ITS EARLIEST STAGES. 165 



tion and deviation in this course, was regarded 

 with surprize and terror. This appears to be the 

 case with all nations at an early stage of their 

 civilization. 



This impression would cause Eclipses to be 

 noted and remembered ; and accordingly we find 

 that the records of Eclipses are the earliest astro- 

 nomical information which we possess. When men 

 had discovered some of the laws of succession of 

 other astronomical phenomena, for instance, of the 

 usual appearances of the moon and sun, it might 

 then occur to them that these unusual appearances 

 also might probably be governed by some rule. 



The search after this rule was successful at an 

 early period. The Chaldeans were able to predict 

 Eclipses of the Moon. This they did, probably, by 

 means of their cycle of 223 months, or about 18 

 years ; for at the end of this time, the eclipses of 

 the moon begin to return, at the same intervals 

 and in the same order as at the beginning 53 . Pro- 

 bably this was the first instance of the prediction 

 of peculiar astronomical phenomena. The Chinese 

 have, indeed, a legend, in which it is related that 

 a solar eclipse happened in the reign of Tchong- 

 kang, above 2000 years before Christ, and that the 

 emperor was so much irritated against two great 

 officers of state, who had neglected to predict this 

 eclipse, that he put them to death. But this can- 



' 3 The eclipses of the sun are more difficult to calculate ; since 

 they depend upon the place of the spectator on the earth. 



