SS8 HISTORY OF 



advantages which men have over men, and the various kinds 

 with which our earth is inhabited. 



If we compare the minute differences of mankind, there is 

 scarce one nation upon the earth that entirely resembles ano- 



tween the Caspian and the Black Sea, because tradition would seem to refer 

 tlie origin of the people of this race to that part of the world. Thence, as 

 from a central point, the different branches of this variety shot forth like the 

 radii of a circle, and even at the present day we find its peculiar characteris- 

 tics in the highest perfection among the people in the neighbourhood of Cau- 

 casus, the Georgians and Circassians, who are considered the handsomest 

 natives of the earth. The principal branches of this race may be distinguished 

 by the analogies of language. The Syrian division, directing its course south- 

 ward, gave birth to the Assyrians, the Chaldeans, the untameable Arabs, 

 destined to become for a period nearly masters of the world, the Phenicians, 

 the Jews, and the Abyssinians, who were Arabian colonies, and the ancient 

 Egyptians, who, in all probability, owe their origin to the same source. 

 From this branch, always inclined to mysticism, have sprung those religions, 

 the influence of which has proved the most widely extended and the most du- 

 rable. Science and literature have flourished occasionally among these people, 

 but always clothed in strange and mystic guise, and obscured by a highly 

 figurative diction. 



The Indian, German, and Pelasgic branch (for it is one and the same) is 

 infinitely more extended than the preceding, and was subdivided at an earlier 

 period. We may, notwithstanding, still recognise very numerous affinities 

 between its four principal languages : these are the Sanscrit, at present the 

 sacred language of the Hindoos, and parent of all the dialects of Hindos 

 tan ; the ancient language of the Pelasgi, the common mother of the Greek, 

 the Latin, of many tongues now extinct, and of all those spoken in the south 

 of Europe; the Gothic or Teutonic, from which the languages of the north 

 and north-west of Europe are derived, the German, Dutch, English, Danish, 

 Swedish, &c. ; lastly, the Sclavonian, from which come the languages of the 

 north-east of Europe, as the Russian, Polish, Bohemian, &c. 



This extensive and powerful branch of the Caucasian race may be placed 

 with justice in the foremost rank of the sons of men. The nations which 

 compose it have carried philosophy, science, and the arts to '.he greatest per. 

 fection, and for more than thirty ages have been the guardians and deposi. 

 taries of human knowledge. Previously to its entrance, Europe had been oc. 

 cupied by the Celtic tribes, who cume from the northward, a'ld by the Can. 

 tabarians, who passed from Africa into Spain. The former, though once 

 considerably extended, are confined at present to the most western extre. 

 mities of Europe, and the latter are now nearly confounded among tlie nu. 

 merous nations whose posterity are settled in the Spanish peninsula. 



The origin of the ancient Persians is the same with that of the Indians, and 

 their descendants at the present day bear the strongest marks of affinity with 

 the European nations. 



The Scythian or Tartarian branch, at first, extended towards the north and 

 north-east of Asia. Accustomed to a vagabond and jiredatory life in those 

 \minense tracts of country, these wandering tribes left them only for the 

 purpose of devastating the inheritance, and subverting the etitablishments of 



