History of Astronomy

[2] _R. A. S. Monthly Notices_, Sup.; 1905.

[Illustration: CHALDÆAN BAKED BRICK OR TABLET, Obverse and reverse sides, Containing record of solar eclipse, 1062 B.C., used lately by Cowell for rendering the lunar theory more accurate than was possible by finest modern observations. (British Museum collection, No. 35908.)]

[3] _R. A. S. Monthly Notices_, vol. x., p. 65.

[4] R. S. E. Proc., vol. x., 1880.

2. ANCIENT ASTRONOMY--THE CHINESE AND CHALDÆANS.

The last section must have made clear the difficulties the way of assigning to the ancient nations their proper place in the development of primitive notions about astronomy. The fact that some alleged observations date back to a period before the Chinese had invented the art of writing leads immediately to the question how far tradition can be trusted.

Our first detailed knowledge was gathered in the far East by travellers, and by the Jesuit priests, and was published in the eighteenth century. The As