686 
could not atiain such a degree of pre- 
cision as distinguishes the moderii as- 
tronomy 3 consequently little or no 
advantage resulis from comparing 
their observations with ours, as a mean 
of determining the precession of the 
equinoxes, the length of the year, or 
the other elements of ihe celestial 
movements. These elements, which 
serve as the basis of all calculations, 
are verified by means of a comparison: 
of various modern observations effect- 
ed with much moré precision than for- 
merly. Yet, in making ihe necessary 
allowance for the imperfections of the 
ancient astronomers, the results of 
their Jabours may still be regarded 
as useful confirmations, which gua- 
yantee the excéllence of our present 
tables, and indicate what may be ex- 
‘ : ; < é 
pected in future. Nay more, the very 
approximation may serve to demon- 
strate the reality of the observations ° 
themselves, and verify the ancient 
epochs with which the chronologists 
connect them. In truth, the state of 
the system of the universe is not al- 
ways thesame; it changes siowly with 
time, in virtue of the reciprocal ac- 
tions of the bodies which compose it. 
The principle of universal gravity, 
after being submitied to a profound 
analysis, has made us acquainted with | 
the precise laws of these great changes, 
of which the existence is proved by a 
comparison of the ancient with the 
modern observations, and which will 
be still more evident to posterity than 
ourselves. The effects of these grand in. 
equalities, which were entirely uaknown 
to the ancient astronomers, ought neces- 
sarily to. manifest themselves in ihe 
observations aitributed to them, and 
roust serve to!prove their reality; for 
that analysis, which has developed the 
laws of these phenomena, is too recent 
to have been known to the chronolo- 
gists of former times, and consequently 
those could not be abie to alter and 
amend their remarks at pleasure. 
us iry if the results regisiered in the 
ancient Chinese books, and related by 
the missionaries, cam susiain such a 
trial. 
li is a tradition generally received 
in China, that from the most remote 
times, it was there customary to ob-_ 
serve regularly the eclipses, the posi- 
tions of ihe solstices, and the meri- 
dian altitudes of the sun; the last of 
these are measured by. means of a 
cognomon. The whole of the religious 
Let. 
Retrospect of French Literature---History. 
' system of that people, being con- 
nected with astronomical phenomena, 
renders this tradition very probable, 
and the jittle progress made by thein 
in theoretical astronomy, notwith- 
standing se ancient a practice, ought 
no more to astonish us, than their 
smal} attamments in chemistry and phy-— 
sics, although they have been so lone 
acquainted with the manufactures of 
porcelaine, the compass, printing, and 
gunpowder. This inertness, which ap- 
pears wonderful onthe part of an Eu- 
ropean, is connected with their man. 
ners, andthat superstitious scrupulo- — 
sity which they have always exhi- 
bited in regard to the preservation of 
their former usages. mpi 
Father Gaubil; in the manuscript 
published. by the Board of Longitude, 
mentions ail the observations of this 
kind which he was able to collect 
from the ancient books of the Chi. © 
nese ; but the conflagration of these 
that took place in China, 213 years 
befure the Christian era, must have 
necessarily annihilated a great number 
of their astronomical monuments. The 
greater part of the eclipses or ‘sol_ . 
stices, which are indicated as having 
been noted at very remote epochs,and 
which it would be particularly inter- 
esting to know with exactness, are 
reported in too vague a manner for us 
to be able to infer astronomical deter- 
minations from them. Such indica- 
iions can only serve to elucidate chro- 
nology by affixing epochs more or 
less remote to historical events. _ 
This want of exactitude is one of 
the chief arguments that have been 
recurred to, inorder to attack the au- 
thenticity of the ancient chronology 
of the Chinese. It has been sup- 
posed, that observations which denote 
so little precision have been invented 
by later writers who were desirous to 
exaggerate the antiquity of their na- 
tien. But this supposition is deprived . 
of much of its weight, if we consider 
that the whole system of government, 
customs, and belief of the Chinese 
chas always been in perfect harmony 
with these traditions. Luckily, how- 
ever, all ihe observations detailed by 
Pere Gaubil, are not subjected to the 
same degree of uncertainty, for some 
present such precise data, as to admit 
of a complete calculation. 
The most ancient of this kind, are 
those which are attributed to Tcheon 
Koung, brother of the Emperor Von- 
a Fang. 
