SUPPLEMENTAL HISTORY OF MAN. 195 



It is unnecessary to enter into any further details 

 respecting the inhabitants of the South-Sea Islands. 

 It would be but to repeat, with little variation, what 

 has been already said; similar physical characters, 

 in similar degrees of difference or approximation 

 mark them all. Greater or less advancement in 

 civilization is found among them in proportion, as it 

 is said, to their approach to, or divergement from, 

 the Caucasian form. This, however, is a question 

 which should not be too hastily taken for granted. 

 There is a general similitude in their languages, 

 many of which seem only dialects of one and the 

 same tongue ; their origin has usually been referred 

 to the peninsula of Malacca; but, from their rude 

 and simple state of society, and the idolatrous cha- 

 racter of their religion, Dr. Prichard is inclined to 

 refer the colonization of these islands to a remote 

 period, and to deduce it from an early emigration 

 from India. Indeed, the black races, or Papuas, 

 found, as before stated, in parts of the Indian islands, 

 display no similarity to the Malay people. 



In taking a glance at the population of the im- 

 mense peninsula of Africa, the attention seems first 

 naturally directed to what was once a most mag- 

 nificent and important, though small, portion of it. 



The local situation of ancient Egypt, that great 

 cradle of European civilization and learning, has, 

 probably, induced the opinion, which has been very 

 prevalent, that the enlightened Egyptians were 

 themselves Negroes, or from a Negro race. Physi- 

 ology has, however, detected this error, for it is 



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