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Views in Ethnography^ the Classijication of Languages^ the 

 Progress of Civilization, and the Natural History of Man. 

 By Charles T. Beke, Esq., F. S. A. Communicated by 

 the Author*. 



In the remarks which will be offered in the present paper, it 

 is not intended to enter upon the question, which has so often 

 and so ably been discussed by physiologists and natural his- 

 torians, as to whether the numerous and strongly marked di- 

 versities in the human race have proceeded from distinct etocks, 

 or whether they are derived from a common origin, and are 

 consequently to be regarded as forming merely varieties of one 

 and the same species : it is sufficient to state, that, for the pur- 

 poses of this disquisition, the latter hypothesis is adopted, as be- 

 ing that which appears to be the more in accordance with rea- 

 son, and to have on its side the greater weight of authority. 



It is also scarcely necessary to do more than allude to the 

 opinion generally entertained by physiologists, historians, jurists, 

 political economists, and others, who have investigated and 

 treated of the subject of the primitive condition of man, and 

 the rise and progress of society, that, in the first ages, the human 

 race existed in the lowest state of civilization ; namely, that of 

 the mere consumer of the spontaneous productions of nature; 

 and that mankind thence progressively advanced through the 



find himself, if he should discover a variety of keys to the same cypher. — (Ibid 

 p. 447.) 



To complete this analogy, as referring to the case before us, I should say, 

 that, in point of fact, we have not here a variety of keys ; at the utmost we 

 have but two, and of these one applies satisfactorily to a vastly larger por- 

 tion of the cypher than the other. And further, this key is not of a fixed 

 unalterable nature, but as it was in the first instance framed upon trial, and 

 aa the first su])position was successively modified till found to supply a tolerable 

 clew to a large part of the difficulties, we have still only to pursue this pro- 

 cess, and have a fair prospect of success in doing so, from what we have al- 

 ready witnessed of its capabilities. 



• This paper was to have been read at the meeting of the British Associa- 

 tion, at Edinburgh, last September, but did not reach the Secretary in time. 



vol.. XVIII. NO. XXXVI. AI'RII. 183-5. u 



