I have come in the way of a work, entitled _The Grave of Human
Philosophies_ (1827), translated from the French of R. de Becourt[441] by
A. Dalmas. It supports, but I suspect not very accurately, the views of the
old Hindu books. {278} That the sun is only 450 miles from us, and only 40
miles in diameter, may be passed over; my affair is with the state of mind
into which persons of M. Becourt's temperament are brought by a fancy. He
fully grants, as certain, four millions of years as the duration of the
Hindu race, and 1956 as that of the universe. It must be admitted he is not
wholly wrong in saying that our errors about the universe proceed from our
ignorance of its origin, antiquity, organization, laws, and final
destination. Living in an age of light, he "avails himself of that
opportunity" to remove this veil of darkness, etc. The system of the
Brahmins is the only true one: he adds that it has never before been
attempted, as it could not be obtained except by him. The author requests
us first, to lay aside prejudice; next, to read all he says in the order in
which he says it: we may then pronounce judgment upon a work which begins
by taking the Brahmins for granted. All the paradoxers make the same
requests. They do not see that compliance would bring thousands of systems
before the world every year: we have scores as it is. How is a poor candid
inquirer to choose. Fortunately, the mind has its grand jury as well as its
little one: and it will not put a book upon its trial without a _prima
facie_ case in its favor. And with most of those who really search for
themselves, that case is never made out without evidence of knowledge,
standing out clear and strong, in the book to be examined.