aftronomical notions from the fame fountain with the Indians and Chinefe; I mean their ancestors of the old Chaldæan school. The moon's afcending node is therefore called the DRAGON'S HEAD, and her defcending node the DRAGON'S TAIL. But we fee that the allegorical allufion of the rapacity of the celestial dragon is likewife extended to the fun, as indeed it may be to any planet, by whose paffing orbit the ecliptic is at any time and in' a fimilar manner interfected, and from ideas of this kind undoubtedly have arifen all thofe ridiculous tales of the contests of those celestial combatants. As an illuftration of what has been juft obferved, I have annexed a representation of the real aftronomical figure made by the moon's orbit in paffing the ecliptic, and of the hieroglyphic emblem to which it indifputably gave birth.

It may here be remarked that no eclipfes can happen, except when the two planets are in or near the nodes or interfections of the ecliptic, whence indeed that great circle derives its name. This portion of the heavens, therefore, has been in all ages the object of more particular obfervation of the fpeculative race of philofophers, and it is in this region that infidelity has been too fatally bufy in form

ing calculations and erecting hypotheses fubverfive of the Mofaic theology and hoftile to the dearest interests of mankind. I fhall, hereafter, have occafion to evince that it is chiefly, if not solely, on calculations founded upon the retrograde motion of these nodes from east to west, that is, in an order contrary to that of the figns, and the flow, but now-demonftrated, decrease of the obliquity of that ecliptic, after the rate of a degree in one hundred years, that all the ancient atheistical systems, afferting the immense duration of the world, have been founded. On a minute examination of them, we shall probably discover that they are erected upon a bafis fcarcely lefs chimerical than the fable of the celeftial dragon, who, upon every lunar eclipfe, is fuppofed by the Hindoos and the Chinese to seize with his teeth that affrighted orb. In the aftronomical figure fubjoined, number 1 denotes the moon in her afcending node, number 2 reprefents the planet in her defcending node, numbers 3 and 4 mark that wide portion of the ferpentine curve, which, in the Arabian aftronomy, is called the belly of the dragon. By the dragon, Dr. Long obferves, the ancients did not mean that fictitious and monftrous figure with wings, which we

fee

fee represented in modern paintings, but fimply a large fnake, as delineated below, by a comparison of which with the former mathematical figure we fo plainly trace the progreffive union of their astronomical speculations with their hieroglyphic theology.

The

The Brahmins of India and the Bonzes of China, to imprefs with awe and veneration the inferior claffes of mankind, purposely veiled under obfcure ænigmas their deep aftronomical discoveries, and invested science with the mantle of hieroglyphics. With what unwearied affiduity aftronomy itself was anciently pursued in both countries, thofe maffy marble inftruments, erected in the obfervatories of Pekin and Benares, to be feen, the former in Du Halde, the latter in the Philofophical Tranfactions, and with correct engravings of which that portion of this work, which treats of their literature, will be decorated, remain perpetual and irrefragable teftimonies. I fhall, hereafter, in my review of Oriental aftronomy, have occafion to remark how deeply thefe aftronomical pursuits influenced all the national habits and opinions of Eastern people; how intimately they were blended with all their fyftems of theology, and even infected their folemn codes of legislation, in which we should least of all expect to find the operations of fancy to predominate. Of all the phænomena of astronomy, none, however, excited more general difmay and aftonishment, throughout all the nations of the pagan world, than eclipses. The moon was thought,

during

during thofe folemn periods of public alarm, to be struggling in laborious toils, and, to afsuage her pangs, in that moment of imagined diftrefs, while the Chinese rent the air with the found of cymbals, trumpets, and the clanging of lefs melodious inftruments, the whole affrighted nation of the Hindoos crowded to the banks of the Ganges, and other facred rivers, and anxiously endeavoured, by universal ablution in their streams, to prepare themselves for the destiny which they thought rapidly approaching.

As another evident proof how early and how deeply the ancient Indians were engaged in aftronomical pursuits, the reader will permit me to remind him of what has already been remarked from Mr. Halhed, that the days of the week are named, in the most ancient and venerable Sanfcreet books, from the very fame planets to which they were affigned by the Greeks and Romans. Their names, as they stand in that gentleman's publication, are AUDEETYE WAR, or Solis dies; SOME WAR, or Lunæ dies; MUNGEL WAR, or Martis dies; BOODHE WAR, or Mercurii dies; BREEHESPET WAR, or Jovis dies; SHOOKRE WAR, or Veneris dies; and SHENISHER WAR, or Saturni dies. I muft here obferve