known in India. It is in the Shasta where we find an account of the fall of those angels: Hear how the Shasta expresses it! 66 66 "Since the creation of the Debtalog (that is to "say of the angels,) joy and harmony have ever " surrounded the throne of the Eternal. This happiness would have lasted until the end of "time; but envy entered into the hearts of "Moisaor and his angel followers. They scoffed "at that state of perfection, with which the Eter"nal had endowed them, through his infinite goodness: they exercised the power of imper"fection: they did evil in the eyes of the Eter"nal. The faithful angels were wrapt in sad"ness; grief for the first time stamped his image "on mankind." Afterwards the rebellion of the wicked angels is written. The three ministers of God, who are perhaps the original of the Trinity of Plato, precipitate the wicked angels into hell. At the end of time, God grants them pardon, and casts them in the mould of mortal man. There is nothing in antiquity so sublime and philosophical as this. These mysteries of the Brahmins at length entered Syria: it is evident they must have been well known, seeing that the Jews mention them since the time of Herod. The mind of man has degenerated in India. Probably the Tartar government has deadened the inhabitants, as the Turkish did the Greeks and Egyptians. The Sciences have almost perished even among the Persians, by the revolutions of the state. We have seen them established in China, in the same state of mediocrity, as among us in the middle ages, by the same cause which influenced us, that is to say through a superstitious respect for antiquity, the models being derived from the ancient school. Thus in every country the human mind meets with obstacles in its progress. Nevertheless, until the 13th century of our era, Philosophy did not entirely desert India. Pachimere in that century, translated some writings of a Brahmin, his contemporary. Behold! how this Indian Brahmin explains himself: the passage deserves attention. "I have seen all the sects accuse themselves "reciprocally of imposture; I have seen the "Persian Magi dispute with fury on the first, ❝and the last. I have inquired of all of them, and "I have never seen, in all these heads of factions "any thing else than an inflexible obstinacy, a 66 proud scorn for others, an overbearing disposi❝tion. I have then resolved to believe nothing. "Those men in searching for truth, are like a 66 66 woman who seeks to visit her lover by a con❝cealed door, but who cannot find the key. "Men in their vain researches, resemble those "who ascend a tree where there is a little honey; and scarcely have they ate of it, than the serpents who surround the tree devour them." Such was the manner of writing among the Indians. Their minds appeared still more to advantage in the games which they invented. The game which we call Chess, by corruption, was invented by them, and we possess no game which can be compared with it: it is allegorical like their fables; it is the picture of a battle; the names of Sheik, which means prince, and pean, soldier, are yet preserved in this part of the East. The figures which we use, and which the Arabians brought over to Europe in the time of Charlemagne, we owe to India. The ancient medals, which the curious Chinese so much esteem, prove that several arts were cultivated in India before they were known to the Chinese. They have from time immemorial divided the annual revolution of the sun, into 12 parts-and in times probably still more distant, the revolution of the moon into 28 parts. The year of the Brahmins and of the most ancient Indian sages commenced always when the sun entered the constellation : which they call Moscham, and by us Belial (le ram Belier.) Their weeks were always 7 days ; a division which the Greeks never knew. Their days bear the names of the seven planets. Sunday (Le jour de soleil) is called by them Mithradinan it remains to know if this word Mithra, which among the Persians, also signifies the sun, is originally a term used by the Persian Magi, or by the sages of India. It is difficult to say which of the two nations taught the other; but as for India and Egypt, I shall always believe India boasts the most ancient Science. The soil of India is more easily cultivated than the land in the borders of the Nile, whose overflowings checked the efforts of the first cultivators, before they had restrained the overflows by means of canals. The soil of India is besides of a more varied richness, and has tended to excite more curiosity and industry among mankind. Saturday, March 23, 1844. POLYPHILUS. No. 36. Voltaire on China. (Translated from the French.) "Our rooms are filled with pyramids of China, and adorned with the workmanship of Japan. Our morning's draught comes to us from the remotest corner of the earth. We repair our bodies by the drugs of America, and repose ourselves under Indian canopies. The vineyards of France are our gardens; the spice islands our hot beds; the Persiaus our silk weavers, and the Chinese our potters." Addison. "The forces of China, according to the statements of the most eminent travellers, consist in a militia of about 800,000 well disciplined soldiers. 570,000 horses are fed, either in the stables, or in the pasturage of the Emperor, ready for war, embassies, and for the state messengers. Several missionaries, who lately had an audience of the Emperor Kang-hi, on account of their love of science, relate that they have followed him in those gorgeous hunting expeditions towards Grand Tartary, when 100,000 horsemen, and 60,000 men on foot marched in order of battle: this is a custom which has been carried on from time immemorial among the Chinese. The Chi |