The opening of I. ON THE ORIGIN OF THE AMERICANS
Spirit of Inquiry in the Middle Ages -- Unity of Origin
-- Flood Myths -- Aboriginal Traditions of Origin --
Culture-Heroes -- China -- Japan -- Hindostan -- Tartary --
The Egyptian Theory -- The Phœnicians -- Votan's Travels --
The Carthaginians -- The Hebrew Theory -- The Mormon Story --
The Visits of the Scandinavians -- Celtic Origin -- The Welsh
-- Scotch -- Irish -- The Greeks and Romans -- The Story of
Atlantis -- The Autochthonic Theory.When it first became known to Europe that a new continent had been discovered, the wise men, philosophers, and especially the learned ecclesiastics, were sorely perplexed to account for such a discovery. A problem was placed before them, the solution of which was not to be found in the records of the ancients. On the contrary, it looked as if old-time traditions must give way, the infallibility of revealed knowledge must be called in question, even the holy scriptures must be interpreted anew. Another world, upheaved, as it were, from the depths of the Sea of Darkness, was suddenly placed before them.