and observing, to such perfection as they must have been, at the period spoken of, comes in support of the same conclusion."

Thus, on the authority of Professor Playfair, it was established that the Hindoo period called Caly-youg, being 3102 years before the Christian era, was the epoch at which these calculations were made; then other elements point to a period 1200 years before this, making in all 4300 before the Christian era, so that the astronomical calculations of these heathen philosophers, extended to a period nearly 300 years before the creation of the sun, and moon, and planets according to Moses.*

All this was proved by one of the first mathematicians of the age, for Professor Playfair had made himself responsible for the truth and accuracy of the Indian calculations, as well as for the period at which they were made.

These important conclusions, solemnly announced from the mathematical chair of Edinburgh, gave them a degree of consequence and authority in the estimation of the world, proportionate to the high source whence they

came.

Few persons could follow the Professor through the calculations from which these demonstrations had been deduced; and fewer still, thought of making public opposition to such authority.

Thus, infidels believing their cause now settled on a foundation that could not be moved, thought and spoke of Moses and his history, with the utmost contempt; while many Christians, believing that, at least, some truth had emanated from such a source, and being unable to bring any thing but the naked word of inspiration, against what were considered mathematical deductions, were happy when they could avoid all religious discussions with those who, at the onset, were ready to prove that the very foundation of their faith was wanting.

* This estimate is founded as above stated, on the Hebrew chronology which gives 4004 years from the creation to the incarnation. It is however, but fair for the reader to remember, that the Constantinopolitan chronology makes 5504 years between these events, and that Josephus makes the same period to consist of 5200 years. If we adopt either of these periods, the calculations of Playfair do not extend beyond the time of the creation.

But whether the Mosaic record remained true or false, at is certain that the demonstrations of Professor Playfair did not destroy the verity of all scripture, since the truth of that declaration, "a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand," was confirmed and illustrated in his own case, as the event will prove. Laplace, the French astronomer, who was contemporaneous with Playfair, and on whose high attainments the Professor had pronounced a splendid panegyric,-Laplace himself, the lover and patron of infidelity, was destined to become the agent, by whom Moses and the prophets were delivered from obloquy and contempt; and by which it was demonstrated, that notwithstanding the existence of the Hindoo tables, and the opinion of the Edinburgh Professor, the Scriptures might still be a revelation from Heaven.

"Every thing," says Laplace, "leads us to conclude that they [the Hindoo tables,] are not of high antiquity. They have two principal epochs, which go back, one to the year 3102, and the other to 1491 years before the Christian era. These are linked together by the mean movements of the sun, moon, and planets, so that one of the epochs are necessarily fictitious.' "In fact," he continues, "if we assume for our point of departure, the epoch 1491, and go back, by means of the Indian tables, to the year 3102, before the Christian era, we obtain a general conjunction of the sun, moon, and planets, as these tables suppose; but this conjunction differs too much from the result of our best tables to have taken place, demonstrating that the epoch to which it refers is not grounded on observation.

"The tables altogether, and particularly the impossibility of the conjunction which they suppose at the same epoch, prove, on the contrary, that they have been constructed, or, at least, rectified in modern times.*

"It is well known," says Baron Cuvier, "that M. Bailly, thinking that the epoch which is used as a period of departure, in some of the Indian astronomical tables had been really observed, has attempted thenet to deduce a proof of the remote antiquity of this science among that people, or at least in that nation which bequeathed its knowledge to them. But the whole of this system so

* Book v. chap. i.

laboriously conceived, falls to the ground of itself, now that it is proved that this epoch was subsequently adopted on calculations made backwards, and the result of which was incorrect."*

M. Bently has discovered that the tables Tivalour, on which, particularly, the assertion of Bailly was founded, must have been calculated about 1281 after Christ, (540 years since;) and that the Surya-Siddhanta, which the Brahmins regard as their most ancient and scientific treatise on astronomy, and which they pretend was revealed, more than twenty millions of years ago, could not have been composed until about 760 years since.

These authorities might be considered sufficient to settle forever the famous question of the Indian Tables, which, for a time it is known, was the strong hold of infidelity; and yet the opinion of Playfair has been so widely disseminated, and is contained in so many books still in existence, and still read, that we add one other authority, lest in the minds of some, these should not remove every doubt.

