321 



that this analogy is particularly manifest in the 

 division of time, in the use of periodical series, 

 and in the ingenious, though complex and em- 

 barrassing method, of denoting a day or a year, 

 not by ciphers, but by astrological signs. The 

 Toltecks, the Aztecks, the Chiapanese, and 

 other nations of American race, reckoned by 

 cycles of fifty-two years, divided into four 

 periods of thirteen years ; the Chinese, the Japa- 

 nese, the Calmucks, the Moghols, the Mant- 

 chous, and other Tartar hordes, have cycles of 

 sixty years, divided into five small periods of 

 twelve years. The nations of Asia, like those 

 of America, have particular names for the years 

 contained in a cycle ; it is still said at Lassa, 

 and at Nangasacki, as formerly in Mexico, that 

 such or such an event took place in the year of 

 the rabbit, the tiger, or the dog. None of these 

 nations has as many names as there are years in 

 the cycle ; all consequently must have recourse 

 to the contrivance of the correspondence of pe- 

 riodical series. Among the Mexicans, these 

 series are of thirteen numbers and four hiero- 

 glyphical signs ; among the nations of Asia, 

 whom we have just named, the series do not 

 contain numbers, they are formed only of signs 

 corresponding to the twelve constellations of the 

 zodiac, and the names of the elements, which 

 afford ten terms, because each element is con- 



VOL. XIII. v 



