where the ruddy complexion is rare, their pos- 

 terity would not have exhibited so great a dif- 

 ference. 



On examining the harmony and richness of 

 their language, we are naturally led to conclude 

 that the Chilians must have, in former times, 

 possessed a much greater degree of civilization 

 than at present ; or, at least, that they are the 

 remains of a great and illustrious nation, ruined 

 by some of those physical or moral revolutions 

 so common to our globe. The improvement 

 and perfection of language constantly follow the 

 steps of civilization ; nor can it be easily con- 

 ceived how a nation that has never emerged 

 from a savage state, that has neither been po- 

 lished by laws, by commerce, nor by arts, can 

 possess an elegant, expressive, and copious dia- 

 lect. The number of \vords in a language pre- 

 supposes a correspondent number of ideas in the 

 persons who speak it, and these among a rude 

 people are, and, necessarily must be, very limited. 



So copious is the Chilian language, that, in 

 the opinion of tl^ose well acquainted with it, a 

 complete dictionary thereof would require more 

 than one large volume ; for, besides the radical 

 words, which are very numerous, so great is the 

 use of compounds, that, it may almost be said, 

 in this consists the very genius of the language. 

 Each verb, either derivatively or conjunctively, 

 beconies the root of numerous other verbs and 



3 



