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essential identity with that of the Egyptians, and therefore that 
both must have emanated from a common origin. Both nations 
were distinguished by a division into various orders, of which the 
philosophers were the most honourable. Each tribe adhered to 
the profession of its family, and never invaded the department of 
another. The fundamental principles of their astronomical sys- 
tems, would also incline us to suppose, that their sciences were 
derived from the same source.” 
“ From a comparison of different facts, the following will 
appear to be the result: at the time of the general dispersion of 
mankind, some tribes migrated towards the East to India; while 
others diverged towards the West to Egypt; and some still re- 
mained in their original settlements in Chaldaea. Egypt, therefore, 
we might expect to find the source of knowledge for the western, 
and India for the eastern parts of the globe. The few general 
traditions which they had received from their ancestors, it is 
reasonable to imagine, would find a place in the religious systems 
of all. These traditions would remain unaltered, chiefly in coun- 
tries like India, insulated from the rest of the world by continued 
and almost impregnable barriers. From the unrestrained inter- 
course which so long subsisted between India and Egypt, it is 
probable, that a communication might have taken place on sub- 
jects of religion and science; that we have the strongest reason to 
conclude that large bodies of Hindoos have settled themselves in 
Egypt; but that there is no reason to imagine, that the Brahmi- 
nical system was transported, at a recent period, from Egypt into 
India.” 
