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THE QUESTION OF THE BRAMIJQT BACK-IIIECKONING.--CH. V. SECT. IV. 157
If my reader think it worth the trouble, he may look to the Edinburgh Review, Vol.
XV. p. 18.5, where he will find it satisfactorily proved on the authority of it passage of
Arrian, that theiworship of Krishna was practised in the time of Alexander. the Great,
at what still remains one of the most famous temples of India,’ the Temple of Mathura
on the J umna, the Matura Deorum” of Ptolemy. So much-for this astronomical demon-
stration. , .
It is discovered, according to this gentleman who writes in the Asiatic Researches, from
a certain relative location of the planets, that Krishna was born at a certain period. It
seems never to have occurred to him, that all these facts of the locations of the planets
are periodical. So that if he be ‘right, that the time of the birth of Krishna can be
inferred from such a location and the circumstances attending it, (a thing in itself very
doubtful,) all that he will prove will be this, that the pretended birth of this God must
have taken place at a similar part of a period, some time before the war of Alexander the
Great. And thus, if we know the length of the period or cycle referred to, we shall know
the latest time at which this God was feigned to be born before the birth of Alexander.
And for this curious fact we shall certainly be very much obliged to him.
When our army of Indian Seapoys arrived at Thebes, in Egypt, in the course of the
French war, as was before observed, ‘they discovered their favourite god Krishna, and
instantly fell to worshiping. (No doubt the cunning rogues of Bramins came to Egypt
in the year 600, and placed his statue amongst the ruins!) This I was told by several
officers soon after the event. Alluding to this well-known circumstance, Col. Fitz-
clarence has the following passage in his Travels:-1' . I
“ I made every attempt my time would permit to discover the celebrated figure which
caused the Hindoos, with the Indian contingent, to find fault with the natives of this
country for allowing a temple of Vishnou to fall to ruin, but did not succeed.”
I could say MUCH more on the subject of this temple at MaI]zzara,jbr it is very curious,
but as it does not seem to concern my Druids further tha'n'I have stated,’I much prefer
letting it alone! ! ! g ‘
The Rev. Mr. Maurice roundly asserts, that all the temples and caves of India were’
made by Celtae. This I do not assert ; but I quote it to shew how strongly the identity
between the remains of the Druids and those of the Bramins was impressed on the mind
of this very learned and very respectable priest, who had examined the subject with the
greatest care.
’ Called Mnturz Deorum, in consequence of being the birth-place of the God, probablyin the plural number, from
his being considered in his capacity of Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer.
1' Pp. 393, 394.