The American Nations.
by C. S. Rafinesque.
Vol. I.
PREFACE.
In venturing to open a new path in historical researches on the earth and mankind, it is inc.u.mbent on the bold pioneer to state his views, or at least to furnish adequate reasons for deviating so far from the usual track.
While every science and branch of knowledge is improving, and has, with rapid strides, made continual advances for fifty years past or more, is the n.o.ble muse of history to be kept stationary forever, by compilers and cla.s.sical plodders? and for America by the foes of the ancient and modern nations of a whole hemisphere? No ... it is time to improve history as every thing else; to seek the truth and tell it.
As the human mind is yet more swayed by authorities, than genius or wisdom; high authorities will be given instead of long explanations. Ever since the time of Juvenal, it has been an ungrateful task to write historical truth: men often prefer to be amused, deceived, or helped in strife; than to be instructed, or receive sketches of former times. Yet there is always a secret delight in viewing faithful pictures of ages past, of our ancestors on earth, and our predecessors on the soil of our homes, or where we spend the scenes of our own lives.
The worthies who have been taken for models or guides in this arduous undertaking, are Solomon, Moses, Job, St. Paul, St. Augustine, Plato, Niebuhr, Humboldt, Malcolm, Gebelin, D"Olivet, Bryant, Adelung, Drummond, Pritchard, Champollion, Klaproth, Jones, Wilford, Akbar, Price, Bailly, Russell, Beattie, Herder, Carli, Barton &c. They shall speak for themselves, in quotations of their own words, instead of elaborate reflexions.
From G.o.d comes wisdom, knowledge and understanding-SOLOMON Prov. 2. v. 6.
Those who will seek early wisdom will find her-SOL. Pr. 8. v. 17. Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not-SOL. Pr. 8. v. 33.
ZE this is. SFR book. THU symbol. LDTH progeny. ADM mankind. BIUM in manifestation. BRA in realization. ALEIM angels. ADM mankind. BDMUTH in identic pa.s.sage. ALEIM angels. OSHE worked. ATHU such symbol.-MOSES.
_Genesis ch, 5. v. 1._ Genuine mosaic words, and genuine translation word for word.
When I laid the foundations of the earth ... the morning stars sung together, and the sons of G.o.d shouted for joy.-SPEECH OF G.o.d HIMSELF IN JOB ch. 38., _Vulgar translation: the original is still more striking_.
The Hebrew philosophy divided the world in two hemispheres, the upper was SHMIM or _Shamaim_, the Heavens-the lower was SHEOL; but SHEOL-TAHt.i.tH or inferior, was the place of bad souls and Rephaim. (The true SHEOL was America, or the southern hemisphere). The Jesuit Sanetius thought that Job had spoken of America.-PETERS, _Dissertation on Job_.
It is very possible for modern learning to understand better the books of Moses, Orpheus, and those of all ancient nations, than the Egyptian, Greek and Roman commentators: because the intellectual knowledge of languages is improving; and those ancient writers have, by their genius, approximated to us, while removed from the blindness of their ages.-GEBELIN, _Primitive World_.
The letter kills, but the spirit gives life.-ST. PAUL _Corinth._ II. ch.
3. v. 6. We use great plainness of speech, and not as MOSES who put a veil before his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.-_Cor. II. 3. v. 12, 13._-and even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart, nevertheless when it shall please the Lord, this veil shall be taken away.-_Cor. II. 3.
v. 15, 16._
To have a right apprehension of words or names, is a good step to the knowledge of things.-PLATO _in Cratylo_.
The confusion of words is the cause of all disputes and sects.-D"ISRAELI.
The obscure ages demand bold hypotheses or total neglect, contradictions are inseparable from days of tradition.-There exist no instance of a people really savage having spontaneously advanced to civilization. Savage men are degenerated or imperfect creatures.... Words and even few are the rules of a.n.a.logies in nations.-NIEBUHR, _Roman History, Vol. I._
It is manifest that there are n.o.ble resources (for history) still remaining, if we will but apply ourselves to diligent enquiry. There are in every climate some scattered fragments of original history, some traces of a primitive and universal language. _Even America would contribute to this purpose, the more rude the monuments, the more ancient they may possibly prove, and afford greater light on enquiry._ BRYANT, MYTHOLOGY; conclusion of the work.
To acc.u.mulate materials without generalizing any idea is a method as sterile in history as in natural philosophy.-The geology of America does not differ essentially from that of the old world, the strata and the emersion from the waters are not newer: species long extinct have also preceded those now peopling the earth, the waters and the air.-The problem of the first population of America is no more the province of history, than the questions on the origin of plants and animals. When we shall better know the brown men of Africa, with those of the north and east of Asia, the American nations will be less insulated-They have extended from lat. 68 N. to 55 S. or 123 degrees of lat.i.tude, in plains and mountains, a.s.suming various complexions and stature. If Africa has 140 languages, America has still more; resembling in this, the Caucasus, Italy before the Romans; but they are susceptible of cla.s.sification into families. The multiplicity of languages is a very ancient phenomenon, perhaps those which we call American, belong no more to America, than the Magyar and Choud or Finn to Europe.-HUMBOLDT, _American Researches, Introduction_.
If we desire to be fully informed of a nation"s history, we must not reject the fables under which the few traces that remain of its origin are concealed. These, however extravagant, always merit attention they have an influence on the character of the people to whom they relate.-_First words of_ MALCOLM, _History of Persia_.
