Ads MAMMALIA. 
finally, the Sclavonian, from which spring those of the north-east, the Rus- 
sian, Polish, Bohemian, &c. 
It is by this great and venerable branch of the Caucasian stock, that 
philosophy, the arts, and the sciences have been carried to the greatest 
perfection, and remained in the keeping of the nations which compose it 
for more than three thousand years. 
It was preceded in Europe by the Celts, who came from the north, 
whose tribes, once very numerous, are now confined to its most eastern 
extremity, and by the Cantabrians, who passed from Africa into Spain, 
now confounded with the many nations whose posterity have intermingled 
in that peninsula. 
The ancient Persians originate from the same source as the Indians, 
and their descendants to the present hour bear great marks of resemblance 
to the people of Europe. 
The predatory tribes of the Scythian and Tartar branch, extending at 
first to the north and north-east, always wandering over the immense plains 
of those countries, returned only to devastate the happier abodes of their 
more civilized brethren. The Scythians, who, at so remote a period, made 
irruptions into upper Asia; the Parthians, who there destroyed the Greek 
and Roman domination; the Turks, who there subverted that of the 
Arabs, and subjugated in Europe the unfortunate remnant of the Grecian 
people, all swarmed from this prolific branch. The Finlanders and Hun- 
garians are tribes of the same division, which have strayed among the 
Sclavonic and Teutonic nations. Their original country, to the north and 
north-east of the Caspian sea still contains inhabitants who have the same 
origin, and speak similar languages, but mingled with other petty nations, 
variously descended, and of different languages. The Tartars remained 
unmixed longer than the others in the country included between the mouth 
of the Danube to beyond the Irtisch, from which they so long menaced 
Russia, and where they have finally been subjugated by her. The Mon- 
goles, however, have mingled their blood with that of those they con- 
quered, many traces of which may still be found among the inhabitants of 
lesser Tartary. 
It is to the east of this Tartar branch of the Caucasian race that the 
Mongolian race begins, whence it extends to the eastern ocean. Its 
branches, the Calmucs, &c., still wandering shepherds, are constantly tra- 
versing the desert. Thrice did their ancestors, under Attila, Genghis, 
and Tamerlane, spread far the terror of their name. The Chinese are 
the earliest and most civilized branch, not only of this race, to which they 
belong, but of all the nations upon earth. A third branch, the Mant- 
chures, recently conquered and still govern China. The Japanese, Co- 
reans, and nearly all the hordes which extend to the north-east of Siberia, 
subject to Russia, are also to be considered, in a great measure, as ori- 
ginating from this race; and such also is esteemed the fact, with regard to 
the original inhabitants of various islands of that Archipelago. With the 
exception of a few Chinese literati, the different nations of the Mongoles 
are universally addicted to Buddism, or the religion of Fo. 
The origin of this great race appears to have been in the mountains of 
Atlai, but it is impossible to trace the filiation of its different branches 
with the same certainty as we have done those of the Caucasian. The 
history of these wandering nations is as fugitive as their establishments ; 
