The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-07-25

manufacturing from 1t their TOOLS ana Weap-
ons, and with a religious creed Ito be gath
cred from the ZendaVesta) which is nearer to
that of the Bible than any other religion OF
ancient or modern times, not founded on 1t,
Now it is generally admitted that Western
or Central Asia was the primeVal centre from
which the migrations of men first set out
And at this centre, we do not find savage,
but the Egyptians (whO came from ASIA
with their pyramids and hierog lyphicS the
Chaldeans with their towers and their as
tronomy; the Aryans, with the pure Senti'
ments of the Vendidad, and language which
is the parent of the Zend, the Sanskrit, and
the Greek.
If We turn to China, we find the germ Of
the present Chinese nation settled from the
most primitive times, in the angle Of the
Yellow River, near the Gulf of PeChii, and
their knowledge of agriculture and the metals
seems to 90 back to their first settlement in
this region.
II we take another branch of the human
family-the Cushites-we find their civiliza.
ton fully as ancient as that of Aryan, Turan-
ian, or Shemite. Indeed they are represent
ed at Babylon, and in Egypt; but their prim
tive theatre seems to have been in Southern
Arabia-the Asiatic EthiOpia-where they
had numerous cities as old as Memphis and
Ur of the Chaldees. They were re,eminent
ly the builders of the primeval world, and
perhaps we owe to this element in the popu
lation the great monuments of Egypt and
Babylonia.
These same Cushites settled in India, and
there we are not able to detect any traces OF
their primitive life, for they were soon invaded
and vanquished by an Aryan migration
across the Hindoo Koosh from the Table-land
of Iran.
But these are far from exhausting the list
of nations which seem to have commenced
their career as civilized people, and not as
barbarisnS or savages.
In the relicbeds at Troy, explored by DIR.
Schliemann, the lowest beds exhibit the high.
est art, and hewn blocks of stone are only
found at the bottom, on the virgin rock, where
the predecessors of the Homeric TrojanS first
settled.
In Greece again, DIR. Schliemann has III
earthed at Mycene, admitted to be, with
Tiryns, the Oldest city in Greece, tombS be-
longing las he believes) to the age of Aga
memnon, and ali exhibiting in their relics Z
degree of culture and refinement equal tt
that of Assyria and Egypt. These were thu
people who built the so-caled Pelasgic walls
more probably Ph@niCian) of Greece, (ant
Italy,, and which are the oldest remains il
these countries.
As far back as the eye can reach down thu
vista of the past, we recognize two Other
primitive natiOns-the Ph9nicians and the
Etruscsns-the first sending their ships tt
the pillars of Hercules, and beyond, twelve
or fifteen centuries before our era; and the
other leaving behind them testimonials o.
their greatness in the great chambered tOmbs
with their beautiful bronzes, which are fOupc
at Cere, at Vulci, and various other points
in Northern and Middle Italy.
We have only space to refer to the islands
of the Pacific, which were in their Stone
Age when discovered by Europeans few
centuries ago, but throughout which ruins Of
hewn stone structures bear evidence of on
ancient, but departed, civilization.
So America, the Mound Builder preceded
the Indian, and the civilization of the TolteC
the inferior arts of the Aztec.