Proceedings of Societies. 353 



of stones, and obelisks, or, as they are frequently called, standing stones? 

 as found in both regions. The connection between the inhabitants of 

 these regions was further shown by the physical conformation of the 

 races, by the similarity of many of their manners, customs, and observ- 

 ances, and by the decided and extensive affinity of the Celtic, and other 

 languages of western Europe, with the Sanscrit. The early connection 

 which thus appears to have existed was shown to indicate a line of in- 

 quiry, by following which much of the obscurity, resting over the earliest 

 monuments and history of western Europe, may be cleared away. In 

 particular, reasons were adduced for believing that the doctrines of 

 Buddhism, originating in Asia, at a period when some intercourse was 

 still maintained between the cognate, but widely separated races, were 

 carried westward by missionaries, who, finding the people unprovided 

 with a written language, had recourse to symbols, already used in the 

 East, to express their fundamental doctrines. The deity or spirit 

 (Buddha) was designated, as in India, by a wheel or circle ; inorganic 

 matter (Dharma) by another circle, or by a monogram, formed of the 

 initial letters of the elements ; and organic matter (Sanga) by some em- 

 bryotic form of animal or vegetable life, or by a circle or an imperfect 

 crescent. The symbol of three single circles is found in both regions : 

 This triad is found in India in the temple of Ellora, and other Buddhist 

 temples, and in Scotland on the Kineller stone. In the progress of ad- 

 vancement of the arts, these simple forms of symbols were changed for 

 temples, and idols were added by the rich and powerful Buddhists of 

 Asia. 



Among the ruder and more ignorant inhabitants of Scotland, the ar- 

 rangement of the symbols required to be altered, to suit the people for 

 whom they were intended : Spirit and Matter continued to be represented 

 by two circles, but connected by a belt, and crossed by a bar uniting the 

 extremities of two sceptres, to indicate the supreme power of these (ac- 

 cording to the Buddhist creed) co-ordinate and all originating principles ; 

 while organised matter was represented by a crescent, flower, a dog-like 

 embryo, or some other rude representation of life. 



The modifications of the serpent figure, and the Buddhist cross or 

 sacred labyrinth, as symbols of the spiritual deity ; and the occurrence of 

 lions, camels, centaurs, with the honour paid to trees, &c, on the ancient 

 sculptured obelisks of Scotland, were also adduced as proofs of an oriental 

 origin, or connection. 



Reasons were given for the number of these stones in that part of 

 Scotland forming the ancient Pictish kingdom ; of whieh the inhabitants, 

 after a temporary profession of Christianity seemed to have declined 

 from the faith. 



2. Note on the extent of our knowledge respecting the Moon's Surface. 

 By Professor C. Piazzi Smyth. 



Taking advantage of the special attention paid at present to certain 

 astronomical disquisitions, the author called attention to a particular point 

 connected with the moon, which was first stated by the author of " The 

 Plurality of Worlds," and then made by him to prove that the moon must 

 be uninhabited, and thence to lead to the conclusion that all the other 

 planets were uninhabited also. This point was, that " observations having 

 been made on the moon abundantly sufficient to detect the change caused 

 by the growth of such cities as Manchester and Birmingham, no such 

 changes having been perceived, the theory of non-habitation may be in- 

 dulged in." 



