Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Unpublished translations of letters, 'Mr Turberville Needham, FRS, and, his enquiries after a connection between certain Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the modern writing of China' from A [Alban?] Butler, C [Charles] Morton, and Jesuit priests

Reference number: AP/4/15

Date: 1762-1764

Description

Translations of two letters originally written in French regarding similarities between the form of Egyptian hieroglyphic characters and Chinese characters, first observed by Needham on an Egyptian bust of Isis in the Royal Museum in Turin [Italy]. The first letter was sent by Butler and Morton to Fathers Novial and Bouricel in Macao [Macau, China], and the second letter is a response to this letter from an unnamed priest in Pe-king [Beijing, China]. Numerous corrections, additions, marginalia, and deletions appear in ink throughout.

Subject: Anthropology / Linguistics

Translated by Charles Morton. Read to the Royal Society on 18 May, 9 June, and 16 June 1768.

Reference number
AP/4/15
Earliest possible date
1762-1764
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
44 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Charles Morton

View page for Charles Morton

Use this record

IIIF manifest

View​ IIIF ​ manifest Opens in new tab

Open in Mirador viewer Opens in new tab

Export this record

Download PDF Opens in new tab

Citation

Charles Morton, Unpublished translations of letters, 'Mr Turberville Needham, FRS, and, his enquiries after a connection between certain Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the modern writing of China' from A [Alban?] Butler, C [Charles] Morton, and Jesuit priests, 1762-1764, AP/4/15, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_4_15/unpublished-translations-of-letters-mr-turberville-needham-frs-and-his-enquiries-after-a-connection-between-certain-egyptian-hieroglyphics-and-the-modern-writing-of-china-from-a-alban-butler-c-charles-morton-and-jesuit-priests, accessed on 17 June 2026

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_4_15/unpublished-translations-of-letters-mr-turberville-needham-frs-and-his-enquiries-after-a-connection-between-certain-egyptian-hieroglyphics-and-the-modern-writing-of-china-from-a-alban-butler-c-charles-morton-and-jesuit-priests

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/ap_4_15/unpublished-translations-of-letters-mr-turberville-needham-frs-and-his-enquiries-after-a-connection-between-certain-egyptian-hieroglyphics-and-the-modern-writing-of-china-from-a-alban-butler-c-charles-morton-and-jesuit-priests" title="Unpublished translations of letters, 'Mr Turberville Needham, FRS, and, his enquiries after a connection between certain Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the modern writing of China' from A [Alban?] Butler, C [Charles] Morton, and Jesuit priests" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Explore the collection

  • Archived Papers

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

    View collection