Monthly Magazine; Or, British Register of Literature, Sciences and the ...

as corresponding with the winter solstice,
December 21, whence Julius commenced
his reform, and the 1st of January, or his
new year's date.

But, as under this reform, the Egyptian
year corrected the Roman, so the Ro-
man year, thus corrected, was made by
Augustus the standard of the Egyptian;
for, as that confifted only of twelve
months, of thirty days each, with five
days in addition, its commencement re-
ceded one day on every quadrennium;
confequently, from the year of Nabonaf-
far, and that of the reform of Augustus,
by Julian reckoning, fixty-four days,
twelve hours (the year of Nabonaflar, which
was the Egyptian, beginning at noon, ac-
cording to the Canon of Ptolemy), will shew
that the ist of Thoth, five interceding
days being allowed between the Julian
correction, taken as beginning from 707
of Rome, and that of Auguftus, establish-
ed in 725, the biffsextile four days, twelve
hours (or, reckoned from midnight, five
days), had varied from the 21st of June,
or fummer solsticial noon, to the 29th of
Auguft, three in the morning, at which time
Augustus had fixed it: for fixty four days,
twelve hours, and four days, twelve hours,
making fixty-nine days, and exceeding the
fixty-feven days of Julius by two, Au-
guftus intercalated between the year 709
of Rome, when Julius's reform was com.
pleted, and his own, fixteen years after,
one day, every third year, instead of every
fourth, and fo, initead of four biffextile
days, fix were inserted. Between three in the
morning, when the dog star rofe, and
twelve at noon, when the fun was on the
meridian, were nine hours to complete the
canonical day; these are accordingly ex-
pressed by as many lines on the last fold of
the bandage winding round the forehead of

the Pan.

Having then found, by these difcriminations on the zodiac, the opening of the year, from the rife of Taurus, at the fetting of the dog-ftar, which is exemplified by the folar circle, in a crefcent on the bull's neck, it will be feen that the Thoth thence proceeding is reprefented as a bull in a boat (for the heavenly bodies, which were the Egyptian divinities, were held to perform their revolutions in this manner), and as it has been feen from the star deprived of two rays on the shoulder of the uppier Ifis, as well as from the two months difference between the year of Romulus and Numa's, that the fun's place had been altered two figns, the third boat or month proceeds from Gemini to Cancer, accord

ingly, the foremost figure in it reprefents 1 priest taking auguries from the rife of the star, whilft the other is evidently Aqu the apparent new moon of Cancer. B rius, or the overpowering of the Nile, Cancer withdrawing from the zodiac, the overflow falls in with Leo; and here, atcordingly, Harpocrates appears as on the day aniwering to biflextile, which is au intimated to belong to that year by the fix Nile. This being fupprefled in the Egyp leaves on the head of Aquarius, or the tian calendar, makes Cancer and Leor into each other, or confounds the last day of one with the other's first. The figure pe ceding Leo has the ftar of five rau, which, indicating five months, marks Les from under his feet, exhibits the Nilotic as the fifth fign, whilst the ferpent, ritg year thence beginning, as does the ferpent erected from the fourth fold, a quadren behind the Harpocrates, with his head nium. The rifing and fetting dog stars follow, as thus corresponding in relpetto fixed and moveable time. From the overflow of the Nile, in the fign Leo, we are brought on to the commencement of the year in Virgo. This is expreffed by the torch with two flames, followed by a priest taking auguries at the year's be ginning, which the bull's head, whole horns symbolize the apparent new moon, ently evince. This allo does the hawk, a and itar of five rays above them, fuffice revivifcence of nature, with a dog's head, and the two units above the same ftar. The two figures with stars, to intimate the five months between the rifing and fetting Dog, introduce Libra. The pedeftal beneath the scale, with the fun on it, and a fitting figure, as if watching the shade of an obelisk, under the index of the equi noctial balance, together with the fun be hind, and the other attendant figures, defict that fign, whilft the fourteen articula note the Thoth, or new year's day, as tions in the tail of the dog, will be found to agree with the fourteenth year of the folar cycle, concurrent with the first hu nar, when the fun entered Scorpio. The hieroglyphics next fucceeding characterize again the beginning of the year, for fuch are the hawk, crowned with the lotus; the wolf, facred to the fun; and the ceraftes, rifing from an oar. rifing and fetting star are intelligible as before. We now come to Sagittarius, an The figures of the hieroglyphic, compofed of a human body, with a bifrontal head of a man and a lion, the Nilotic plant, which indicates the overflow, proceeding from the veil under which

