3$ UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



Spirit that has vouchfafed to fpeak to mankind 

 in a language adapted to their capacities, in 

 pointing out the path that leads to eternal feli- 

 city ; where thjfe dark clouds which now fur- 

 round the human underftanding mall be difperf- 

 ed, and it will then perhaps diicover many of 

 thole pofitions to be errors which philofophers 

 and aftronomers now regard as axioms, or incon- 

 teflable truths. 



II. Since Copernicus has difcovered that the 

 earth moves in its orbit round the fun, it necef- 

 farily follows, that the meafure of time arifcs 

 from the motion of this our globe. But as 

 chronology is founded on apparent aftronomy, 

 or on that part of it which confiders the celeftial 

 bodies and their motions as they appear to our 

 fenfes, and forms its calculations in confe- 

 quence, all that we fhall here fay of its opera- 

 tions, will therefore relate to that part of atlro- 

 nomy which is regulated by appearances. 



III. The term chronology, when taken in its 

 full extent, has two objects that may feem to be 

 in a manner two different fciences, but which have 

 a natural connexion. The firft is the meafuring 

 of time and its different divifions , now this 

 part of chronology is regulated by aftronomical 

 calculation, and confequeritly makes a part of 

 mathematics. And it is by this method that 

 we are enabled to make complete calendars or 

 almanacs. The fccond part of chronolgy 



confifls 



