236 JOHN PHASER. 



frequency and rapidity with which they are pronounced, and from 

 a natural tendency everywhere to shorten the words which are 

 most in use. But it is the function of the philologist, not only to 

 understand these causes of decay, but to show the process by 

 which the words fell away, and to restore them to their original 

 forms for the purpose of identification. 



It is agreed, then, that the numerals, the pronouns, and, to some 

 extent, the prepositions, are a strong test of the affinity of lan- 

 guages. On this principle, such languages as the Sanskrit, the 

 Greek, the Latin, the German and Gothic, the Lithuanian, the 

 Keltic, have been tested and proved to be so much akin that they 

 are grouped as a well-defined family of languages — the Aryan. 

 Some anthropologists, especially when they are not linguists them- 

 selves, sneer at the labours of philology as deceptive and liable to 

 serious error ; so are all sciences, if not managed with care and 

 ability. A student in chemical analysis and synthesis may get 

 results which are clearly erroneous ; instead of declaring the pre- 

 scribed methods to be faulty or his materials to be bad, he ought 

 to blame only his own want of skill in manipulation. As to the 

 utility of philology, I would only remind you, that it was by the 

 study of languages that the place of Sanskrit (and consequently of 

 the Hindu race) was determined in its relation to the other mem- 

 bers of the family I have named, and it was philology alone that 

 settled the claim of the Keltic, and consequently of the Kelts, to be 

 regarded as one of the most ancient members of the Aryan family. 

 In the case of the cuneiform inscriptions, the services which philo- 

 logy has rendered are inestimable. And it is quite possible that, 

 amid the conflicting opinions as to the origin of our Australian 

 race, the via prima salutis, the first dawn of a sure daylight, may 

 in the future arise from a careful examination of their language. 



As is well known, the Australian numeral system is very limited 

 in its range; our natives say 'one,' 'two'; sometimes 'three'; 

 occasionally 'hand' for 'five'; all else is 'many,' ' a great number.' 

 It was alleged by Sir John Lubbock, and has since been repeated 

 by everybody, that their having separate words only for 'one' and 

 'two' is a proof that Australians possess very limited mental 

 powers, since they cannot count higher than ' two.' Every 

 colonist, who has been much in contact with the blacks, can ad- 

 duce proofs to show that their mental powers are not so limited, 

 and that, when our indigenes are taken out of their adverse en- 

 vironment and encouraged to cultivate their intellectual faculties, 

 they readily develope a decided capacity for improvement. A 

 friend of mine, 50 years ago, taught two young black boys to play 

 chess ; they soon acquired a liking for the game, and learned to 

 play with caution and skill, and even with success. If it were 

 possible to surround the blacks with favourable influences con- 



