14 THE UTHN01.OOY OF THE INDIAN ARCH [l'ELAOO- 



the intellectual character and the course in which it has been deve- 

 loped, is a thorough acquaintance with tfi^ language, not merely 

 philologically, though that goes a long way . but as it really exists in 

 the mouths of the people. We must listen to their speech in play 

 and business, both in its every day form, and in the more measured 

 and artistic one which it assumes in orations, songs, poems, narra- 

 tions, and in literature where it exists. 



When we attempt to enquire into the cause or origin of any of 

 the facts presented by an ethnic monograph of the kind w e have 

 indicated, we find that very little light is to be obtained in the 

 history of the particular tribe. It suggests mm/emud enquirus but. 

 * * can answer only a few. If we confine our attention to it, the great 



mass of its characteristics are soon lost in a dark and seemingly 

 impenetrable antiquity. But although each race, when thus taken 

 by itself, vanishes along its separate path, it assumes an entirely 

 new aspeet wh^n we compare it with other races. The great ethnic 

 unity which it forms at the present epoch, disintegrates and decom- 

 poses as we carry back our researches. We sec many traits of 

 civilisation gradually disappearing, and are at last impressed with 

 a conviction that each of the ethnic constituents of the race has its 

 history, sometimes merely forming a chapter in that of a general 

 indigenous development, but often leading us to other races and 

 regions. Wo find it necessary, at an early stage of our enquiries, 

 to recognize for many races a probability, and for all a possibility, 

 of their physical, linguistic, moral and artistic or formative traits 

 having each their history, which, at some era in the past, separates 

 itself from that of the others. We must even be prepared to rind 

 races which preserve nothing of their stock save certain primary 

 physical peculiarities and mental tendencies, and which derive their 

 language, customs and habits from numerous distinct sources. 

 TJiere is great complexity and as yet some confusion in our 

 glimpses into pre-historic times, and at present there is no reason 

 to expect that the cloud will ever be entirely lifted. But much is 

 even uow being accomplished which will throw light on the 

 :uit u:m movements and rclatioill of tyOfl&j :iud DO man who 

 considers what geology was at no distant date, and what has been 

 done for it in a single generation, will indulge in any feeling but 

 that of a confident expectation of a similar advance in ethnology 

 before the present generation has closed its labours. If the 

 whole science be a necessary result of the nature with which 

 man is endowed and the very varied physical characteristics of t he 

 globe, if its laws be in constant operation wherever human tribes, 

 or families,— which are undeveloped tribes, — exist, it is clear that 

 our researches will bring to light no facts which a science based on 

 observation of the present and historical times, will not account for 

 and surround wiih a number of other facts. As far hack as the 

 world was possessed by numerous races as it is at present, they moat 

 have had mutual relations, near or more remote, so thai facta 



