TOL. XI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 373 



to circumstances : though the most usual I took notice of was that of a net, that 

 seemed to cover the surface of the compounded regulus. 



Account of Two Boohs. N** 132, p. 808. 



I. Palaeologia Chronica: a Chronological Account of Ancient Time, in three 

 parts: Didactical, Apodictical, Chronical. By Robert Cary, LL.D. Devon, 

 London, l677jinfol. 



The design of this elaborate work seems to be, to determine the just interval 

 of time between the great epocha of the creation of the world, and that other of 

 the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus Vespasian, in order to the assignment 

 of such particular time, wherein persons and actions of old had their existence. 

 For the performance of which, the learned author divides this his book into 

 three main parts. 



In the first he treats not only of his measure in general, which is the year, and 

 its parts ; but also of the Julian year in particular, by him esteemed the fittest for 

 his use. Having showed the use of this period, he adds the method of reducing 

 the years of other reckonings to the Julian year, and to that of the Julian period: 

 as that of the Egyptian or Nabonassaraean ; that of the city of Rome; the 

 Grecian and Jewish year, &c. 



In the second part, are laid down the two bases of Chronography, viz. astro- 

 nomical observations, and historical tradition: of which the former may be con- 

 sidered as certain and demonstrative; the latter must be distinguished according 

 to the historians, as they are with us more or less creditable, or more or less 

 consonant with others of good credit. Here occurs first, a thesaurus of astrono- 

 mical phaenomena, or a table of eclipses and other celestial appearances, with 

 the time in which they were observed, according to the writings of historians and 

 mathematicians. Next, creditable memorials of the succession of princes and 

 rulers, serving to direct these inquiries, as is that considerable astronomical 

 canon deduced from Nabonassar to Antoninus Pius, under whom Claud. Ptolo- 

 maeus, the famous Egyptian mathematician flourished. 



Having thus in many places of the world searched out the originals of govern- 

 ment, by following the line of their successions ordine retrograde ; he passes in 

 the last place to survey the reckonings of the Holy Land, the Jews and Hebrews 

 of old time, according to those ancient records, the holy scriptures ; that so if 

 he can obtain this end of his labours, which is, to see a good agreement between 

 these several lines, viz. of the Gentile draught, and of the Jewish protraction, 

 men may sit down well content therewith, as having mastered a matter of no 

 small importance. 



