In the North of Africa the physiological difficulties which are encountered in the Middle and South do not exist to the same extent in any instance, and in most instances they can scarcely be said to exist at all. The Berbers—the original population of Morocco and the adjoining countries, the lineal descendants of the ancient Numidians—approach very closely to the Spanish population of the opposite coasts of the Mediterranean; and the Egyptians in the north-east of Africa are much more alike to the contiguous Asiatic nations than they are to the Negro Tribes. Hence it follows that the theory that the Negroes and Southern Africans are distinct Races of men, may be as decisively tested by a comparison of their languages with those of the Northern Africans, as by collating them with the languages of the other continents of the globe.
The mode of comparison adopted in Appendix A, has been dictated by these considerations. Accordingly, I have therein separated the languages of Africa into three divisions, those of: 1, North Africa; 2, Negro-land; 3, South Africa; allotting a separate column to each division; while on the opposite page a separate column is devoted to each of the continents of Asia, Europe, and America. This comparison will serve at once to show the general connexion of the African languages with those of Asia, Europe, and America, and at the same time to demonstrate another proposition of nearly equal [pg 008] interest, viz. the close mutual affinity of the languages of Northern, Tropical, and Southern Africa.
With respect to the particular words selected for comparison, I have chosen the names for the following objects: “Fire, Sun, Day, Eye,[22] Moon, Heaven, a Human Being, Man and Woman.” (Homo, Vir, Fœmina, Latin.) The most important parts of the Human Frame, (viz. “The Hand, Arm, Foot, Leg, Ear, Tongue, Head.”) “Water.”
These terms comprise nearly all the specimens of the languages of Africa, which have been collected in “the Mithridates,” of Adelung and Vater. The objects to which these terms have been applied are comparatively few. But for reasons about to be explained, the evidence which may be deduced from the terms themselves is neither scanty nor imperfect, but, on the contrary, very extensive and complete.
The African names for the above-mentioned objects analysed in Appendix A, amount to about 700. The corresponding and analogous terms introduced from the other three Continents are about treble that number.
In determining the mutual relations of different languages, it is obviously not necessary to compare the whole of their component parts. All that is required is a comparison of such portions of each as may be justly viewed in the light of a satisfactory test. That the selected specimens of the languages of Africa are sufficiently numerous for this end is plain. It only remains to be shown that their nature is such as to render them eminently suitable and conclusive.
Now it will be clear from the following considerations, that these specimens are peculiarly calculated to serve as a decisive test of the general composition and structure of languages.
Terms for the Objects above enumerated will be found to include the greatest portion of the primary elements of all languages.[23]
This proposition may be placed in the clearest light by means even of comparatively modern languages, for both modern and ancient tongues will be found principally to consist of the following elements:
1. The nouns above mentioned. Such nouns are in fact the names of the most familiar and conspicuous objects; of those objects which are common to all ages and countries.