334 



of the signs: then the six nacshatras denoted by 

 the names of two faces, three prints of the feet of 

 Vishnou, the tail of the lion, the wreath of leaves , 

 the arrow, and the head of the antelope, would 

 have represented our signs, the Twins, the Crab, 

 the Lion, the Virgin, the Sagittary, and Capri- 

 corn. But on any of these suppositions, the 

 Balance, the Lion, and the Ram, are not placed 

 at the reciprocal distances which are fitted for 

 them. According to the learned researches of 

 the members of the society at Calcutta, the nac- 

 shatras aswini, horse ; pushya, arrow ; and mula, 

 tail of the lion ; answer to a. of the Ram, 3 of the 

 Crab, and y of the Scorpion, of the Greek 

 zodiac, or to the dog, the sheep, and hare of the 

 zodiac of Tartary and Thibet. 



It may seem extraordinary, at first sight, that 

 these nations, in forming from the twenty-seven 

 or twenty-eight signs of the lunar calendar the 

 twelve signs of the solar zodiac, should have pre- 

 served the names of a great number of constella- 

 tions, without any regard to their absolute posi- 

 tion, and to the order in which they follow each 

 other; but we must not conclude thence, that the 

 striking analogy between twelve nacshatras and 

 an equal number of signs of the Thibetan and 

 Greek zodiac is merely accidental. As the de- 

 nominations of the lunar mansions have gradually 

 descended even to the days, we may conceive, 

 that they were become familiar to the people, 



