ing proof which he gave o f this knowledge, on his expedition
againft Peloponnefus, when there happened an eclipfeof the fun.
The fudden darknefs, being confidered as an omen unfavourable
to the objeit o f the expedition, occaiioned a general con-
fternation. Pericles, obferving the pilot o f his own galley to be
frightened and confufed, took his cloak and placed it before
his eyes, aiking him at the fame time i f he found any thing
alarming, or o f evil prefage, in what he then did? and upon
his anfwering in the negative: “ Where then is the difference,”
faid Pericles, “ between this covering and the other, except
“ that fomething o f greater extent than my cloak deprives us o f
“ the light o f the fun ?” Nor can it be doubted that Alexander
when, on a like occafion, previous to the battle o f Arbela,
be commanded a facrifice to be made to the fun, the moon,
and the earth, as being the three powers to which eclipfes were
owing, did it merely to appeafe the fuperftitious notions o f his
army. T o fuppofe him ignorant o f their caufes, would be paying
an ill compliment to his great mafter. Thus it might have
been with regard to the Chinefe government, which, whether
through ignorance or policy, ftill continues to obferve with the
greateft folemnity the fame ceremonies, or nearly fo, on the
event o f an eclipfe, which were in ufe among the Egyptians,
Greeks, and Romans., near two thoufand years ago. When
the moon was darkened by an eclipfe, their drums and clarions
and trumpets were founded, under the notion that, by their
flirill and loud noife, they might affift in relieving the labouring
goddefs.
** A vaft
A vail eclipfe darkens the neighbouring planet,'
y Sound ¿here, found all our inftruments o f war ;
“ Clarions and trumpets, iilver, brafs, and iron,
u And beat a thoufand drums to help her labour.**
The brazen gong is violently beat by the Chinefe on the lame
occafion ; and that fuch an event may not pafs unobferved, and
the luminary thereby be deprived o f the ufual affiftance o f mu-
fic, to frighten away or to charm the dragon, which they fuppofe
to have feized upon it, the great officers o f ftate in every
city and principal town are inflructed to give public notice o f
the time it will happen, according to the calculations o f the national
almanack. A rude projection o f a lunar eclipfe, that
happened whilft we were at Tong-choo, was ftuek up in the corners
o f the ftreets; all the officers were in mourning, and all
bufinefs was fufpended for that day. When the Dutch Embaf-
fadors were in Pekin, the fun was eclipfed on the 21ft o f January
1795, which happened to be the firft day o f their new
year: a day obferved through the whole empire with the greateft
feftivity and rejoicing; and almoft the only day on which
the bulk o f the people refrain from their refpeftive occupations.
The Embaflador and his fuite were fummoned to court
at the ufual hour o f three in the morning. On arriving at the
palace they were told that,, in confequence o f an eclipfe o f the
fun, which was about to happen on that day and which was
a moft unfortunate event, portending an unhappy year to their
country, the Emperor would not be vifible for three days, during
which time the whole court would go into mourning; that
the amufements, feafts, and entertainments ufual on this particular