XIII. Remarks on the Astronomy of the Brahmins. 

 By John P layfair, A.M. F. R. S. Edin. and 

 Profejfor of Mathematics in the Univerfity of Edinburgh* 



[Read by the Author \ March 2. 1789.] 



1. O I N C E the time when Aftronomy emerged from the 

 k3 obfcurity of ancient fable, nothing is better known 

 than its progrefs through the different nations of the earth. 

 With the era of Nabonassar, regular obfervations began 

 to be made in Chaldea ; the earlieft which have merited the 

 attention of fucceeding ages. The curiofity of the Greeks 

 was, foon after, directed to the fame object ; and that ingeni- 

 ous people was the firft that endeavoured to explain, or connect 

 by theory, the various phenomena of the heavens. This 

 work was fuppofed to be fo fully accomplifhed in the Syntaxis 

 of Ptolemy, that his fyftem, without oppofition or improve- 

 ment, continued, for more than five hundred years, to direct the 

 Aftronomers of Egypt, Italy and Greece. After the fciences 

 were banifhed from Alexandria, his writings made their way 

 into the eaft, where, under the Caliphs of Bagdat, Aftrono- 

 my was cultivated with diligence and fuccefs. The Perfian 

 Princes followed the example of thofe of Bagdat, borrowing 

 befides, from Trebifond, whatever mathematical knowledge was- 

 flill preferved among the ruins of the Grecian empire. The con- 

 quefts of Gengis, and afterwards of Timour, though they re- 

 tarded, did not ftop the progrefs of Aftronomy in the eaft. The 

 grandfons of thefe two conquerors were equally renowned for 



