656 MIGRATION OF MAN. 



learned men who have devoted so much time to following its 

 intricate traces, I would ask whether, when a language was 

 not written, or in any manner fixed, it was not liable to vary 

 continually as fresh separations of families into tribes occurred; 

 and whether therefore it is possible to do more than classify 

 unwritten languages, following some few traces of resemblance 

 which may occasionally be marked, and detecting the root, 

 though not the branch ? In such an interesting pursuit, how- 

 ever, every sign, even the faintest, is valuable ; — but only men 

 of deep research and extensive learning can advantageously 

 pursue this method of inquiry into the migrations and early 

 history of our race. 



I believe it will be found that the remarks I have ventured 

 to make in the preceding pages, are by no means at variance 

 with most of their deductions ; and I much regret that our 

 opportunities of collecting words, and modes of expression, 

 were not such as to enable me to add many to their collections. 



