Which of these ways is the most Antient, is hard to prove. The _Ægyptian Mummies_ and _Obelesks_ prove a great Antiquity of the Hieroglyphicks, but yet the _Chinese_ Chronology (if to be credited) outstrips the _Ægyptian_ in pretence to Antiquity. For the _Chinese_ make _Fohi_, the first King of _China_, to be the inventer of their Character: And account him to have lived 2950 Years before the time of Christ, during all which time they pretend to have a certain and written Account in their Books: But their Account of the times preceding, they esteem more Hypothetical and Fabulous; depending chiefly upon Fiction and Oral Tradition: As you will easily believe, when you understand how many Years they make it since the Creation of the World to the present Year 1686. which by the Account thereof in Mr. _Graves_'s Translation of _Vulg. Beig._ will be found to be no less than eighty eight millions six hundred and forty thousand one hundred and two Solar Years, there having been run out since the Creation 8864 _Ven._ of Years (every _Ven._ containing ten thousand such Years) and of the present _Ven._ this Year 1686. is the 102d. Which Account is abundantly more extravagant than the _Ægyptian_: But this need not invalidate their History since _Fohi_; by which it appears that their Character was invented before the time of _Moses_ about 1400 Years, and even before _Menes_ the first King of _Ægypt_ about 500 Years. So that the _Chinese_ Invention of Writing or Characters, seems to be the most ancient of that kind. And the Book _Yekim_ said to be written by _Fohi_, the most antient Book.