1864.] 421 [Chase. 



taou, Egyptian ma ntr, Latin magnus deus, Greek [liya^ ^eo-, and 

 Sanscrit maha deva, to which I made casual reference in a former 

 communication (Trans. A. P. S., New Series, vol. xiii, p. 61), has 

 seemed to some of my friends sufficiently interesting and important 

 to justify a more minute and analytical exposition. The last three 

 forms are confessedly cognate ; the resemblance between the others 

 is at least equally striking, and were it not for the wide geographical 

 separation of the nations, and the absence of any direct evidence of 

 intercourse, we should naturally suppose that they were derived from 

 the same original source. But since it would be difficult to select 

 three languages that are less likely to have sprung from a common 

 parentage, it is reasonable to expect that the coincidence will be 

 severely criticized by those whose prejudices forbid a belief in the 

 unitary origin of man, and that little regard will be paid to the 

 mathematical probability of any hypothesis that may be supposed to 

 weaken its significance. 



The Chinese corresponds precisely in meaning with the Aryan 

 forms, but the extent of the correspondence in the Algonquin and 

 Egyptian words, is somewhat uncertain. The probability that it is 

 equally complete in Algonquin, is sti'engthened by the considera- 

 tions that, 1, the Indian tribes generally speak of the Deity as 

 the "Great Spirit;" 2, the Shyenne word for spirit is mahio; 

 3, the Algonquin forms mechekelo, miss, michau, — Blackfoot 

 omuku, omaesin, — Cushna muck, — Shyenne tsimahaa, — all signify 

 "great," and all contain the root ma, variously modified, as in C. 

 mang, S. ma^h, L. magn-, mag-, Greek iJ-sy-, [la/.-, E, mass, much, 

 many, &c., &c. In Egyptian, ma ntr is properly "the true God," 

 naa ntr being equivalent to " magnus deus." But m and n are 

 often interchanged; the root na or naa is found in Arapoho benasa, 

 large, naathia, so large; some of the subordinate meanings of ma 

 are retained in Egyptian mh or mah = Ch. mang, to fill, and in 

 mak = L. mag-, to rule; and a probable association between the ideas 

 of truth and greatness is shown by S. uru, G. ur, L. verus, E. 

 very, &c. 



It is probable that tr and taou are both compounds, and that they 

 may have both been originally identical in meaning, and perhaps 

 also in form, is shown by S. tr, trai, to conquer, to preserve, to 

 guard ; Pawnee terahu or tidihu, great, terawa, god (Cfr. also Eg. 

 ra, the sun; S. ravi«, the sun, radj, to govern, racf, to guard, 

 I'svaras, God ; Crow, isa, large^. 



The Chinese and Indian languages appear to furnish a clue to 



