341 
that this analogy is particularly manifest in the 
division of tiine^ 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 Chiapaiiese, 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- 
choiis, 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 rahhlt^ 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 liiero- 
glypbical 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 
