Page:Essays ethnological and linguistic.djvu/117

Rh of progenitors, as few persons could be found so intimately acquainted with the original languages of either line as to be able, under perhaps a pronunciation vitiated with regard to both, to ascertain their origin.

It is too much the practice of Ethnologists to string together a number of names of the people they recount, without considering that they may all be of the same family or nation, or, at any rate, without shewing that they are really distinct. In a geographical point of view, it is no doubt correct to give the local names of the people inhabiting the several localities; but Ethnology requires that no distinction should be made where there is no specific difference. As Humboldt has well observed "to accumulate facts without generalizing an idea, is as sterile in history as it is in philosophy." The true value of such knowledge is to gather from them what is essential for the object of our researches, and so use particular data for general specifications.

On the other hand, it is too much the fault of travellers to dwell on generalities. Thus there has been no agreement among writers on the American Indians greater than to pronounce them all, from their alleged general resemblance, to be people of the same origin, or, as Cieza de Leon said shortly after the conquest, and Sir R. Schomburgk has repeated before this Society, to be "all children of one family." This general resemblance is certainly very great; but, as Von Humboldt has correctly observed, it has been much overstated; and those who become really conversant with different nations of America very soon become enabled to note the great differences actually discernible between them: yet still, no doubt there is also a great general resemblance among them, inasmuch as they all shew decided evidences, in their general appearance, of their origin from what is commonly called the Mongolian race, predominant in Asia. But, as in Asia itself there are many nations with very distinct characteristics, so their descendants in America — taking here for granted that they are their descendants — must also be expected to have as equally distinct characteristics, perhaps even more markedly distinct, arising from their further wanderings and comminglings in their new abodes. If, then, the theory be correct, of the American Indians being traceable to different parts of Asia, the inference may be expected of analogies existing in respect of language, and manners, and physical appearances of the various nations respectively in the two continents, which it next becomes a part of our task to point out.

I know there has latterly been a supposition of races now