734 AFFINITY OF NATIONS. 



Scythians, who were originally a colony of Medes, 

 and that the Tartars of middle Asia, like the 

 GetaB, Thracians, Goths, and Sarmatians of 

 northern Europe, were descended from the same 

 stock. He further observes, that between all the 

 native dialects of north Africa there is a close 

 affinity : that accurate observations on the lan- 

 guage and customs of the various tribes scattered 

 over the South Sea Islands, put it beyond a doubt, 

 that they are all descended from one stock, and 

 came originally from southern Asia : but that 

 owing to their having migrated at very early 

 periods, before the language and institutions of the 

 mother country were fully formed, few remains 

 of its ancient mythology, manners, and customs, 

 have been found among them ; and that notwith- 

 standing the difference between the languages 

 of China, India, and Egypt, Sir William Jones 

 has traced many striking affinities in their an- 

 cient civil and religious observances. (Op. Cit. 

 pp. 147, 478, 484, 500, 544.) 



Dr. Prichard further states, that the primitive 

 language of Persia, called the Zend, was only a 

 dialect of the ancient Sanscrit, from which all the 

 modern languages of India are derived ; and dif- 

 fered but slightly from that of Egypt, Phoenicia, 

 and Judea, that the present Brahmins of Be- 

 nares still perform the same religious ceremonies 

 which were practised in ancient Persia, whose 

 dominion was established over a large portion 

 of Asia, as early as the time of Abraham, and 



