Mr. Marsden on the Chronology, &c. 561 
affairs, by them unprofitably applied to the dreams of their 
mythology. The unremitted labour of ages has been devoted 
to perfefting the calculation of the lunar motions, in which 
their corredlnefs is furpaffed only by the European improve- 
ments of very modern times ; but, by a ftrange perverfion, the 
accuracy thence acquired in their prediction of eclipfes, appears 
to have no other objeft than that of adminiftering to an idle 
fuperftition, which it ought to deftroy. 
Although the fabulous exceedingly prevails in ail the ancient, 
documents hitherto introduced to our knowledge, and in none 
more confpicuoufiy than thofe which contain the genealogies and 
reigns of their early kings (a) *, yet we are not haftily to con- 
clude, that this people are deftitute of records of true hiftory. 
The portion of their literary ftores which we have had oppor- 
tunity to examine is comparatively fmall. Perfeverance may 
difcover annals, more or lefs ancient, whole prefect obfcurity is 
perhaps occalioned by that very circumftance which conftstutes 
their real value ■ — the want of the rnir nations . Come autnentic 
monuments have already b^en elucidated by the learned fkill 01 
a o-entleman, now a Member of the Royal Society, facts 
will accumulate by degrees, and acquire authority by mutually 
bearing on each, other 3 and the Hindoos, hke many Oth^.r 
nations of the world, may hereafter be indebted to ftrange rs, 
more enlightened by philosophy than themfelves, foi a laiiohai 
hiftory of their own country. 
In different parts of India, and even in one and the fame 
part, we obferve various chronological eras referred to, as well 
in their aftronomical treatifes, as in their political and pnva.e 
writings. Thefe being productive of confufton, if not cieai ; y 
underftood and difcriminated, I fhall endeavour to exhibit fuch 
a comparative ftatement of their refpedtive commencements 
* See the Notes at the end of the Paper. 
Vol. LXXX. 4 D 
and 
