Notwithstanding the fagacious reader, by a bare reference to the marginal notes which we have affixed to the text of Bramah, will readily conceive the fpirit of the allegory contained in it; yet as fome paffages of it requires a further explanation than could be huddled into a note, we will add the whole interpretation of it under one connected view. The Eternal ONE having determined on the creation of the univerfe, like a fupreme wife architect, he retired for a space to project his ftupendous plan, and prepare his materials. He was oppofed in the operation by the difcord, confufion and tumult of the elements that compofe the abyss of boale; -he feparated, fubdued, brought them under Subjection, and prepared them to receive his intended impreffions.-He exerts his three great attributes, to create, preferve, or destroy, which are figuratively reprefented by the three primary created beings-His Spirit floats upon the furface of the abyss of hoale, or fluid matter,-Creation takes place.-Birmah (or Creation) is reprefented with four heads and four arms to denote the power of God in the act of creation.--Biftnoo the prefer ver is transformed into a mighty boar, emblematically fignifying the ftrength of God in the act of creation. The The tortoife myftically denotes the ability and permanency of the foundation of the earth, and the fnake the wisdom by which it is fupported. These latter operations aré given to Biftnoo, because the earth was the grand principle or parent, from whence he was to draw the means for the prefervation of the future animal creation, deftined for the prisons of the rebellious Debtah; a work which we may gather from Bramah's text, was referved for the hand of God himself, as they were to be endued with rational powers. It may be afked why Brum, is represented floating, particularly on a beetle leaf? To this we can only reply, that the plant is deemed facred amongst the Gentoos, it's culture is made under the aufpices of the Shaftah, and inftruction of the Bramins; unclean perfons are prohibited entering into a beetle garden, as the approach of any impurity is pronounced fatal to the plant, in the infancy of its growth. To conclude this general head-How far Homer, Virgil, Lucretius, Ovid, Lucian, &c. have in their conceptions of the creation, (by means of the Egyptians) built on, and availed themselves of the fimple cofmogony of Bramah, we leave the learned and curious to trace. Although in fact, it is obvious, I 2 that 1 that this ancient fage, aimed at no other folution of that ftupendous and incomprehenfible act, than to inculcate, that the univerfe was produced by the effence and voluntary power, ftrength and wisdom of GOD. That it is preferved and fuftained by original constituent powers impreffed on it by the Deity, and that it is liable to change and diffolution, at his divine pleasure and will. The End of the Fifth Chapter. CHAP. СНАР, C H A P. VI, The Gentoo manner of computing Time, and their conception of the age of the universe, and the period of its diffolution. [From Bramah's Chartah Bhade, in the fupplement to his Birmahah.] SIXT IXTY nimicks, or winks of the eye, make one pull. Sixty pulls, make one gurree. Sixty gurrees, make one complete day, or one day and one night. Three hundred and fixty-five complete days and fifteen gurrees make one folar year. The Gentoos divide the complete day into eight, parts, to which they give the term paar, commencing their day at fix in the morning; thus ek paar dheen * equals our nine in the morning; duapaar dheen, our noon; teenpaar dheen, our three afternoon; Chaarpaar dheen, our fix in the evening;the divifions of the night are distinguished by the word rhaat (night) in place of * Literally, one part of day. I 3 dheen, dheen, as ek paar rhaat, equals our nine at night; and fo on. It is the province of the Bramins in this country to keep the account of time, and there is no Gentoo of diftinction but retains in his house and on his journeys one of these time keepers, whofe intire business it is to regulate time, and ftrike the gurrees as they pass, on the Ghong, an extended sheet of copper, which yields the found of a folemn bell. Bramah meafures fpace or duration of time, from the creation of the Dunneahoudah, or univerfe, by the revolutions of the four Jogues. The first age, or Suttee Fogue, contains thirty-two lac years of vulgar time, or Years. 3,200,000 The fecond age, or Tirta Jo-}· 1,600,000 gue, fixteen lac, or The third age, or Dwapaar } 800,000 400,000 6,000,000 Ekutter |