60 THE KTUKOLGGT OF THS 1KDUX ARCHtPftLAOO* 



of such connections in ancient time*, and it therefore becomes of 

 importance to bear in mind that there t* evidence of a well marked 

 development having prevailed over the vKole or die greater part 

 of the continental regions, anterior to most of the powerful civilised 

 nations, with distinct languages, which arose in the southern basins 

 of the Astatic Continent and on the Nile. The periods whtn these 

 civilisations originated cannot be determined, but they must have 

 long* preceded the earliest dates that can be established by historic 

 or graphic evidence. It \b only necessary to recollect that many 

 of these dates are wvernl centuries older than 2,000 B. C. and 

 that some are nearly 4,000 B. C. to render us cautious in limiting 

 the possible elhnic history of any region in the world to a few 

 thousand years. If a connection can he established between the 

 insular and continental races, the evidence on which it is based 

 should hUo afford a solution of the important question, whether it 

 arose during the historical eras of the latter, or in the more remote 

 archaic i?me#, which must have long preceded the epoch of 6,000 

 years, or 900 generations, ago.* 



8, A considerable proportion of the obliterated tribe* have left Dome remnants of 

 their existence In other tribes that have assimilated them. But it It exceedingly 

 difficult to diaUugulsh In any existing tribe what It may have gainedXrom tribes 

 thai disappeared before the dawn of history. It It not impossible in many cases, 

 because tribes allied to the lost ones sometimes preserve an independent record of 

 the general character oft heir development, in language kc, 



0. So dominant tribe or family of tribes completely sweep* the more ancient 

 racrr '.nmi the liiecot a peat raspon in (tl Brat progtv.*;. Muuvcthnicfeuisurvtio 

 difficult of access that they continue to protec i remnants of tlie old races throughout 

 bug periods, and eren Uoroogout a succession of ethnic revolution* lu the more 

 CPU seats. 



10. It thus becomes possible, particularly by the eridence of language, to restore 

 the outline ul many of the human developments that have successively prevailed 

 in a region end lu the world. 



IK tint even the moat sheltered tribes are eventually amalgamated by peaceful 

 ur aggressive means. Of this even the hiiUiricol eras ul' Eurojie aitd Aniu supply 

 ahiuidaQfl proof. 



12. We can never therefore hope to reconstruct the entire history nf the hnman rare" 

 Much hi all eras preceding the historical, and incverj region, must remain obscure 

 or entirely concaJed ; and the primordial era of maukini must for ever remain 

 unapprnachaUe by us. The general character of human development in it will he 

 more di:tiurr|y understood by deeper psychological. physiological and linguistic 



13. All new developments, organic, mental and linguistic, have been by a series 

 of advances, each slight in itself and extending over Tang periods. To account for 

 the existing and historical ethnology of the world, a great lapse of time is therefore 

 nc-uimi . 



* I copy note 140 :<■ -he »nii vrdnnv of Hi miliar** Owim*, as it will often he 

 necessary to advert to the ancient dates, which it gives. 



Chronological data for Egypt ** Menea, 3uW a. c at least, and prolrably 

 (nlurubly exact ; — commeocetnent of the 4th dynasty (comprising the Pyramid 

 builders, Chenbren-Sehafra, Cheops-Chufu, and Mykeriaos or Memkera), Jwiki 

 Invasion of the Ilyksoa under the 12th dynasty, to which belongs Amenemha III. 

 the builder of the original Labyrinth, 2200. A thousand years at least lwft*re 

 Meats, and probably still more, must be allowed for the gradual growth of a 

 civilisation who h had reached its completion, and had in part become fixed, at least 

 3480 yean bcf< our era." U-epsluo, In several letters to my sell; In March l*4o\ 

 after bis retii'u from his memorable expedition.) Compare also Bunscn's consider- 

 ations on the comm< uoement of Universal History. { which, strictly speaking, does 

 not Include the earliest history of mankind >, in his ingenious and learned work. 



