328 Modern Languages, [Chap. XV. 



laid great stress not only on the div-ersity of com- 

 plexion and figure, but also on the tmrieiy of Ian- 

 guages among men, as arguments for discrediting 

 the sacred history. Both these arguments, by 

 later investigations, have been clearly refuted. In- 

 deed, modern inquiries into the languages of dif- 

 ferent nations, instead of giving countenance to 

 the rejection of the sacred volume, have rather 

 served to ilkistrate and confirm its historical re- 

 cords ; for they have resulted, if not in complete 

 proof, at least in establishing the highest probabi- 

 lity, that all languages bear an affinity to each 

 other; that they may all be traced to c. common 

 stock ; and that we have reason to conclude, indc* 

 pendently of the ^Mosaic historj^, that the human 

 race sprang from a single pair. 



