BARON CUVIER. 1 13 



nearly approaches monkies. The natives which 

 compose it have always remained in a com- 

 paratively barbarous state. 



*' The Caucasian race is subdivided into three 

 great branches, and is supposed to liave liad its 

 first origin in that group of mountains situated be- 

 tween the Caspian and Black Seas. The Syrian 

 branch spread to the south, and produced Assy- 

 rians, Chaldeans, Arabs, Phenicians, Jews, Abys- 

 sinians, and probably Egyptians. From thi 

 branch, always inclined to scepticism, have arisen 

 the religious doctrines most generally adopted. 

 Sciences and letters have sometimes flourished 

 among them, but always under some strange 

 shape, or in some figurative style. The Indian, 

 German, or Pelasgic branch took a still wider 

 range, and the affinities of its four principal 



languages are more multiplied The Sanscrit, 



which is still the sacred language of the Hindoos, 

 is the parent of most of the Hindostanee tongues. 

 The Pelasgic was the source whence came the 

 Greek, Latin, and present dialects of tlie south 

 of Europe. The Gothic or Teutonic, whence 

 are derived the north and nortli-west languages, 

 such as German, Dutch, English, Danish, 

 Swedish, and their varieties ; and, lastly, the 

 Sclavonic, whence came the languages of the 



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