both

both are united. The arrow on the bow is the first beam of the year, whilst the cheft, forelegs, and body to the wing belong to Pegafus, as the horse of the morning. The hind parts of the wolf com plere the reference to the new moon of Thoth, commencing from the dawn. The two divifions on the wing serve to express the diftinction of the lunar and folar difference, which answers to the eleven feathers, whilft the twelve intercalations between the wing and tail of the wolf, on which a raven is seated, agree with the obtrufion of the lunar intercalation on the common form of the folar year. Over the Wolf's tail is a star of five rays, pointing at the distance between the moveable and fixed Thoth, whilft the priest, under the mask of a hawk, the symbol of a commencing year, immediately follows, and, with an arrow, or first beam of the rising star, stops the further progress of the bull, which, to express the moving Thoth, has an hind-leg joined to his head. This fymbol, indeed, with the two next that follow, is a certain key to the whole, inafmuch as they diftinctly mark the fixing of the firit of Thoth, the dog holding the bull's leg by a chain of nine links, ending with the star of five rays as before, whilft five of these stars, furrounding the Taurine symbol, decide their established import. The one between the horns intimates the original rife at the firft of April in the Roman lunar year, at the apparent new moon, that is, the moon on its second day, to which add the intercalary month, Mercedonius, and the difference is obtained of the fun's entrance on the fign, April 20, which accords with the Roman commencement of the year on the Palilia. Hence, Aries is again found on the 21st of March. In perfect congruity with this is the chain of nine links annexed to the star. For, as the fidereal revolutions in a year, from meridian to meridian, are 366 days, there will confequently be a day gained by fidereal reckoning: hence, as the fun enters Capricorn on the 22d of December, at noon, these nine days ascertain the difference between that time and the noon of the 1st of January, and thus account for the difference of ten days by the calendar of Julius, when he reformed the Roman year.

of bissextiles fix Egyptian months, or 180 days; but these carried back from the 29th of August, or fixed Thoth, go to the moveable Thoth, on the 26th of February. Thus, then, have we the two Thoths, before and behind Capricorn, and these 180 days, from the fun's entrance into Capricorn, with the four biflextiles between the reform of Julius and Auguftus, fall in with the fummer solstice on the 21st of June.

But, it will be remembered, that one of the dog-stars on the shoulder of Ifis was defective in two rays, and that Numa augmented by two months the Roman year: if, in retrocession from Capricorn, these two months be cut off, we are stopped at the 21st of August, and thence, eight days allowed for the fun's advance in the fign, we are brought again to the 29th. To this month Augustus gave his name, and Capricorn was his favourite symbol. Suetonius relates of him, that, on consulting in his youth Theogenes, the mathematician of Apollonia, when the circumstances of his birth were made known, Theogenes sprung up from furprife, and adored him. The reason of this conduct I shall elsewhere explain; but, ina addition to this, it will be proper to observe, that, on the celebrated gem of this Emperor's deification, the fign Capricorn is placed in a circle, with the dog-ftar behind, which, five only of its rays can be feen, the others fuppreffed, will accord with the difference between the 1st of January and April, reckoned one way, and, as Augustus was born on the 23d of September, adding the difference between lunar and folar tine (the Roman year being then lunar) to the ift of January in the other. The abfent three rays being thus accounted for, it will be obvious that the remaining five relate to the distance between the 23d of September and the 19th of February, to which the four bissextile days again included he tween the Julian and Augustan reform, came to the 23d, when the Roman lunar year was intercalated; and again, from the 19th day of February, the eight days in the fign reach that of the ift of Thoth, the year being biflextile, and the excess of fidereal days, from noon to noon, allowed:

It remains to be obferved, that, in adjufting the Roman mode of dating to the Egyptian, there is a nominal difference of three years, which will be found to be but nominal, upon comparing the canon of Pto

Having then found, in this zodiac, the key to the reforms of the Roman year, we have also the clue to that of the Egyptian, introduced by Augustus, in the year of Rome 725, correfponding to the year of lemy. Hence, what, in Roman reckoning Nabonaffer 720, and making the difference after the reform of the calendar, appears

to be the 722d year of the city, con-
trafted with Egyptian time, will fall into
the 725th; now, as Auguttus was in his
thirty-first year, when he fixed the ist of
Thoth, in the 725th year of Rome, and

made this his first year in Egypt, the two years from Antony's preceding, were confidered as fuppreffed. This the annexed table will shew:

Era of Auguf-
First of Thoth fixed to the 29th of
us at Alexan-Dates of the August, and, in billextile years, to the

Year of Rome
from the 21ft ria, from the Roman Empire 30th.
of April.

