36 The Rev. Dr. Hussey's Catalogue of Comets. 



by more than 250 nations completely broken up and mostly 

 incapable of communicating with each other. The Doctor 

 adduces this statement in conjunction with the present state 

 of the American Indian tribes in support of his hypothesis 

 that the American race is altogether distinct from the rest of 

 mankind, and that the uncivilized tribes with which we are at 

 present acquainted are the debris of one or more nations who, 

 having attained civilization, subsequently relapsed into a state 

 of barbarism, which allowed of their being broken up into di- 

 stinct nations and tribes, whose migrations during countless 

 ages has brought them into the deplorable state in which they 

 now exist, and which he thus describes : 



"In fact, the present and future condition of this red race 

 of men, who wander about in their native land, without house 

 or covering, whom the most benevolent and brotherly love 

 despairs of ever providing with a home, is a monstrous and 

 tragical drama, such as no fiction of the poet ever yet pre- 

 sented to our contemplation. A whole race of men is wast- 

 ing away before the eyes of its commiserating contempora- 

 ries ; no power of princes, philosophy, or Christianity can 

 arrest its proudly gloomy progress towards a certain and utter 

 destruction." (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, 

 vol. ii.) 



Though I shall not stop to combat this opinion, I cannot 

 refrain from expressing my confident hope that a better fate 

 awaits that interesting portion of the human family, and that 

 Europeans and their descendants, in laying aside the atrocious 

 and exterminating policy which they have too long adopted 

 towards those who have preceded them in the occupation of 

 America, will yet be able to redeem their character by suc- 

 cessfully pursuing a more liberal and humane system, which 

 it is truly gratifying to observe they are at length, at least in 

 some instances, disposed to substitute for it. 

 [To be continued.] 



V. A Catalogue of Comets. By T. J. Hussey, D.Z)., Rector 

 of Hayes, Kent. 



[Continued from vol. iv. p. 352. J 



[The Chronology employed is that of Petau orPetavius.] 



A, the comet of 1680. B, that of 1652. C (Halley's), that 

 of 1682. D, that of 1759. E, that of 1661. F, that of 

 1677. G, that of 1556. H, that of 1665. I, that of 1585. 

 K, that of 1 744-. L, that of 1 737. 



