232 R. N. Oust — Languages of tlie Indo-Chinese [Nov* 



" We have thus swept into our net all the languages, which can possi- 

 blj^be connected with Asia, from the extreme western frontier of India up 

 to the boundaries of China. The region is interesting, as lying betwixt 

 two great civilizations, that of India and China, and partaking, to a certain 

 extent, of both, but in different degrees. Here we come on the language 

 of a great people, fully described in the Report of 1875 by Dr. Legge. 

 South of the islands of the Indian Archipelago, which are situated on a 

 plateau of Sliallow-'^Q?^., lie the Z)(5<?p-Sea islands of the Austral Archipelago, 

 with a plurality of languages requiring another collector and classifier. Be- 

 yond China and Japan, described this year by M. de Rosny, lie the fresh 

 fields and pastures new of the Mongolic and Tungussic families, as far east 

 as the distant Corean. If this harvest be in a future year garnered, it will 

 fill up the space in Eastern Asia beyond the region of the Turkic family, 

 which has found this year so able a reporter in M. Pavet de Courteille. 

 To the west and north of this family lies the Ugro-Finnic family, last year 

 (1876) reported on by M. Ujfalvy, and the Samoiedic, which is not yet 

 disposed of. On the south-west confines of Asia is the Caucasian group, 

 furnishing an ample study. 



" Original investigations have their value, and, if based upon facts and 

 legitimate inductions, are a contribution to positive knowledge ; but a 

 grouping and arranging of such facts in a collective and popular form, and 

 thus rendering available the sporadic contributions of many minds, has 

 also its value ; and the first step towards supplying the lacunae of our actual 

 knowledge is to take stock of our possessions, and indicate what is the work 

 left to be done by future investigators. 



" The papers, of which the report is composed, are original composi- 

 tions of eight to ten English and foreign authors, and the information sup- 

 plied will beget and render possible future special studies. To a certain 

 extent they are more readable and attractive to outsiders than learned dis- 

 cussions on special subjects. It may be mentioned that the paper on 

 Non- Aryan Languages of India, contained in our report of last year, has 

 been reprinted in a Philological journal in Paris and the journal of a learn- 

 ed Society in Calcutta. Original views are sparingly brought forward in 

 these reports ; the statements of others are quoted for what they are worth ; 

 herein is the main difference of a popularizing report and an original 

 research. 



" The range of the Himalayas are a great linguistic watershed of a 

 most unique and interesting kind. A profound study of the Non- Aryan 

 Languages of India, Indo-Chinese Peninsula, and the Indian Archipelago 

 may some day furnish materials for a wider induction of grammatical prin- 

 ciples than was possible to the limited knowledge available to Bopp, Hum- 

 boldt, and Max Miiller. "We seem to catch the first effects of the human 



