204 ^^' THE RELIGION ANO 



doubt indeed, but that the Brahmens originally in- 

 fmuated themfelves into the courts of the Hindu 

 princes as aflrologers, in the fame manner as we fee 

 them now doing in the courts of the Indian princes 

 beyond the Ganges. By degrees they alfo introduced 

 their fuperftition, building it in part on the doctrine 

 previoufly exifting in the country, and at length firmly 

 eftablifhing their favourite and deftruftive fyftem of caft. 

 .In the larger plan, between the four raung and the 

 twenty-feven conftellations of the zodiac, we have a 

 divifion into twelve, which, I fliould imagine, is 

 meant to reprefent the fun's motion through the zo- 

 diac, during the twelve lunations of whichj the Bur^ 

 ma year confifts. At any rate, as has been men- 

 tioned before, the Burmas are acquainted with a folar 

 zodiac divided into twelve figns, and reprefented by 

 figures the fame or ai^sJogous to ours. My friend 

 Saxgermano gave Captain Symes a filver bafon on 

 which they wereembolfcd. He conceived, and I think 

 jufily, that this zodiac had been communicated to the 

 Burmas from Chaldea by the intervention of the 

 Brahmens. And I find that in this conje6lure he is 

 fupported by Sir W. Jo:>'es*. Both however, I am 

 afraid, will excite the indignation of the Brahmens^ 

 who, as the learned judge in another place alledges, 

 have always been too proud to borrow fcience frorr^ 

 any nation ignorant of the Vedas. Of their being fa 

 proud as not to acknowledge their obligations, I 

 make no doubt : but that they have borrowed from the 

 Chaldeans^ who were ignorant of the Vedas, Sir W. 

 Jones himfelf has proved. Why then fhould he 

 have oppofed the farcaftic fmiles of perplexed pandits 

 to the rcafoning of M. MoNTucLot, when that 

 learned man aUedged that the Brahmens have derived 

 aftronomical knowledge from the Greeks and Arabs? 

 The Chaldeans were certainly a branch of the 4rab 

 nation: and the exprelfion of the Brahmens quoted 



by 



* AjlatUk Refearches, II. 306. f AJiatick Refcaiches, II. 303, 289. 



