23 



of the people of America and Asia. I 

 flatter myself, that the following sheets will 

 justify this assertion, by the addition of 

 new evidence to that which has been long 

 since admitted. I have carefully endea- 

 voured to make a proper distinction be- 

 tween whatever indicates a community of 

 origin, with what is the result of the analo- 

 gous situation of nations, when they begin 

 to improve their social state. 



It has hitherto been impossible to ascertain 

 the period, when the communication between 

 the inhabitants of the two worlds took place; 

 and how rash would be the attempt to 

 point out the group of nations of the Old 

 Continent, with which the Toltecks, the 

 Aztecks, the Muyscas, and the Peruvians 

 present the nearest analogies ; since these 

 analogies are apparent in the traditions, 

 the monuments, and customs, which per- 

 haps preceded the present division.. of Asia- 

 tics into Chinese, Moguls, Hindoos, and 

 Tungooses. 



At the period of the discovery of the 



