52 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



XXV. The epafis are the fupernumerary days 

 and hours that the Julian and Gregorian months 

 have more than the lunar months. Thefe latter 

 months being of 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, 

 3 icconds, it follows that a common month of 

 31 days muft have i day, n hours, 15 minutes, 

 57 feconds, and a month of 30 days will have n 

 hours, 15 minutes, 57 feconds, more than a lunar 

 month. The annual tpacls form in like manner 

 the difference between a iblar or civil year, and 

 a lunar aftronomic year. 



XXVI. The cycle of ' indittion, or Roman cycle, 

 is a revolution of 15 years. This method of 

 computing was made ufe of by the ancient Ro- 

 mans, and it is ftill ufed in bulls and apoftolic 

 refcripts, as well as in inftruments drawn up by 

 German notaries. It is not certain by whom, or 

 for what purpofe, this cycle was firft invented ; 

 but, by comparing it with the number of years 

 from the birth of Chrift, its firft year falls three 

 years before our Saviour's birth ; though it does 

 not clearly appear that the indicYion was then in 

 ufe. 



XXVII. The Julian period is a fpace of time 

 that includes 7980 years. Scaliger, who in- 

 vente'd this period, compofed it of the folar cycle 

 of 28 years, the lunar cycle of 19 years, and the 

 indication of 1 5 years. For thefc three numbers, 

 multiplied into each other, produce 7980. If 

 we fuppofe, therefore, that the v/orld has not yet 



exifted 



