1887.] 



359 



[Taylor. 



marks, since "none of these Hindoo authors claim either for themselves or 

 their predecessors the invention of this method of enumeration, but always 

 mention it as being received from the Deity, we may infer that it was prac- 

 tised in that country beyond the limits even of tradition." The Indian ori- 

 q,m of our numerals being thus so well established, there is a manifest im- 

 propriety in continuing to designate them as the " Arabic figures," as is con- 

 stantly done in our scliool arithmetics. Let as give honor wiiere honor is 

 due. 



Note B. 



It is remarkable that this binary system, according to the opinion of many, 

 was used in China, four thousand j'ears ago, by Fohi, the founder of the 

 empire. A tablet of great but unknown antiquity, called the Cova of Fohi, 

 marked with a series of variously broken lines, and held in superstitious 

 reverence by the Chinese, as containing the mystery of a divine wisdom, has 

 been found to be comi:)leteIy deciphered by the notation of binary arithmetic. 

 When Leibnitz had extensively circulated his scheme or invention through 

 the various scientific journals, and by means of his own correspondence — it 

 appears to have found its way even to China, and to have attracted the 

 attention of a Jesuit missionary at Pekin, named Bouvet. This ecclesiastic, 

 engaged at the time in the study of the Chinese antiquities, discovered and 

 immediately communicated to Leibnitz, with much exultation and enthusi- 

 asm, the surprising fact that his system furnished a perfect kej' to the mys- 

 terious lines upon the ancient Cova — hitherto inscrutable, or interpreted only 

 by the speculations of the most extravagant mysticism. The lines of Fohi 

 are arranged in an octagonal form, so as to make the ends approach ; each 

 set of the eight series being disposed on a side of the octagon. 



These lines transferred from the Cova tablet, and placed in a straight line, 

 are here represented. The row of figures in front expresses the value of each 

 compound symbol, the other figures, which represent 

 the binary notation, manifestly exhibiting a perfect 

 correspondence with the symbols throughout. 



"These figures of eight cova," says Mr. Peacock, 

 (in the Encyclopedia Met roj)oUtana), "are held in 

 great veneration, being suspended in all their temples, 

 and though not understood, are supposed to conceal 

 great mysteries, and the true principles of all philoso- 

 phy, both human and divine." 



This inscription is exceedingly interesting as ex- 

 hibiting a true example of that philosophic notation, 

 the device of the cipher— and the determination of 

 value by place. The absence of any other traces of 

 such a notation in China, and its well-known anti- 

 quity in India, where it had been so fully elaborated, 

 would lead to the suspicion that it was to this latter 

 country that Fohi was indebted for this curious record 

 of ingenious thought. It apjiears that Bouvet was 

 fortunate enough to find, subsequently, a Great Cova, 

 in which these markings were carried to a period 

 eight times the extent of the Small Cova. In the Edinburgh Encyclopedia 



