THE BAY OF BISCAY. 203 



which was proved by the illustrious Wilhelm von 

 Humboldt, who visited Biscay expressly for the pur- 

 pose of verifying the exactness of these etymologies, 

 confirms some of the Euskarian traditions, for since 

 the time of Leibnitz *, local appellations, which it is 



names, and they have made similar statements with regard to 

 Lutetia, Versailles, Orleans, Arras, &c. The natural conclusion to 

 be derived from all these strained etymologies is, that the Basques 

 are the primitive race; and that the whole of Europe has been 

 peopled by them. 



* Leibnitz, one of the most distinguished men of modern times, 

 was born at Leipsic in 1646, and died in 1716. From his childhood 

 he had manifested a decided taste for study. Having been enabled 

 to make free use of an extensive library, he read everything that 

 fell in his way. Fortunately the standard works of the ancients 

 were among the first which engaged his attention, and they early 

 led him to entertain a marked predilection for the genius of 

 antiquity, which he maintained during the rest of his life. 



After having attained to the most brilliant success in the study of 

 civil law and jurisprudence, he obtained the title of doctor at the 

 age of twenty, at the University of Altdorf, where he distinguished 

 himself in so marked a manner, that the authorities offered him a 

 chair in that university. Leibnitz, however, had other views, being 

 anxious to enlarge his mind by travelling. He came to Paris in 

 1672, being already known to the learned world by the publication 

 of various memoirs, and here he at once devoted himself to the 

 study of mathematics, under the direction of Huygens. His success 

 in this branch of knowledge was so great, that Fontenelle was able 

 to say of him, with truth, that his name was connected with the 

 most sublime problems that have been solved in modern times, while 

 it is moreover intimately associated with all the great, difficult, and 

 most important achievements of modern geometry. 



Leibnitz familiarised himself with every department of physical 

 and natural science. He wrote alternately on physics, chemistry, 

 medicine, physiology, zoology, and botany, while in his work 

 entitled Protogea he was the first to indicate the method which we 

 now pursue in our geological studies. 



His philosophical works were, however, those which gave Leibnitz 



