POPULAR BELIEFS, ETC. 383 



lower creatures, and a gradual perfection of the globe, the 

 world became what the Egyptian found it, and was des- 

 tined to flourish through an interval of time expressed by 

 their Annus Magnus, or great year — a cycle composed (as 

 with the Chaldeans) of the revolutions of the sun, moon, 

 and planets, and terminating when these return together to 

 the same sign whence they were supposed to have set out. 

 The duration of this great cycle, according to Orpheus, was 

 one hundred and twenty thousand years ; according to oth- 

 ers it was three hundred thousand; and by Cassander it 

 was taken at three hundred and sixty thousand years. At 

 the end of each great year or cycle the world was supposed 

 to be subjected to the destructive ordeal of fire or water, 

 by which it was renovated, to become the abode of a re- 

 generated race of men. 



The Hindoo cosmogony, which was perhaps the germ of 

 all that was taught by the Western nations, gives promi- 

 nence to the doctrine of secular catastrophes and renova- 

 tions. " The First Sole Cause," say the Institutes of Menu, 

 " thinks within himself, ' I will create worlds.' " Water is 

 then brought into being, over the surface of which moves 

 Brahma, the Creator. Brahma first effects the emergence 

 of the land from the waters, and the creation of the firma- 

 ment. He then vivifies the earth, in succession, with plants, 

 animals, celestial creatures, and man. The sun springs 

 from his eye, the air from his ear, the fire from his mouth. 

 From his mouth, his arm, his thigh, his foot, proceed the 

 founders of the chief Hindoo castes. Brahma, having ac- 

 complished his task, " changes the time of energy for the 

 hour of repose." He sleeps during 4320 millions of years 

 — a day of Brahma — at the end of which time the world is 

 destroyed by fire. The flames are at length quenched by 

 the fall of incessant rains for a hundred years, and the 

 waters, overspreading the earth, fill the middle region and 



