Modern Languages. 121 



The enemies of Revelation, half a century ago, 

 laid great stress, not only on the diversity of com- 

 plexion andjigure, but also on the variety of lan- 

 guages among men, as arguments for discrediting 

 the sacred history. Both these arguments, by later 

 investigations, have been clearly refuted. Indeed, 

 modern inquiries into the languages of different 

 nations, instead of giving countenance to the re- 

 jection of the sacred volume, have rather served 

 to illustrate and confirm its historical records; for 

 they have resulted, if not in complete proof, at 

 least in establishing the highest probability, that 

 all languages bear an affinity to each other; that 

 they may all be traced to a common stock; and 

 that we have reason to conclude, independently 

 of the Mosaic history, that the human race sprang 

 from a single pair. 



we are incapable of detecting affinities (and those often very striking) ei« 

 ther in America, or in the old world. Nothing is more common than for 

 Indian traders, interpreters, or other persons, to assert, that such and such 

 languages bear no relation to each other ; because, it seems, that the per- 

 sons speaking them cannot always understand one another. When these 

 very languages, however, are compared, their relations, or affinities, are 

 found out. It is by such comparisons that I have ascertained, that the 

 language of the Delaware* is the language of such a great number of tribes 

 in America. It is by such comparisons, that future inquirers may discover, 

 that in all the vast countries of America there is but one language : such 

 inquiries, perhaps, will even prove, or render it highly probable, that all 

 the languages of the earth bear some affinity to each other. I have already 

 discovered some striking affinities between the language of the Yolofs (one 

 of the blackest nations of Africa) and certain American tribes. What a 

 field for investigation does this last mentioned circumstance open ! Whilst 

 philosophers are busied in investigating the influence of climate and food, 

 and other physical agents, in varying the figure and complexion of man- 

 kind, they should not neglect inquiries into the resemblances of all lan- 

 guages. Hie farther we push our researches of this kind, the more we 

 discover the proofs, if not of the absolute derivation of all mankind from 

 <we pair, at least of the ancient intercourse of all the nations of the earth." 



VOL. II, 



