322 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1772. 



more equally complete, which was on the ceiling of a temple, in the middle of a 

 tank before the pagoda of Teppecolum, near Mindurah, of which tank and 

 temple Mr. Ward, painter, in Broad-street, near Carnaby-market, has a 

 drawing; but Mr. Call often met with the several parts in detached pieces. 



From the correspondence of the signs of the zodiac which we at present use, 

 and which we had, he believes, from the Arabians or Egyptians, he is apt to 

 think that they originally came from India, and were in use among the Bramins, 

 when Zoroaster and Pythagoras travelled thither, and consequently adopted and 

 tised by those travellers: and as these philosophers are still spoken of in India, 

 tinder the names of Zerdhurst and Pyttagore, he hazards another idea, that the 

 worship of the cow, which still prevails in India, was transplanted from thence 

 to Egypt. But this is only conjecture; and it may with almost equal probability 

 be said, that Zoroaster or Pythagoras carried that worship to India. However, 

 he thinks there is an argument still in favour of India for its antiquity, in point 

 of civilization and cultivation of the arts and sciences; for it is hardly doubted 

 that all these improvements came from the east to the west; and, if we may be 

 allowed to draw any conclusions from the immense buildings now existing, and 

 from the little of the inscriptions, which can be interpreted on several of the 

 choultrys and pagodas, he thinks it may safely be pronounced, that no part of 

 the world has more marks of antiquity for arts, sciences, and civilization, than 

 the peninsula of India, from the Ganges to Cape Comorin; nor is there in the 

 world a finer climate, or face of the country, nor a spot better inhabited, or 

 filled with towns, temples, and villages, than this space is throughout, if China 

 and parts of Europe are excepted. 



Mr. Call thinks the carvings on some of the pagodas and choultrys, as well 

 as the grandeur of the work, exceeds any thing executed now, not only for the 

 delicacy of the chissel, but the expence of construction, considering, in many 

 instances, to what distances the component parts were carried, and to what 

 heights raised. Mr. Call also commits to Mr. M.'s inspection the * manuscripts 

 of Mr. Robins, which he gave at his death ; Mr. C. believes most of them have 

 been printed, but if there are any which have not, or that can amuse or instruct 

 others, you are welcome to use them as you please: I only wish they may contain 

 any thing useful. While he lived, says Mr. C.I pursued those studies; but soon after 

 his death new scenes arose, and engaged me more in practical service, than allowed 

 me time for theory, or experiments. 



The sketch, fig. 2, pi. 7, was from the ceiling of a choultry at Verdapettah, 



* These I communicated to the R. s., together with this letter; but being examined by myself, 

 Mr. Raper, Mr. Cavendish, and Mr. Horsley, at the desire of the society, theyj were not found to con- 

 tain any thing material, more than has been already printed ; excepting a treatise on military discipline : 

 ■which, if it should be thought of use, may be inserted in the next edition of his works. N. M. — Orig. 



