great catastrophe on the Himalaya Mountains. This
is confirmed by an observation which the reader will make in the
sequel, that these doctrines have been, like all the other doctrines
of antiquity, gradually corrupted--incarnated, if I may be permitted to
compose a word for the occasion."

Of this cycle, Bailly says: "No person could have invented the Neros who
had not arrived at much greater perfection in astronomy than we know was
the state of the most ancient Assyrians, Egyptians, and Greeks."

Toward the close of the eighteenth century the celebrated astronomer,
Bailly, published a work entitled The History of Ancient Astronomy, in
which he endeavored to prove that a nation possessed of profound wisdom
and great genius, and of an antiquity far superior to the Hindoos or
Egyptians, "inhabited the country to the north of India, or about fifty
degrees north latitude." This writer has shown that "the most celebrated
astronomical observations and inventions, from their peculiar character,
could have taken place only in these latitudes, and that arts and
improvements gradually travelled thence to the equator."

A colony of Brahmins settled near the Imans, and in Northern
Thibet, where in ancient times they established celebrated colleges,
particularly at Nagraent and Cashmere. In these institutions the
treasures of Sanskrit literature were supposed to be deposited. The
Rev. Mr. Maurice was informed that an immemorial tradition prevailed at
Benares that all the learning of India came from a country situated in
forty degrees of northern latitude. Other writers are of the opinion
that civilization proceeded from Arabia; that the old Cushite race
carried commerce, letters, and laws to all the nations of the East.
Which of these theories is true, if either, may not with certainty be
proved at present; yet that in the far distant past a race of people
existed whose achievements exceeded those of any of the historic nations
may not be doubted.

That the length of the year was calculated with greater exactness by an
ancient and forgotten people than it was by early historic nations is
proved by the cycle of the Neros. This cycle, which was formed of 7.421
lunar revolutions of 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 3 seconds, or
219,146 days and a half, was equal to 600 solar years of 365 days, 5
hours, 51 minutes, and 36 seconds, which time varies less than three
minutes from the present observations of the year's length. The leng