Delambre, in his History of Astronomy, writes on this subject as follows:

The extensive treatise on Indian Astronomy, by Bailly, has been labored with more care than any of his works. We regret only to remark too frequently in it, that spirit of system which predominates in all his productions. Instead of giving an exposition of the facts, which may enable us afterwards to consider them in every point of view, he espouses an opinion to which he makes every thing conform. He renders it available with much address, and by approximations which are often specious. Sometimes, and especially in his Indian Treatise, he intrenches himself behind imposing masses of calculations, carefully dissembling whatever may prove prejudical to his cause as well as the objections that might be advaneed, and which he himself could not fail to perceive."

"If we be allowed to hazard a conjecture, we would say, that Bailly never writes but to prop a system framed beforehand; that he glances slightly over the writings of the ancients, reading them in bad translations, and that he runs over all the calculations, in order to pick out ob

* Cuvier's Disc. p. 145.

scure passages which may lend some countenance to his ideas."

"When we inquire why the Indians chose the remote and fictitious epoch of Caly-youg, or misfortune, we perceive, in the first place, that it was from national vanity; and in the next, that they might make all the planets start from one point, a conjunction which their method of calculation required. If we further ask, why they adopted a complicated method which employs divisions and multiplications of enormous numbers, with so many additions, subtractions, reductions and different precepts, the answer is, that they did not wish for written tables; they wanted numbers which could be put into technical verses, even into songs, so that the calculations might be performed without writing a book. These facts, now well known, through the labors of the Asiatic Society, are alone sufficient to subvert the whole system of Bailly."

66

Mr. Playfair, in the 4th volume of the Edin. Phil. Trans. has spoken of the Indian table of sines, believing it to be very ancient. Consequently, he is not surprised at finding no tangents in it, which were unknown in Europe till the 16th century. But as the idea of them is very clearly expounded in the work of Albategni, and as, in the 13th century, we find tables of tangents calculated by the Arabs, we need not wonder if they should be found in the Surya-Siddhanta, whose date is now known to be more ancient. The Professor is astonished at seeing versed sines among the Indians; but his memory has betrayed him, when he asserts that the Arabs did not know them. He acknowledges that the Indians have not actually demonstrated either of the processes which they point out for these calculations. I would be tempted to believe that they were ignorant of these demonstrations; if they had known the principle, their table would have been probably a little better. Mr. Playfair has not calculated it anew, he has not even had the discernment to perceive the error of the division, 225 substituted, probably by an error of the copy, for the true divisor 235. 5."

Thus at the touch of truth, vanished the most specious, and apparently the most solid foundation for infidelity that modern times have afforded, and thus did Moses and his history triumph over the vain pretensions of the Hindoos, combined with the demonstrations of one of the first mathematicians of Europe. And, it is not a little

gratifying to the friends of the Bible, that the "pure and unbroken light which is free from the false coloring of vanity and superstition," was thus freed from contempt and derision, not by the guardians of religion, but by those who were searching for truth solely in honor of the sciences, and who would, (at least some of them,) have rather the error had fallen against Moses, than against the Indian Astronomy.

EGYPTIAN ZODIACS.

"No sooner," says the Rev. Mr, Conybeare, “has any new discovery, whatever might have been its subject, occurred, (whether it was a fragment of Indian Chronology, or an Egyptian Zodiac, or the mechanism of the Universe, or that of living bodies, or lastly some new fact relating to the structure of the earth,) than the first aspect under which some minds have seemed anxious to view it, has been, whether it would not furnish some new weapon against Revelation.”*

Recent history, especially that department which relates to the sciences, constantly affirms the truth of the above observation. In no age have the advocates for unbelief sought after new resources, with so much eagerness, as during the present. The mighty movements of the Christian world, have not only shown a determination to spread the truths of the gospel, where they are still unknown, but also to remove from herself as far as possible, every taint of irreligion. The light of science, and a more general knowledge of the Bible, have long since thrown all the ancient systems of infidelity into oblivion. Even those which were in fashion thirty years ago are now obsolete; so that the errors and the authors against which Dr. Dwight warned his Baccalaureate in about 1800, are such as young men are in little danger from, at the present day. The world is too far advanced in knowledge, to be caught by common-place arguments against religion. All this is well known to the infidel ranks in every part of Christendom, and hence they see the necessity of looking among the higher branches of knowledge for new weapons.

* Conybeare and Phillips' Geo. Int. p. 50.