THE FACE. 175 



theless, recognise the greatest resemblance between its four 

 principal languages; which are, the Sanscrit, at present the 

 sacred language of the Hindoos, and mother of all the dialects 

 of Hindostan ; the ancient language of the Pelasgi, which is the 

 common mother of the Greek, the Latin, of many tongues 

 which are now extinct, and of almost every language spoken 

 in the south of Europe ; the Gothic or Teutonic, from which 

 are derived the languages of the North and North West, such 

 as the German, Dutch, English, Danish, Swedish, and their dia- 

 lects ; and lastly, the language called Sclavonian, from which 

 come those of the north-east, as the Russian, Polish, Bohe- 

 mian, &c. 



" It is this great and respectable branch of the Caucasian 

 race, which has carried farthest Philosophy, the Arts and Sci- 

 ences, and which has been for ages the depository of them. 



" This branch was preceded in Europe by the Celts, who 

 came from the north, and were formerly very much extended, 

 but are now confined to the most western parts; and by the 

 Cantabrians, who passed from Africa into Spain, and are, at 

 present, almost confounded with the numerous nations whose 

 posterity has been blended in this peninsula. 



" The ancient Persians have the same origin with the Indian 

 branch; and their descendants, even at the present day, bear 

 the strongest marks of affinity to the European nations. 



" The Scythian or Tartarian branch, first directing their 

 course to the north and north-east, always led erratic lives in 

 the vast plains of those countries: and they have only left them 

 to return and destroy the more comfortable establishments 

 of their brethren. The Scythians, who, at so remote a period 

 of antiquity, made irruptions into Upper Asia; the Parthians, 

 who destroyed there the power of the Greeks and Romans; the 

 Turks, who overthrew there that of the Arabs, and subjugated 

 in Europe the unhappy remnant of the Greek nation, were 

 swarms of this stock; the Philanders and the Hungarians are 

 colonies of it, in some measure astray among the Sclavonian 

 and Teutonic nations. The north and east of the Caspian Sea, 

 their original country, are still inhabited by people of the same 

 origin, and speaking similar languages; but they are there in- 

 termixed with an infinity of other petty nations, of different 

 origins and languages. The Tartar nation has always re- 



