77 



" The Conteft of the cats and curs ;" every word of which begins with 

 the letter C. It may be found in the work called " Delici^ Poetarum 

 Danorum." Tom, ii. p. 369. The invocation opens in this manner. 



" Cattorum Canimus Certamina ClarA Canumque, 

 " Calliope, Concede Chelyn !" 



The poem confifts of ninety-three verfes, all in this ftyle. Heaven 

 preferve us from going through the alphabet ! But enough has been faid of 

 the Belgi? poetry, that like the German, of which it is a dialeft, bears 

 alfo the imprefs of the old Celtic or Teutonic, and like that, is con-, 

 ftantly marked with the rhirae, unlefs perhaps where it has fludioufly, 

 and fometimes even for the fake of novelty, been avoided. 



And now, from the general view of the queflion, the following con- 

 clufions may be drawn. 



That the population of the world began in the Eaft. 



That in whatever manner the difperfion of mankind, and the origin 

 of diverfe languages, at what is called the confufion of tongues, took 

 place, it is evident that they began from the Eaft, and thence were fpread 

 over the habitable globe. 



That the firft empires,' ftates, and governments were alfo in the Eaft, 

 and Afia and Africa peopled from thence, fpreading over Chaldea, India, 

 Perfia, Arabia, Egypt, Tartary, China, and from thence diverging into 

 Europe. 



That each fucceffive people, at their firft migration from the parent 

 fource, ufed the language in which they were capable to converfe. 



That 



