text_original: The inscrip  tions which have been saved from the foundations of the most ancient temples, several of which date back forty or fifty centuries, are for the most part as clear and legible as when they left the hands of the writer who engraved them or of the workmen who baked them.
text_transcription: THE INSCRIPTIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN SAVED FROM THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE MOST ANCIENT TEMPLES SEVERAL OF WHICH TAKE BACK FORTY OR FIFTY CENTURIES ARE FOR THE MOST PART AS CLEAR AND LEGIBLE AS WHEN THEY LEFT THE HANDS OF THE WRITER WHO ENGRAVED THEM OR OF THE WORKMEN WHO BAKED THEM
phonemes: ðɪ ɪnskɹˈɪp tɪˈɑːnz wˌɪtʃ hɐvbɪn sˈeɪvd fɹʌmðə faʊndˈeɪʃənz ʌvðə mˈoʊst ˈeɪntʃənt tˈɛmpəlz, sˈɛvɹəl ʌvwˈɪtʃ dˈeɪt bˈæk fˈɔːɹɾi ɔːɹ fˈɪfti sˈɛntʃɚɹiz, ɑːɹ fɚðə mˈoʊst pˈɑːɹt æz klˈɪɹ ænd lˈɛdʒəbəl æz wɛn ðeɪ lˈɛft ðə hˈændz ʌvðə ɹˈaɪɾɚ hˌuː ɛŋɡɹˈeɪvd ðˌɛm ɔːɹ ʌvðə wˈɜːkmɛn hˌuː bˈeɪkt ðˌɛm.