OF THE HUMAN FAMILY. 17 



people and by the State, whenever it occurs in this family of nations, is entirely 

 immaterial, since the two do not conflict. 



It should also be observed that it is impossible to recover the system of consan- 

 guinity and affinity of any people, in its details, from the lexicon, or even from the 

 literature of their language, if it has ceased to be a living form. The Hebrew and 

 Sanskrit are examples. If it had been reduced to a statute and thus had become 

 a law of the State, it would be found in a codified form. In all other cases it 

 can only be obtained, in its completeness, by a direct resort to the people. 



In the Pandects 1 and in the Institutes 2 the system of relationship of the Roman 

 civil law has been preserved with minuteness and precision, with full explanations 

 of its provisions and method of arrangement. A careful examination of its details 

 will furnish us the readiest knowledge of our own, as well as unfold the principles 

 which must govern the formation of any strictly philosophical system. 



Relationships are of two kinds : First, by consanguinity, or blood : second, by 

 affinity, or marriage. Consanguinity, which is the relation of persons descended 

 from the same ancestor, is also of two kinds, lineal and collateral. Lineal con- 

 sanguinity is the connection which subsists among persons of whom one is 

 descended from the other. Collateral consanguinity is the connection which 

 exists among persons who are descended from a common ancestor, but not from 

 each other. Marriage relationships exist by custom. 



In every supposable plan of consanguinity, where marriage between single pairs 

 exists, there must be a lineal and several collateral lines. Each person, also, in 

 constructing his own table becomes the central point, or Ego, from whom outward is 

 reckoned the degree of relationship of each kinsman, and to whom the relationship 

 returns. His position is necessarily in the lineal line. In a chart of relationships 

 this line is vertical. Upon it may be inscribed, above and below any given person, 

 his several ancestors and descendants in a direct series from father to son, and 

 these persons together will constitute his right lineal male line, which is also called 

 the trunk, or common stock of descent. Out of this trunk line emerge the several 

 collateral lines, male and female, which are numbered outwardly. It will be suffi- 

 cient for a perfect knowledge of the system to limit the explanation to the main 

 lineal line, and to a single male and female branch of each of the collateral lines, 

 including those on the father's side and on the mother's side, and proceeding in 

 each from the parent to one only of his or her children, although it will include 

 but a small portion of the kindred of Ego either in the ascending or descending 

 series. An attempt to follow all the divisions and branches of the several collateral 

 lines, which increase in number in the ascending series in a geometrical ratio, 

 would embarrass the reader without rendering the system itself more intelligible. 

 The first collateral line, male, consists of my brother and his descendants, and the 

 first, female, of my sister and her descendants. The second collateral line, male, 

 on the father's side, .consists of my father's brother and his descendants, and the 

 second, female, of my father's sister and her descendants; the second collateral 



1 Panel., Lib. XXXYIII. tit. x. "Dc gradibus et adfinibus et nominibus eorum." 

 8 Inst. Just., Lib. III. tit. vi. " De gradibus cognation urn." 



3 May, ISC 8. 



