BIMANA,. 53 
have sometimes flourished among its nations, but always enveloped 
in a strange disguise and figurative style. 
The Indian, German, and Pelasgic branch is much more extend- 
ed, and was much earlier divided: notwithstanding which, the most 
numerous affinities may be observed between its four principal lan- 
guages—the Sanscrit, the present sacred language of the Hindoos, 
and the parent of the greater number of the dialects of Hindostan; 
the ancient language of the Pelasgi, common mother of the Greek, 
Latin, many tongues that are extinct, and of all those of the south of 
Europe; the Gothic or Teutonic, from which are derived the lan- 
guages of the north and north-west of Europe, such as the German, 
Dutch, English, Danish, Swedish, and other dialects; and 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 In- 
dians, 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 im- 
mense 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 Hungarians 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 Tar- 
tars remained unmixed longer than the others in the country in- 
cluded 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 Mongoles, however, have 
