( 35 ) 



thors, and particularly the learned Koernpfer, alledge 

 that the doctrine of the Metempfychofis was firft carried 

 into India by Xaca, who was probably an Egyptian 

 prieft, driven from his native country by Cambyfes, 

 when he conquered it. Before him, the religion of 

 fire, and the worfhip of the fun, were fpread all over 

 Perfia and the Eaft Indies, both of which are of 

 great antiquity in a good part of North America. 

 Here follows another argument, which, though fup- 

 ported by the authority of Diodorus Siculus, does 

 not appear to me a whit more convincing. The 

 Indians, fay they, have never fent colonies abroad ; 

 confequently they could not have contributed to the 

 peopling of the New World. But fuch general 

 proportions are not fufceptible of demonftration, 

 efpecially with refpecT: to fuch a country as the In-* 

 dies, poffeffed by fo many nations, differing from 

 one another in manners, cuftoms, and genius. 



The Greeks and the Latins are likewife excluded' 

 from the New World. They could not, according 

 to our author, fail beyond Cadiz, becaufe the Car- 

 thaginians, who had the command of the Atlantick 

 Ocean, would not have fuffered them. This argu- 

 ment appears to me very weak, efpecially with re- 

 gard to the Greeks, who having founded Cadiz, 

 might very well be able to keep thofe feas in fpite 

 of the Carthaginians. I mould rather imagine, that 

 / Hercules being perfuaded that there was nothing 

 beyond that ocean, his countrymen had never 

 thought of embarking upon it, which, however, is 

 a conjecture, that might eafily be deflroyed. 



In the laft place, neither Chriftians, Hebrews, 

 nor Mahometans, if we believe de Hornn, have 

 ever fettled in the New World ; and if this learned 

 man does not abfolutely reject thofe accounts of 



D 2 croffcs, 



