116 SHEMITIC CIVILIZATION. 



lects of the Caucasus, the Greek and Latin 

 languages, with their derivatives, the Sla- 

 vonic, German, and Celtic, form one vast 

 family entirely distinct from the Shemitic 

 group, under the name of Indo-Germanic, 

 or Indo-European. 



The line of demarcation, revealed by the 

 comparative study of languages, was soon 

 strengthened by the study of literatures, 

 institutions, manners, and religions. If we 

 know how to assume the right point of 

 view in such a careful comparison, it is seen 

 that the ancient literatures of India, Greece, 

 Persia, and the German or Teutonic nations, 

 are of a common stock, and exhibit deeply 

 rooted similarity of mind. The literature of 

 the Hebrews and that of the Arabs, have 

 much in common ; while on the contrary they 

 have as little as possible with those which 

 I luive just named. We should search in 

 vain for an epic or a tragedy among the 

 Shemitic nations ; as vainly should we 

 search among the Indo-European nations 

 tor anything analogous to the Kasida of 



