TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 11 



own department is concerned, are acknow- 

 ledged axiomata in the science of language, 

 with the sole exception, perhaps, of the very- 

 bold statement (p. 47) concerning the im- 

 possibility of a common origin of speech, in 

 which I for one do not concur. 



Not until after I had finished my trans- 

 lation of Professor Schleicher's remarkable 

 pamphlet did I receive information of the 

 author's premature demise, which occurred 

 at the close of the past year. I embrace 

 this opportunity to express my sincere 

 thanks to Professor Ernst Haeckel of the 

 University of Jena for this and other 

 valuable communications directly or in- 

 directly connected with the subject of Dar- 

 winism. 



A. V. W. B. 



London, Oct. 5ih, 1869, 



