TUB BTHftOLOOT Of TUB INDIA* 4 BCBIFBL. '.(♦'>. 51 



longer pause*, and many centuries would often elapse ere they 

 displaced the older inhabitants of particular districts, and began 

 to extend themselves into the next. When we consider how 

 •mall the impression is that has been made on the ethnology 

 of the world, by the known changes in races and languages 

 that bave taken place since Egypt was populous and civilised, 

 we must conclude that the whole of this period belongs to 

 the recent history of mankind, and that the more ancient history, 

 in which the numerous races and languages orgnnical I y distinct, were 

 developed and spread over the face of the carih, occupied a. far 

 longer period, it is at present impossible to aay that 8,000 or 

 10,000 years or even a less period, would not be sufficient, and it is 

 equally impossible to say that even the greatest era that geology 

 will allow for man's residence on the globe, is too much.* la 

 connection with this subject, it should be remarked that lha 

 Obliteration of tribes has been going on in all tone Limes, 

 and we must therefore conclude that it has always characterised 

 mankind, and that the existing races preserve only a few of many 

 languages that prevailed in the remote archaic and primordial 

 eras. Each leading tribe expands, and spreads its men and 

 language, at the expeucc of others, f It docs not follow therefore 

 that when we have classified the known languages of the world, 

 .w« shall have continuous series and ramifications of development*. 

 Numerous blanks and abrupt transitions must exist. It is so in 

 all orgnnic series, but fortunately geology is continually supplying 

 some links that were wanting in those of the botanical and 

 zoological. The important blanks in language and letters which 

 the monuments of ligypt, Assyria, Persia and India have recently 

 helped to fill up, make us keenly regret that there is no probability 

 of finding more fossil languages. 



It would greatly assist our researches in the Indian Archipelago, 

 if we knew, with any degree of certainty, what the succession of 

 Lead i up; events hud been in the archaic ethnology of the Continental 



Eortioii of the Indian Ocean. Connexions m ensily established, 

 ut their origin, and the directions of ethnic movements, are 

 generally obscure. Ethnic geography gives us some assistance by 

 pointing out the great highways, and where its indications are 



• Wo do not Intend to add any tiling to what we ha*e said in tho note to p. 963 

 bat oar reader* may refer to 'Priehard% remark* on the UihUcat chronologic*, 

 and to Buusen'a views. The author of the Church of the Future now fl Hifl ancient 

 Egyptian history a* representing the MidtUt Agts of the ancient world. 



t'Tbe development of mankind ia hi one respect like that of a trc*. Prom the 

 same stock rise numerous branches, which again «iw oat new ones, and to on 

 through it complct ramification. Hut the hueriacin* branches do not maintain their 

 Independence like thoae of the tree, nor is their connection with the stock retained. 

 The human hrancbt* seldom rotwt without a process of ahsorpiimi and destruction 

 commencing, so that some brandies are constantly being obliterated, or eaten 

 through, and tbu contiuuiir broken. If we suppose the tree i* polypi confined in <ts 

 growth and that of its offsets to a limited space, lis different branches and twig* 

 preying on each other, and detached or excised giiesretalnlng their vitality, me 

 comparison will be more illustrative. 



