37 2 Reflections on the Zodiacs 



vails, with fome, over evidence. No attention is paid by rt#* 

 fidels to the proofs which confirm it; and, without having 

 been able to deftroy them, and even without having tried it, 

 they return to the charge as foon as an opportunity offers. 



The Monileur or French Gazette Natlonale of the 25th of 

 Pluviofe laft (February 14, 1802,) contains a long article, in 

 which are announced discoveries made in Upper Egypt, and 

 among thefe is that of two zodiacs; from which it is " cer- 

 tain," fays- the writer, " that the prefent divifion of the zo- 

 diac fuch as we are acquainted with was eftabhfhed among 

 the Egyptians fifteen thou fa nd years before the Chriftian 

 a?ra, and that it has been pn. Served without alteration and 

 tranfmitted to all other nations." 



This conclufion, given with a tone of affurance, may eafily 

 impdfe, and make it be believed that it is well founded, though 

 it can reft only on conjectures or miftakes in the application 

 of aftronomical calculations : but in fuch fpeculations, as 

 they are retained by no religious perfuafions, they follow their 

 own ideas, without ever inquiring whether they can be recon- 

 ciled with what is pointed out to us by nature. 



The Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences for 1708 con- 

 tain an engraving of a large fragment of an Egyptian plani- 

 fphere or zodiac which was fent from Rome to the aeademy. 

 This zodiac, engraven on antique marble, was preferved in 

 the Vatican. It reprefents concentric bands or circles di- 

 vided into twelve equal portions by lines drawn from the cir- 

 cumference to the centre. The circle in the centre, which is 

 not divided, contains three conftellations, the Dragon and 

 two Rears. The next circle, which is divided, contains the 

 figures of animals, reptiles, and others. The two following 

 circles contain each in the fame order the twelve figns of the 

 zodiac, fome of which are in good preservation. The fifth 

 circle, feparated by a band on which are traced- out letters or 

 characters, contains in each divifion, correfponding to a (ign, 

 three human figures, fome of which have the head of an 

 animal. And the laft circle, which inclofes the whole, re- 

 prefents the planets repeated under the figure of human heads 

 correfponding to certain di virions of the figns, according as 

 the imagination, inclined to the chimeras of aftrology, fug- 

 gefted. 



The learned in 1708 were far from aligning to this zodiac, 

 a high antiquity: it was even confldered, and with juftice, a$ 

 beir.£ rather altrological than aftronomical ; and therefore it 

 was left in the hi Clerical part of that year as a mere objeel: of 

 curiofity, not worthy of engaging the time of the academy. 



But Voltaire and his fchool had not yet appeared j'euted in 



tb* 