The Chinese often call the king, the kingdom and the nation by the same name, nay, even also the capital city.-REGIS, _History of Corea, in Duhalde China_.
The cradle or first seat of mankind was in Asia, between lat. 30 and 50; which is also the native place of all the domestic animals, fruits and grains.-_Adelung, Bailly, Higgins, &c._
The Genesis was a compilation of Moses from older annals, some perhaps by Noah himself.-_Revd. Mr. Davies, Herder._
The patriarchs of Moses and Pitris of Hindus were nations, personifications of early tribes.-_Drummond, D"Olivet, Wilford._
The early G.o.ds and kings of Greece and Italy, were probably tribes, the chiefs and followers being called by the same name. This is true also of the various Hercules or wandering Heroes.-_Dodwell, Jamieson._
Trying them by the languages, the Americans will appear to be children of the earliest human families.-BARTON, _Physical Journal_.
A flood of historical light has lately flown from India and Asia; but we lack still the real annals of Thibet: Polynesia and America may yet supply many facts and fill some blanks.-The original seat of civilization was between the Ganges and the Nile, the Caspian and the ocean.-The first tribes after the flood were fishermen and Frugivores, next hunters who did spread north east as far as America, and shepherds south west, as far as Cape of Good hope.-PRITCHARD, _Physical History of Man_.
The genealogy of the kings of England is derived direct from Noah in 25 generations only, to Cerdic first king of Wess.e.x in 495; and through SCEAF born in the ark! giving more than 125 years for each generation, which is impossible, and proves these names, successive tribes or dynasties till Woden.-INGRAM, _Saxon Chronicle_.
The Ethiopians, Nubians and Egyptians are a peculiar race, perhaps in Africa before the flood.-CHAMPOLLION, _Systeme Hieroglyphique_.
The languages are better guides than physical characters for researches on mankind, and roots more important than grammars.-KLAPROTH.
Language belongs to man from origin, he never was a dumb animal, else he would always have remained so. All languages have something in common, and something peculiar.-BEATTIE, _Theory of Language_.
A thousand nations with a thousand idioms, are spread over a thousand places on earth. Thrown against each other like the waves of the sea, they blend and tend to unity. Several rival languages are formed, polished by contract, which overspread the earth; and break to pieces as well as nations and empires. Others arise from their ruins, and strive again for ascendency, until at last a people and language, son and daughter of all the previous nations and idioms, heirs of their dominion and wealth; shall perhaps invade the whole earth, and produce again the unity of speech and rule.-D"OLIVET, _End of Hebrew Grammar_.
It is said, _In the beginning G.o.d made Heaven and Earth_, that is to say, the seeds of heaven and earth, since their matter was yet in confusion in a potential way.-ST. AUGUSTINE _on Genesis_.
In the whole _Mosaic text_ there is no Eden, no tree, no apple, no rib, no woman, no snake, no ark ... but other words thus improperly translated to veil the sense.... Adam is not a man, but mankind, _Aish_ intellectual men, _Ashe_ mate or potent will, HUE our Eve is living existence!... The names of patriarchs are all expressive of operations of mankind.... Yet Moses" Unity of G.o.d, and Belief in Immortality is evident throughout; although so obscured by the translation as to have been doubted.... Moses with his veils is made absurd; raising the veils he appears wise, deep, consistent, even more enlightened than our age on many points.-D"OLIVET, _Notes on Genesis_.
Whenever the numerical letters of Moses are taken in their material sense, inextricable difficulties have arisen; and which is the true version out of the 3 is doubtful: the deep mosaic meaning and import shall never be known, until the ancient lost science of numbers is restored, which was once known from China to Egypt and Europe.-D"OLIVET, _last note_.
Eblis or Satan was disgraced from Heaven, where Rezoan was his successor, and exiled to Seyestan, with the Snake and Peac.o.c.k tribes his followers, Adam was exiled to Ceylon, Eve to Arabia &c.-PRICE, _Translation of Abijauffer"s History of Arabia_.
Menu was Adam, but there are seven Menus, the seventh was Noah.-SIR W.
JONES, _Laws of Menu_. WILFORD.
The Babylonian empire begun 530 years after the flood, 2790 years after Adam.-RUSSELL, _Connection of Sacred History_.
Primitive history is under a veil, involved in fables; but all ancient fables have a historical base.-BAILLY, _on Atlantis_.
Before Adam G.o.d created the _Dives_ (angels) who had 72 kings or _Sol-i-man_ for 7000 years, and after them the _Peris_ govern for 2000 years.-HERBELOT, _Oriental Library_.
Noah dwelt near Cabul and Cashmir, his Ararat was in the Imalaya mountains.-SHUCKFORD, WELLS, _Sacred Geography &c._
As early as 4600 years before Christ, there was a communication between the Americans and the east by astronomical coincidences.-CARLI, _American Letters_.
Two great wars or _Mahabharat_ followed by dispersions of mankind, happened in India in 3236 and 2501 (before our era); and the Indian solar empire of _Berhut_ at Inderput now Delhi, ascends 16 generations beyond the first, at least to 3750 years B. C.-_Inst.i.tutes of the Emperor_ AKBAR, _translated by_ GLADWIN.
Such are my guides. Are not those quotations sufficient?
For my rules of criticism, I have taken for guide, _Isaac Taylor"s_ excellent history of the transmission of ancient books, London, 1827. They may be a.n.a.lysed as follows, from his own summary.
1. If the records of antiquity could be deprived of their authority, we should also be deprived of intelligence, liberty and religion!