Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-03-09

features, aad other peculiarities had an or
igin peculiar to themselves and q language
of their own invention. The progress
made, however, in the last sixty-ive or
seventy years in the study and knowl
edge of the languages of nations, has led to
the discovery that there is a remarkable
analogy in many parts of speech between
them, and this fact tends to favor the idea
Of = common origin of all mankind
Following this analogy, philologists have
undertaken a classification of all the Ian
guages of which they have any knowledge,
placing those having the most striking re-
semblance into one class. In this way,
they have made ont six classes, one for
each grand division of the earth and the
other for the balance of mankind. After the
performance of this Herculean task, pur-
suing their course by the lights which they
had already reflected, they made the grand
discovery that there was a striking resem-
blance between some of the pronouns-
personal and impersonal, in all languages
ergo, this similarity Of language proves
beyond all controversy that there was a
time when there was but one language in
the world-hence q unity of origin. This
point settled, we are next to inquire in
what part of the earth the human family
originated and how it was spread over the
human world |? History affords the only
light to a solution of this question. When
the population of the first settlement be-
came SO dense that it could not be suppor.
ted by the spontaneous productions of that
portion Of the earth, agriculture being
little understood in that day. migration
became necessary. Tracing the lines of mi
grafton backward, we find that they al
converge nearly to a certain point, proving
this to have been the cradle of the human
family. This point is found in Asia, corrob
Grating the Biblical account of the creation
and settlement of our first parents. But
whence, is a question often asked, cam
the Indians or aborigines of America
The peculiar characteristics of these PEG.
pie, then manners and customs, mode, Q
living, computing time, language and idea
of q great superruling power, compare
with the people of North Eastern Asia
have given rise to the belief that they pre-
ceeded from the place last mentioned.
The history of all ~nstions now inhabi,
ing the earth, representa- them as comm
from the east ; the great tide of populs
ton flowing in every direction, passir
into varieties of aspect and of language
they spread. In this way and by this pr
cess OF emigration, the Malay, MoAgolla
Caucasian aud Indians of America ha
been accounted for, leaving the negro o,
unless you assign him an Independent
Northern origin, not a very deteriorat
off shoot of a degenerate stock. But t
I, unity of origin, although the human far
lily is variousIy marked, must be conced'
: for the good book tells us so-therc bel
as much probability that a white man, a
I l believe that Adam aud Eve were viii
Q could turn black as yellow or red, un,
the influence OF climate and other circu
i stances. In making this admission, |
J, not wish to be understood as admitting
: equality OF mankind, the black, red ,
o yellow with the white man, especially
black. j. M. J