722

fixed new moon from Coins.
of Thoth.

Thus, then, as Augustus is stated to have been born in the year of Rome 691, when the Roman year is referred to Egyptian reckoning, it will appear, that, in Roman competition, his thirty-first year fell in this year of reform. In perfect confiftence with this, and all that has been adduced, is an infcription on the fouthern portal of the very temple in which this zodiac exifts, and which, though hitherto unapplied, is given by DENON. It is rendered by Mr. Aikin thus :

"On account of the Emperor Cæfar, God, the fon of Jupiter, the Deliverer, when Publius Octavius being Governor, Marcus Claudius Poftumus Commander in Chief, and Tryphon, General, the deputies of the metropolis confecrated, in virtue of the law, the Propylæum to Isis, the greatest of the Goddeffes, and to the affociated Gods of the temple, in the 31st year of Cæfar." Here the infcription breaks off, but, in the Greek, the two words ΘΩΥΘ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΗΙ follow. For these the French tranflator unaccountably substitutes -Le College des Pretres à l'Imperatrice, whereas it fimply fignifies on the facred

Thoth.

It will fuffice to add, that the nineteen

The afterisks mark the bissextile.

The date commencing from Antony and new Rome.

Battle of Actium on the 5th of Thoth. Alexandria taken in the month Mefori.

The death of Cleopatra, and begin. ning of the Cæfars, afterward styled of Augustus, in Egypt.

The years of Augustus began to be tricken at Alexandria on coins.

The beginning of the era of the Au gusti at Rome, from the kal. of January A. U. 727.

boats under the zodiac exhibit the nineteen years of the Metonic cycle-And to alk: - Where now are the 15,000 years before Christ, of the learned FOURRIER? Howland ftreet, SAMUEL HENLEY, Fitzroy Square.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

was lately examining a library of very valuable books, and admiring the great number of catalogues, contained in it, both of printed books and manuscripts. A perfon, also, standing near me, noticed the catalogues, but confidered them merely as so much wafte-paper, or, at beft, as extravagant ornaments, for they were in magnificent bindings, to adorn a shelf. The authors, too, he reprefented as mere fcholaftic grubs, or accurate and minute ABC darians. My feelings, I acknowledge, were widely different. A catalogue of interesting and uncommon books, though it scarcely afpires to a rank in literature, is a most useful guide to inquiry: it is not light, but it opens the door to light: and a man engaged in making an extenfive and faithful catalogue, though

though he may challenge no extraordinary fore, where these might be procured, must reputation as a genius,-for it is, allowed- have been a knowledge of great account.

ly, a monotonous undertaking, -is entitled to the permanent praife of industry, and to the liberal gratitude of all friends to literature. He renders a most meritorious fervice, though he makes very humble pretenfions: and if he is forbidden to ex. claim, Exegi monumentum, he may be permitted to use the modest but honourable language of Fungar vice cotis.

You will please to take notice, that I am speaking of catalogues simply confidered, which contain, without any additional remarks, merely the tities of books. The worth of those catalogues, that not only give the titles of books, but profess to afcertain their worth and fix their cha racter, will be obvious to every reader, Such works as Fabricii Bibliotheca Græca et Latina, De Bure's Bibliotheque Inftructive, and Dr. Harwood's View of the Greek and Roman Claffics, are to be rank ed among books of a fuperior class, and carry their own recommendation.

The above hints will apply in part to private libraries, though more generally and forcibly to public. Private libraries, indeed, cannot be supposed to be so easily acceffible, and are of a more fleeting nature. But if they are brought to the hammer, a scarce book, by means of a cata logue, may often be fuccessfully traced. Public libraries are more the property of the community, than of individuals. They are permanent: they should be easy of access, and cannot be too generally known. That the publication of the catalogues of public libraries has rendered great fervice to men of letters, will appear from the following remarks.

