The Sun.
London, England, 1826-07-12 00:00:00

CHINESE LANGUAGE.

Could we imagine that a nation existed, the individuals
' of which did not possess the faculty, of speech, and were
able to convey ideas- to each other by a medium adapted
to the eye alone, their-language (if such a solecism may
be pardoned) would be constructed. upon the same princi-
ples as the Chinese character; it would, in fact, corres-
pond exactly with that character in its origin and subse-
quent history, as developed by Chinese writers, who state
that their ymbols were
originally representatives of the
s
object signified, which, for the sake of convenience, and
to admit of ready combination in forming signs of abstract
ideas, were abbreviated and modified; and that many cha-
racters still show that the source from whence they were
derived was a resemblance to the object.
ri'h
oethle : al tongue
obc and
fiChina is diametrically opposed to
most the Chinue, for example, are
very antipodes. In the former, the number of distinct
sounds, or combinations of sounds, applied to one object,
is said to be, in one instance, a thousand; in the latter,
including every variation of the tones, many of which are
never used, or even known by native scholars, the sounds
do not exceed 800. The number of sounds distinguish-
able by the English alphabet is about 350; and if we di.
vide the number of characters, 80,000, by this, we shall
find that, upon an average, the same sound, or sounds so
similar as not to be discriminated by means of our alpha-
bet, must be applied to about 229 different and discordant
ideas. The most experienced Chinese will find one hun-
dred (or perhaps 1,000) characters expressed by the same
identical sound.

We cannot be surprised to find, therefore, that since
the meaning of the vocal language is so imperfectly trans-
mitted to the mind, by means of the tongue and ear, the
Chinese are forced, in common conversation, to trace the
characters rapidly in the air, in order to assist the appre-
hension of the person addressed ; or that in public assem-
blies, passages of an orator's speech, or of an imperial
edict, are inscribed on boards and exhibited to the eye,
while their sounds are uttered to the ear of the multitude.
This expedient is not only convenient, as the means of
preventing very awkward mistakes; but it is a very ad-
vantageous mode of communicating a language so con-
structed, that it sometimes requires several phrases to ex-
press, with adequate force, what is conveyed by the sight.
of a single character.
The Chinese, as is well known, hold women in some
degree of contempt, and regard them as inferior in the
scale of creation. This feeling, at once the cause
and the symptom of an ill-organized society, nay
be discovered in the mode in which they employ
the character nen, signifying the woman, in composi-
tion. Suh, discreet and respectful, is compounded -of
woman and restriction. Foo, a married woman, of woman
and broom. Tho, subjected, secure; of a claw placed
over woman. Wa►►g, immoral, consists of fugitive and
woman. The same character is employed in the following
compounds : Nan, to wrangle or scold, composed of two
characters of woman placed opposite to each other. Neaou,
levity of beha►iour, lewdness;- of a turns placed betwees
two women; and vice versa, a woman placed between two
»ten. Chen, beautiful, elegant; of woman and a single
garment. Seu, weak, feeble ; of a woman and want.
rhan, to be in a disordered dirty state; of women and
coals. Seun, conceited; of a woman and to strut. lie,
to play, or frolic; of a woman and pleased. Shioang,
widow ; of woman and hoarfrost. 7%uh, gross lewdness ;
of woman and a muddy ditch. Tseu, to marry ;of to lake
and woman. Gan, suppressed anger; of woman and sent
wini!

The following are examples of elegance in the use of
this key :—Mha, a young unmarried woman, composed
of woman and Bending down like an ear of corn. Ying,
an infant at the breast ; of two pearis.and woman. Hoo,
handsome, pretty; of woman and to sigh.--Asiatic
.Tournot.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

NEWMARKET JULY MEETING.

