﻿VII. 



ON THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE HLXDUS. 



WRITTEN IN JANUARY 1788* 



BY THE PRESIDENT. 



THE great antiquity of the Hindus is believed so 

 firmly by themselves, and has been the subject of 

 so much conversation among Europeans, that a short 

 view of their Chronological System, which has not yet 

 been exhibited from certain authorities, may be accept- 

 able to those who seek truth without partiality to re- 

 ceived opinions, and without regarding any consequen- 

 ces that may result from their inquiries. The conse- 

 quences, indeed, of truth cannot but be desireable, 

 and no reasonable man will apprehend any danger 

 to society from a general diffusion of its light ; but 

 we must not suffer ourselves to be dazzled by a false 

 glare, nor mistake enigmas and allegories for histori- 

 cal verity. Attached to no system, and as much 

 disposed to reject the Mosaic history, if it be proved 

 erroneous, as to believe it, -if it be confirmed by 

 sound reasoning from indubitable evidence, I pro- 

 pose to lay before you a concise account of Indian 

 Chronology, extracted from Sanscrit books, or col- 

 lected from conversations with Pandits, and to sub- 

 join a few remarks on their system, without attempt- 

 ing to decide a question, which I shall venture to 

 start, " Whether it is not in fact the same with our 

 " own, but embellished and obscured by the fancy 

 " of their poets and the riddles of their astro- 

 nomers .-" 



