81 



trumpet was evidently an indication that a barren 1 period 

 was about to commence. For an account of the great year, 

 see the note to page 478 of the treatise on Meteors. 



The following extracts from a work entitled " Sketches 

 chiefly relating to the History, Religion, &c. of the Hin- 

 doos, concerning the Mundane Periods/' appear to me to be 

 highly interesting, and to form a most important addition 

 to what has been before said about the revolutions which 

 take place in the universe. 



" They reckon the duration of the world by four Yougs, 

 corresponding in their nature with the Golden, Silver, 

 Brazen, and Iron ages of the ancients. 



The first, or the Sutty Youg, is said to have Years. 



lasted 3,200,000 



The Tirtah Youg, or second age 2,400,000 



The Dwapaar Youg, or third age 1,600,000 



And they say the Kaly Youg, or present 



age, will last 400,000." 



p. 222. 



" The beginning of the Kaly Youg, or present age, is 

 reckoned from 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 30 seconds of the 

 morning of the 16th of February 3102 years before the 

 Christian aera ; but the time for which their astronomical 

 tables are constructed, is 2 days, 3 hours, 32 minutes, and 

 30 seconds after that on the 18th of February, about six 

 in the morning. They say there was then a conjunction 

 of the planets, and their tables show that conjunction. 

 Monsieur Bailly observes *, that by calculation it appears, 



* Traite de T Astronomic Indienne et Orientale, par Mcasieur 

 Bailly, published in 1787. 



G 



