Chronology of the Hindoos. 569 
epoch, and calculated retrofpedtively. That it was widely 
mifcalculated too, is fufficiently evident from the computation 
which M. Bailly himfelf has given of the longitudes of the 
planets at that time, when there was a difference of no lefs 
than 73 0 between the places of Mercury and Venus. But fif- 
teen days after, when the fun and moon were in oppofition, 
and the planets far enough from the fun to be vifible, he com- 
putes that all, excepting Venus, were comprehended within a 
Ipace of 1 7 ; and on this he grounds his fuppofition of an 
adtual obfervation. 
Calculating from the rules laid down by the Brahmans (as 
given by M. le Gentil), it appears, that 4891 mean years 
of this era expired on Monday, 12th April, 1790, at 4! h. 
and that the true place of the fun came to the fir If of Aries, 
and confequently that the 4893d year (or 4891 complete, as 
the Hindoos exprefs it) adtually began on the 10 th, at 1 h., or 
on Sunday, nth April, in their civil way of reckoning (m). 
Thus we fee that, during this long period of time, the 
Hindoo account has loft upon the Julian 42 days, al- 
lowing for the change that took place in our ftyle. The 
year of the former exceeding the latter by n / falls con- 
tinually later and later on our old ftyle year, at the rate of a 
day in about 115 years ; and from this the commencement of 
any future year may be readily computed. The annual irre- 
gularity obfervable, which is independent of this almoft im- 
perceptible change, arifes only from our mode of intercalating 
a day at the end of every fourth year, to compenfate the frac- 
tions that have accumulated during that time. The Hindoo 
aftronomical year, admitting of no intercalation, cannot pre- 
ferve an annual correfpondence, but began at nearly the fame 
time, with reipedt to our year, in 1786 as in 1700; in 177c 
Vol. LXXX. ‘ 4 E ' and 
