DESERTED CITIES OF ANTIQUITY. 167 



The same observations may be said to apply to 

 Southern Hindustan ; both there, and in Ceylon, numer- 

 ous ruins and other historical remains bear evidence 

 of a very ancient prosperity, shown by the existence 

 of extensive tanks, dams, and other hydraulic engineer- 

 ing* works ; as well as by the remains of ancient cities 

 and temples, which conclusively prove the former 

 existence of large populations which had attained to 

 a high state of civilization. Nor are similar indications 

 uncommon in America ; even in Africa similar remains 

 have been found. But what has become of all these 

 numerous and prosperous communities ? and why have 

 they abandoned the homes of their fathers ? Historical 

 considerations of this kind are, of course, somewhat 

 foreign to the general scope of our subject. In works 

 relating to the history of ancient eastern civilizations, 

 however, there seems to be a general disposition to 

 attribute the disappearance of these peoples to wars, 

 or civil commotions. All that we shall venture to say 

 on this head is, that though the losses due to those 

 causes may often have been enormous, they have rarely 

 or never been proved to be capable of destroying as 

 fast as the bounty of Nature has been able to recon- 

 stitute. 



It can easily be shown, by way of analogy, for 

 instance, that notwithstanding all the great public 

 calamities, wars, pestilences, and troubles of every 

 kind, which have afflicted Europe almost from time 

 immemorial, and in spite of the enormous emigration 

 of the last two or three hundred years, both wealth 

 and population have constantly increased there. Why 

 should it be different in Asia ? In a splendid passage 

 in his " History of England, " Lord Macaulay has pointed 