maxims, tuur 11.
Mr. Grey.%)le's Skirmiiher beat the Duke of Grafton's Wamba.
T.Y.C. 130.-5 to 4 on Skirmisher.
Fifty Pounds, for three-yr-old. and upwards. D.Y.
Mr. Wyndham's gr. e. Stumps -
Mr. H. Scokes ch. f, Wings g
Duke of Grafton's Cremona beat Mr. Orevil Skirtideher.
60 50y5....-6 to it• apt Cremona.
Sweepstakes of it) soya. each, for three-yr-olds and upwards.
T.M.nr.
Mr. Roger's Turban -
Mr. Wilson names Rigmarole - -
Duke of Grafton's b. c. Wamba - , 3
Lord Exeter's f. by Woful
4
Tut Brrrtwo.--A good deal of bueines has been done on the
Great St. Leger at Doncaster, the Gloumstershire Stakes at Clael-
tenham (next week), and, the Gold Cup at Preston. The Glou-
cestershire Stakes are of great importance, and many thousands
are depending; Lugburough, who hn.t week beat a field of good
horses in the Somersetshire Stakes at Bath, iv made first favourite to Shakspeare'r (the Derby colt) second. The odd* stand thus :
. GLOUClSTritalitai STAXIS.
sto 2 apt LuOorough I6to I apt Toil and Trouble 4. to 1 apt shasspeare to to I apt any

PRESTON cur,
I to 4on Brutanclorf 1 6 to I agst Falcon
4 to I agst Slgnlora 6 to I agst Auto rat
High odds tigst any otbtr•—•Longwaist will not start.
- - -

7 W 2 apt Belzoni
8 to I apt liedlamite
11 to 1 apt 'Pirate
Ili to I agst Crusader
LI to 1 apt The Dragon
20 to I apt Funny

yr. ricotta.
25 to I agst Crarnt*er
25 to I agst The titateral
30 to I Agit Barefoot
35 to I apt Barataria
35 to I agat Tartan!
50. to I oast Mulatto
any other,

40 to 1 agsi

PRESTON MEETING.....TURSDAY, JULY 11.
The Stanley Stakes of 10 soya, each, with SO soya. added. One
mile and a quarter:
Mr. Simpson's b. f. Little-80-Peep
Mr. Whitaker's hr. h, Lottery
Sir T. Stanley's hr. c. Doctor Faustus
Lord Derby's hr. tn. tlrganda
Mr. Stanley's br. c. Creams
Lord Stanley's gr. e. Autocrat
Mr. St. John's br. f. Signior*
Col. Yates's b. f. Countess
Mr. Paulden's br. c. by Counts
The Produce Stakes of 60 rt. each. Two miles.
Lord Derby's eli. £ by Milo
Lord Grozwfttor's b. f. Basilisk
Sir T. Mostrea oli. c.. by Abjer
Sir W. It'ynne's eh. f. Lattitat
Sir W. Wynne's br. c. Saucredo
Mr. Clifton's b. Harriet
Mr. Clifton's hr. f. Grizzle
Sir T. Mosty's b. e. Prince of Diamonds
A Maiden Plate of 701. for all ages. Heats, twice round and a
distanee.
Lord Derby's br. e. eteettit
Sir W. Wynne's h. g. Sandown
Mr. Thompson's ch. c. Predictor
Lord Grosvenor', b. c. King Henry
Mr. Jackson's b. 1. by Y. Castrel
Mr. Clifton's hr. f. Grizzle
Mr. Tapley's hr. 1. Melody
WIDNENDAY.
The Gold Cup, value, 100 ga. added to a Sweepstakts of 10 tors.
each. Three miles and a distance,
Lord Detby's gr. h. Grildrig
Mr. Stanley's gr. c. Autocrat
Mr. Horriby's b. c. Tom
Mr. Towneley's cis. f. Sopby
Mr. Whitaket's br. h. Lottery
Mr. Clifton's Brtitandorf
Mr. H. Hornby's ch. f. Cinderella
Mr. Ilorrocks's di. 0. Ma Munn
Mr. E. G. liorriby's br. c. liaimonan
Mr. Lumley's gr. c. Valcott
Lord Wilton's br. f. Grizzle
Vatei's b. c. Nemo
Mr. cireene's to. 1. Signiors
Duke of Leeds's b. c. Otoriek
Powlettes b. e. by P.hztonun
Mr, Russell's br. 1~. ?IfuaFtaol,ro
Mr. Yates's b. t: Litt/Q-PL"'"