345 



are sufficient to render it extremely probable, 

 that the people of the two continents drew their 

 astrological ideas from a common source. Those 

 features of resemblance, on which we insist, are 

 not taken from uncouth or allegorical paintings, 

 susceptible of being interpreted agreeably to the 

 nature of the hypothesis which we seek to esta- 

 blish. If we consult the works composed, at the 

 beginning of the conquest, by Spanish or Indian 

 authors, who were ignorant even of the existence 

 of a Tartar zodiac, we shall see, that at Mexico, 

 from the seventh century of our era, the days 

 w r ere called tiger, dog, ape, hare, or rabbit ; as 

 throughout the whole of eastern Asia the years 

 still bear the same names in the Thibetan, 

 Mantchou-tartar, Mongul, Calmuck, Chinese, 

 Japanese, Corean, and all the languages of Ton- 

 quin and Cochin China *. 



It may be conceived, that nations, which have 

 never had any intercourse with each other, may 

 make equal divisions of the ecliptic into 27 or 28 

 parts, and give each lunar day the name of the 

 stars near which the Moon is placed in its pro- 

 gressive motion from west to east. It appears 

 very natural also, that nations either of shepherds 

 or hunters should denote these constellations, 

 and these lunar days, by the names of the animals 

 which are the constant objects of their affections 



* Souciet, Tom. 2, p. 138. 



