, is more remarkable for its obscurity than for anything else.
E. J. E..
THE WORD SWALLOW."-Every Chinese student has of course remarked as an extra- ordinary coincidence that the Chinese words
and p, a noun and a verb of the same sound, should exactly correspond to a nouu and verb in English which are also homo- phonous. The word "swallow" is of course alluded to. The inference is irresistible that in the case of the English words, as obviously in that of the Chinese, the verb is a derivative of the noun. Can any philolo- gist state whether this is actually so P
P.
The resemblances alluded to by P. in both cases are but accidental. In the English instances adduced we have only to go back to Anglo-Saxon to discover that the two words, swallow, verb, and swallow, sub- stantive, have no connexion. The first we find had the form swelgan, in German schwelgen; the second swalewe, in German schwalbe. The latter is according to Cur- tius connected with the same stem *49
vékenyë (tuba), swakwe (cithara), &c.
So in Chinese we may apparently trace up the origin of the two, or rather three forms, for 燕
means not only the bird, but also rest, repose, to those distinct forms in ancient Central-Asian speech. Unfortunately we have no means of discovering, except by ana-
logy, the parent language of which modern Chinese is the degenerate offspring. There is however little difficulty in comparing in the sense of a swallow, with the Latin hirun-do, which in Grock becomes Vidé, as if from a previous vado in the sense of rest, repose, is apparently to be connected with with similar meaning, and this we must refer to the same root as
The the Greek Aps, in Sanscrit ram,
third form ik we may likewise trace in the Sanscrit sri man," which becomes in Latiu glutio.
The resemblance which might seem at first right to betoken some connexion fades away in the case of the Chinese as of the English word as won as we begin to look below the surface. Comparative philologists have long since given up the habit of look- ing out for sham resemblances to establish community of origin, and prefer following fixed and uniform laws of change to guide them in their researches.
CORRIGENDA.
T. W. K.
CHINESE STUDIES AND OFFICIAL INTER-
PRETATION IN THE COLONY OF HONGKONG.--me Writing under this heading, and referring to Dr. Bridges (p. 3) I regret to have com- mitted an inaccuracy, from imperfect recol- lection. On referring to the Government Guzeties of 1858, I find that Dr. Bridges himself requested to be put on his trial, in consequence of the charges brought against him by the public papers, that the trial was conducted by a Committee of the Legislative Council, and that the report of this Com- mittee winds up by saying that they consider Dr. Bridges' honour and integrity quite unimpeached.
E. J. EITEL,
ERRATA
In the Note on Patria Potestas, Vol. V.,
p. 405, column 2, last line, for "no mother" read "no matter.”
* Here the Manuscript is illegible.--Ep. Chẳng Review.
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