OF THE HINDUS, 29 1 



they did not know where to flop ; but the whole 

 was conducted in a, moil clumfy manner, and their 

 new chronology abounds with the molt grofs absur- 

 dities ; of this, they therrifelves are conScious, for, 

 though willing to give me general ideas of their chro- 

 nologv, they absolutely forfook me, when they per- 

 ceived my drift in a Stricter invelligation of the Sub- 

 jeft. 



The lofs of Megafthenes 1 works is much to be b - 

 merited. From the few Scattered fragments, preferved 

 by the ancients, we learn that the hiftory of the 

 Hindus did not go back above 5042 years. The MSS. 

 differ ; in tome we read 6042 years ; in others 5042 

 and three months, to the invafion of India by 

 Alexander. Megafthenes certainly made very parti- 

 cular enquiries, lince he noticed even the months. 

 "Which is the true reading, I cannot pretend to de- 

 termine ; however, I incline, to believe, it is 5042, 

 becauSe it agrees belt with the number of years af- 

 i:gned by Albiimazar , as cited by Mr. Bailly, from the 

 creation to the flood. This famous aftronorrier, whom 

 I mentioned before, had derived his ideas about the 

 time of the creation and of the flood, from the learned 

 Hindus he had consulted ; and he affigns 22 2(3 

 years, between what the Hindus call the lalt renovation 

 of the world, and the ilood. This account from Me- 

 gafthenes and sllbumazar, agrees remarkably well with 

 the computation of the Sepluagint. I have adopted 

 that of the Samaritan Vent at each, as more conformable 

 to fuch particulars as I have found in the purdnas ; 

 I muft confefs, however, that ibme particular circum- 

 stances, if admitted, feem to agree bell with the 

 computation of the Septuagint : betides, it is very pro- 

 bable, that the Hindus, *.s well as ourfelves, had 

 various computations of the times we are Speaking of. 



Megafthenes informs us alfo, that the Hindus had a 

 lilt oS kings, from fyonyfeus to Sandrocuptos, to the 

 number of 153* Perhaps, this is not to be uni 



ilood 