It will be, also, recollected, that when
books were first published, they were in-
troduced to the world under peculiar dif-
advantages. The manuscripts had been
frequently copied, and the tranfcribers,
being very often inaccurate or ill-inform-
ed men, were liable to make numerous mif-
takes; these mistakes were copied by fue-
ceeding scribes, and hence followed one
feries of blunders after another. For
though the first editions of the classics, the
EDITIONES PRINCIPES, as they are call-
ed, are understood, for the most part, to be
more correct than many others, as having
been published by the most industrious and
competent critics; yet where so many
fources of error exiit, it is impoffible that
men should not be led frequently aftray:
more particularly when, in their very at-
tempt to correct ancient errors, fubfequent
editors opened a door to new ones, I mean,
by railing conjectures of their own.
know, therefore, under such circumftances,
where may be found the most correct or
scarce editions, and manufcripts of the best
authority, becomes a confideration of the
highest moment.

From these reasons, as well as others, I infer the importance of faithrul catalogues of public libraries, when published at large and generally read.

The catalogues of Dr. Askew's mot complete collection of Greek and Roman Claffics, or of Dr. Farmer's very mifcellaneous but curious library, are till ferviceable, though the books are now dif perfed. And the catalogues of the Bodleian and Harleian libraries, and many others, have been, and continue to he, of incalculable service to the learned and curious inquirer.

These remarks are made as introductory to a propotal, which I submit with all de

People fond of reading, though only for their own amusement or instruction, are frequently retarded in their pursuits, for want of documents that are locked up in public libraries. They are unable to pur-ference to the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

chase many books; or may be unambitious to be thought collectors. All they want, perhaps, is to make occafional references or fome partial extracts. To confult, to them would be the fame as to possess: but before they can confult, they muft know where to inquire.

I am not ignorant, though I have not much perufed catalogues, that a great deal has been done, in the way of cataloguemaking and that many private libraries are poffeffed of catalogues of books, printed as well as manuscript, that are conThe value of catalogues is more mani- tained in most of the public libraries in feft, when we confider men in the employ- Europe and Afia; by turning to Dr. ment of writing for the public, or engaged Afkew's Catalogue, I alfo find, that there in publishing ufeful books, more particu. is a "Catalogus, Oxon. 1697, Librorum larly the Greek and Roman Claffics. manufcriptorum Angliæ et Hiberniæ,

Before the invention of Printing, the cum indice alphabetico." To what extent,

Greek and Latin authors were to be perused only in manufcripts; and manufcripts were very scarce. To have known there

indeed, the catalogue extends, and whether it comprehends the manufcripts in the private colleges of Oxford and Cambridge, I

am :

am entirely ignorant, having never perused it. But even admitting that it does, still it must be now necessarily defective; many very valuable additions having been made to the college libraries since that catalogue was published.

Though an abundant harvest, therefore, may have been already brought in from these productive foils, there must still remain fomething behind, and the gleanings, perhaps, may make no unacceptable communications to the Monthly Magazine. Should the Editor be of the fame opinion, I fubmit to his judgment, whether he will admit a few articles under the title of CANTABRIGIANA. Poor as those articles may be, they will, perhaps, open the way to fome richer and more useful undertaking. Such, in my judgment, would be a catalogue of the most scarce and curious printed books, and of all the MSS, in the private libraries of the two universities.

As to myself, I would just premise, that I do not propose to be always stringing together so many titles of books in the shape of catalogues: these would, probably, be less suited to the genius of a periodicalpub. lication. I mean to fend occafional scraps, on various fubjects; hints, not always polished into shape, and remarks, not always

to that work.

The marine chart mentioned, p. 263, in which the Antilles are marked, has been already published in Sastres's "Mercurio Italico," and, I think, in some scarce volume of travels, in the Italian language, the title of which I cannot recollect.

In anfwer to the fourth question of D. D. p. 206, there is a curious and very useful work, entitled " Armorial des principales Maisons et Familles du Royaume, par M. Dubuisson, Paris, 1757, 12m0.2 tomes." It contains engravings of near 4000 coats of arms.

Ολ. 14.

For the Monthly Magazine.

Statement of the PUBLIC DEBT of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA with the Intern Charges thereon, including Reimbursement on the fix per cent. and deferred Stock, and exclay Sums paffed to the Credit of the Sinking Fund.