Though by Humboldt, and some other eminent writers, the Basque has been regarded as distinct from other languages, the examples which occur at the close of this Introduction must, I conceive, serve to remove all doubt as to the identity of the Basques or Iberians with the other branches of the Human Race. Of these examples grammatical differences cannot serve to diminish the force. (See p. 89 and the chapter on the Chinese Language.) The Basque also shows some traces of a peculiar connexion with the African tongues. Thus its numerals are nearly identical with those of the North African nations, and the formative particle Er is used for similar purposes in the Basque and Egyptian, and in both is placed before the word, a characteristic which distinguishes the African from the European languages. (See p. 142.) Thus we have Juan, “To go,” Er-uan, “To cause to go,” (_Basque._) Ouini, “Light,” Er-ouini, “To cause Light,” or “To enlighten,” (_Egyptian._) Instances of words formed in the same manner, which are common to the Egyptian and the Celtic, will be found at p. 38, Appendix A. A striking example of the connexion of the Celtic languages with those of Africa occurs in the region where the respective Physiological peculiarities of North Africa and Negro-land meet. In the vicinity of the river Senegal the line of separation may be said to divide the Iolofs, a Negro nation, from the Fulahs and Phellatahs, whose physical characteristics are of an intermediate nature. Now it is remarkable, that by comparing and as it were uniting the dialects of the Iolofs, the Fulahs, and the Phellatahs, some of the most common Welsh words are obtained essentially unchanged, as in Le oure, “The Moon,” (_Fulahs_,) Gour, and Gourgne, “A Man,” (_Iolofs_,) Gourko, “A Man,” (_Phellatahs_,) Loho, “The Hand,” (_Iolofs_,) Bourou, “Bread,” (_Iolofs_,) Bouron, “Bread,” (_Fulahs_.) Consistently with the principles on which the origin of languages is hereafter explained in this work, I cannot suggest that these coincidences, striking as they are, afford any proof of a specific connexion between the Celtic and African races. But they tend to prove, nevertheless, that language furnishes no positive ground for inferring that the Celts are more nearly allied to the Asiatic than they are to the African races. Hence, since the evidence of Physiology on this subject is also of a negative character, it may be affirmed, with regard both to this race and the Basques, that the opinion that they are of Asiatic descent—opposed as it is by the evidence of history in one, if not in both cases—and by the inferences which Geographical considerations, in both instances, appear to suggest—requires reconsideration.