Page:A Historical View of the Hindu Astronomy.djvu/15

viii from the quantity of the error in the moon's place 3102 before Christ, it was impossible that the computations by the Surya Siddhanta, could give, or foretel the eclipses of the sun and moon, which clearly shows the absurdity of the reviewer's notions. Lest, however, it might be supposed that I am not speaking the truth, I will here transcribe his own words, which I think will point out still more his sophistry, ignorance, and ill will.

"Let us next consider the criterion which Mr. Bentley himself proposes for determining the age of a system of astronomical tables, from the con- sideration of the tables themselves, independently of testimony, tradition, or any external evidence. Such a criterion is precisely the thing wanted on the present occasion: but we can by no means approve of that particular one which he endeavours to establish. It is founded on this maxim, that the time of the construction of any set of tables must be that at which they agree best with the heavens. Hence, when such tables are given, and we wish to determine their antiquity, we have only to compute from them the places. of the sun and moon, &c. for different times, considerably distant from one another: to compare these places with those given by the best modern tables; and the time when they approach the nearest to one another is to be taken for the time. when the tables were constructed."