2l8 



VESTIGES OF THE 



words being chiefly those which represent primary ideas ; 

 besides, we now know, what was not formerly perceived 

 or admitted, that there are great affinities of structure 

 also. I may here refer to a curious mathematical calcu- 

 lation by Dr. Thomas Young, to the elFect, that if three 

 words coincide in two different languages, it is ten to one 

 they must be derived in both cases from some parent 

 laniifuaofe, or introduced in some other manner. '' Six 

 words would give more," he says, "than seventeen 

 hundred to one, and eight near 100,000, so that in these 

 cases the evidence would be little short of absolute cer- 

 tainty." He instances the following words to show 

 a connexion between the ancient Egyptian and the 

 Biscayan : — 



and seventy words in common between the languages 

 of the new and old continents, and many of these are 

 expressive of the most primitive ideas, there is, by 

 Dr. Young's calculation, overpowering proof of the 

 original connexion of the American and other human 

 families. 



This completes the slight outline which I have been 

 able to give, of the evidence for the various races of men 

 being descended from one stock. It cannot be considered 

 as conclusive, and there are many eminent persons who 

 deem the opposite idea the more probable ; but I must 

 say that, without the least regard to any other kind of 

 evidence, that wliich physiology and philology present 



