arrange them all in one series, and to form of the whole what is commonly called a class or department [fonds,] which, though in fact small, will be useful to those persons who are desirous of studying the Chinese language.

PART I.

Chinese Dictionaries, interpreted in the languages of Europe.

No. 1.

DICTIONARIUM SINICO-LATINUM.

Reverendissimi patris Basilii à Glemoná Itali, missionarii sacræ Congregationis de propaganda fide, nec non vicarii apostolici provinciæ Xensinensis, cum indice copioso, characteribus inveniendis accommodato, eorumque Sinicis Elementis, ac linearum varie componentium elencho. His accessere Sinensium antithetorum, particularum numeralium, / vocum quibus additur particula Tà, atque cognominum accuratæ collectiones, cum Cyclo Sinico,

This is a folio manuscript of six hundred and seventy three pages, on European paper. It is a part of the splendid collection of manuscripts with which our victories in Italy have enriched the national library. It was taken from the Vatican library, where it was marked No. 371; and it is not one of the least valuable we have obtained, as will appear from the following account of it, which I have thought best to give somewhat at large. It is composed on the authority of ten Chinese authors, whose names are given immediately after the title of the work. The following is an analysis of the different parts of the volume.

1. A Latin dissertation of eleven pages, to facilitate the use of the Dictionary.

2. The Dictionary.This is written with all the method

and distinctness that could be desired. It contains five hundred and six pages, each of which is divided into four columns; the two narrowest of these contain the Chinese characters, and the other two, the corresponding sounds of those characters, expressed as accurately as possible, in Roman letters, with the meaning of each word and its derivatives. The letters which express the Chinese sounds have marks over them, which are explained in the preceding dissertation.

3. Next to this is a small treatise, which, properly speaking, is no more than a table, in which are designated certain strokes of the letters. It is entitled, Lateralium Tractuum penicelli index, and contains three pages.

4. The next one hundred and four pages contain a very extensive analytical table entitled, Divisionum vel Dispositionum tractuum penicelli accuratus liber vel repertorium. This contains the series of Chinese characters, from the elementary strokes to the most complicated. The power of each Chinese character is expressed in Roman letters by its side.

5. Another table of the same kind, which contains only twelve pages, and is entitled, Literarum tractuum penicelli generale repertorium.

6. A collection entitled, Index oppositarum literarum, in which are placed together words of opposite or contrary significations, such as sweet, bitter; handsome, ugly; heaven, earth, &c. This collection consists of twenty pages. The four next pages contain another collection entitled, Numerale variarum rerum; this is an index designed to facilitate look. ing words in the Dictionary.

7. A treatise on the mode of computing the Chinese years. -Modus enumerandi annos more Sinico, (4 pages.)

8. A treatise on the powers of the letter Ta: Hæc litera TA conjungi debet verbis inferioribus; and it contains in fact the series of verbs which are capable of receiving this letter TA. (6 pages.)

9. The next article is the nomenclature entitled-Imperatoris compositio centum familiarum cognomina continens, which occupies the last seven pages of this valuable manuscript.

N. B. A notice in the hand-writing of Giuseppe Cerrù informs us, that this copy was to have been used in printing the Dictionary. This learned man had engaged to superintend that important undertaking, which unfortunately never was earried into effect.

No. 2.

DICTIONARIUM SINICO-LATINUM.

A small manuscript in 4to, of eight hundred pages, Chinese paper. This Dictionary is in reality the same with No. 1; and before I had read the Italian note of Giuseppe Cerrù, I was of opinion that it was copied from that, which is one that come from the French missionaries.-The leaves, which are worn, prove that it has often been resorted to.

In order to facilitate the looking of Chinese words, the work is arranged according to the order of the French alphabet, and on the top of each page are written the sounds corresponding to the signs contained in it. It should be remarked that the series of those words whose first letter is a Z, is at the end of Dictionary No. 1, whereas it is at the beginning of this one, which expresses the sound of that letter by tsa; so that the first word of this manuscript, No. 2, corresponds to page 452 of the other (No. 1.) and the first word of that corresponds to page 89 of No. 2. With the exception of this transposition the number and order of the words are exactly the same in both works.

No. 3.

A manuscript, in folio, on Chinese paper, and from fifteen to eighteen lines in thickness. This is also a Chinese-Latin Dictionary, arranged in the same manner as the preceding, but incomplete; many of the characters have no explanations, but they are perfectly well formed. This manuscript may

not be without its use.

No. 4.

A folio manuscript of two hundred and seventy leaves, of

Chinese paper. This is a Chinese-Latin-Spanish Dictionary. Each page is divided into ten perpendicular columns, which are subdivided into three parts, which have at their commencement a Chinese character, the explanation of which in Latin and Spanish occupies the remainder of the spaces. The Chinese characters are of a large size, and were made by a very skilful hand. The pronunciation is at the top of the columns. This Dictionary, like Nos. 1 and 2, is followed by a very copious index to facilitate the knowledge of the keys, and the searching for the characters.

No. 5.

A small manuscript in 4to, of four hundred and twenty two pages, Chinese paper. This is a small Chinese-Spanish Dictionary. Each page is divided into four columns. The two narrowest contain the Chinese characters, and occasionally the pronunciation, with the meaning in Spanish. It is very imperfect.

No. 6.

A small manuscript in 4to, of five hundred and twelve pages, Chinese paper. This is a Chinese-Spanish Dictionary. Each page is divided into six columns, each of which is cut by transverse lines forming squares, part of which contain the Chinese characters, and the others the pronunciation, with short explanations in Spanish.

No. 7.

DICCIONARIO DE LENGUA MANDARINA.

Cuyo primer author fue el R. P. Fr. Francisco Diaz, religioso Dominico, annadido despues por los R. R. P. P. desta mission de Sancto Domingo.-Trasladado, emendadas algunas tonadas conforme à los Diccionarios Chinicos, puestas algimas letras en las tonadas de otras conforme a los Diccionarios dichos, y annadidas mas tonadas y letras, todo segun los Diccionarios Chinicos por Fr. Antonio Diaz:-or, Dictionary of the Mandarine language, originally composed by the reverend Father Franeis Diaz, of the Dominican order, and enlarged by the rever

end Fathers of the same mission of St. Dominick; translated and corrected in the tones, agreeably to the Chinese dictionaries, and enriched with many more letters and tones according to the same dictionaries. This is a small 4to of one hundred and ninety eight leaves, Chinese paper. It contains a Span- . ish dissertation on the five tones of the Chinese language, and the manner of representing them which was generally adopted by the missionaries.

Nos. 8. a. b. c.

Three volumes in small folio, bound in the Chinese manner, and written on Chinese paper. The first may contain about one hundred sheets, the second, eighty, and the third, forty. They form a Chinese-French Dictionary, written with care and clearness. Each page has the Chinese in two perpendicular columns, with the sounds by the side-many of the characters remain without any interpretation.

PART II.

Dictionaries of European Languages interpreted in Chinese. No. 9.

DICTIONARIUM LATINO SINICUM-a folio manuscript, from three and an half to four inches thick, written on very thin Chinese paper. This is a Latin-Chinese Dictionary, very complete, and written with the greatest regularity. The characters are done by a very skilful hand. Each page is divided into two columns, which are subdivided into ten horizontal bands, or strips. The bands on the left hand contain the Latin, explained in Chinese, which is placed in the corresponding bands on the right hand. In many instances the explanation of a word is accompanied by several phrases or examples, the better to show the meaning of it. It is to be regretted that the Chinese pronunciation is not given.