265 



u It might be said*, that they are like clouds, 

 the outlines of which do not appear well defined, 

 except when they are viewed at a distance." 



But if we do not admit one simple and abso- 

 lute principle in the classification of languages, 

 we shall not the less agree, that in their pre- 

 sent state some display a greater tendency to 

 inflexion, others to external aggregation. It 

 is well known, that the languages of the Indian, 

 Pelasgic, and German branch, belong to the 

 first division ; the American idioms, the Coptic 

 or ancient Egyptian, and to a certain degree, 

 the Semitic languages and the Biscayan, to the 

 second. The little we have made known of the 

 idiom of the Chaymas of Caripe is sufficient 

 without doubt, to prove that constant tendency 

 toward the incorporation or aggregation of cer- 

 tain forms, which it is easy to separate ; though 

 from a somewhat refined sentiment of euphony 

 some letters have been dropped, and others 

 have been added. Those affixes, in lengthening 

 words, indicate the most varied relations of 

 number, time, and motion. 



When we reflect on the peculiar structure of 

 the American languages, we imagine we dis- 

 cover the source of the very ancient and uni- 

 versal opinion in the Missions, that these lan- 



* Guill. de Humb., sur La Monographic des Langues, § I. 

 The same, sur la Langue Basque } p. 43, 4(>, 50. 



