The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-04-05
The English-0rigin Of the Race
and their Language,

The English-Origin of the Race
and their Language.
The earliest historical records of
Britain, as furnished by Casa
Strabo and Tacitus, show that the
physical characteristic Of the Eco.
pie were very nearly the same as
at the present day. In the south
eastern and northern parts of the
island the inhabitants were tall,
fair and blue-eyed, with hair va.
rying in hue from yellow to red {;
while in the central and western
parts they were short, darkroom.
plexioned, black.haired and black
eyed The two races in those days
Inhabited tolerably well defined
localities but at the present time,
owing to q variety Of causes, such
as foreign conquest, and intermix.
ture of blood with other nations,
change Of manners, TODD, domestic
llabits, &C., the two types and their
intermediate gradations are to be
found side by side in all parts of
England. Nay, even in the same
family may sometimes be found
children of boih types, and the
population is now about as heto.
rogeneuus as can well he. But
there is a vast difference in one
respect between the ancient and
modern Britors.
IN cRsAR's TINE
The whole of the Inhabitants of
England spoke the Celtic language,
or rather tie Cymric dialect of
that language, while in Scotland
they spoke the Gaelic dialect, aud
it is believed, though there is no
certain information on the subject,
that in Ireland they did the srme.
In Victoria's time the language
spoken universally throughout the
British Isles is the English, a mod
itication of the Anglo Saxon, into
which a large number of foreign
words. especially Of Greek and
Latin origin. have been introduced (;
and it is only I'm few romotc and
isolated districts that the ancient
languages are stillspokcn, as, Tor in
stance, Gaelic in the Highlands of
Scotland, Erse or ancient Irish in
the South and West of Ireland,
and Cymric or Welsh in Wales.
The English language has become
the habitual medium Of intercourse
between all the varieties of people
now inhabitIng the British Isles.
But whence came the
cELAIc SPEAKING PEOPLE,
With its two contrasted dark and
fair forms, which inhabited Britain
1000 years agoG At a very re.
mote period the island, probably,
Was uniten to the continent of Eu-
rope in fact, the identity of the
geological strata between the cliffs
of Dover and those OF the oppo.
site coast, renders this theory all
bnt certain. At al! events the
distance was never so great be.
tween them but that the Ceits from
Ganl could have crossed over and
settled in Britain. Bat modern
researches have sh wn that the
fair or the dark complexion was
no proof OF difference Of origin
There were always tall and fair
Celts as well as dark and short
ones. Still there were regions
wherein the one predominated
over the other.
When history first speaks Of the
Celtic language, it was used by a
people physically identical Will,
the Germans and the SIavonians
it has since been found to bear
strong affinity to the Teutonic and
Slavonic languages, and to belong
to the great group Ct Aryan or
Indo European languages. The
Same resemblance prevailed be.
tween the social organization, ha.
bits and theology of these races,
and hence there is good reason tor
believing that the Celtic popula.
ton of ancient Britain was the
western fringe of that vast stock
which can be traced to Central
Asia, and the existence OF which,
on the confines Of China ID often
mentioned by the ancient Chinese
annalists, the tribes being spoken OF
under the name of" White Huns"
THE ARYAN RACE
Invaded India 1.400 years ago,
and spread over that peninsular,
Persia, Asia Minor and Europe.