Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
the right-hand side of the pages, two columns tabulate the dates in a
different way. The inside right column lists the dates according to the
Julian Period and starts with 710 (these increase through the volume)
while the outside right column gives 'the year before Christ' and starts
with 4004 (and these decrease through the topic). In the 1658 English
translation the first two dates in the two right-hand columns on page 1
are transposed so that the Julian Period date is given as 4004. It seems
this was a printer's error not noticed by the proof reader, but by page 2
subsequent dates appear in their correct columns.
How Ussher arrived at this date is explained by him (quoted
from the 1658 translation):
We findmoreover that the year of our fore-fathers, and the years of the
ancient Egyptians, and Hebrews were of the same quality with the
Julian, consisting of twelve equal moneths, every of them containing
30 dayes ... adjoyning to the end of the twelfthmoneth, the addition
of five dayes, and every fourth year fix. And I have observed by the
continued succession of these years, as they are delivered in holy
writ, That the end of the great Nebuchadnezars, and the beginning of
Evilmerodachs (his sons) reign, fell out in the 3442 year of the World,
but by collation of Chaldean History, and the Astronomical Cannon,
it fell out in the 186 year of Nabonasar, and, by certain connexion, it
must follow in the 562 year before the Christian account, and of
the Julian Period, the 4152[.] and from thence I gathered the Creation
of the World did fall out upon the 710 year of the Julian Period, by
placing its beginning in Autumn: but for as much as the first day
of the World began with the evening of the first day of the week,
I have observed that the Sunday, which in the year 710 aforesaid,
came nearest the Autumnal Æquinox by Astronomical Tables,
(notwithstanding, the stay of the Sun in the dayes of Joshua, and the
going back of it in the dayes of Ezekiah) happened upon the 23 day of
the Julian October; from thence concluded, that from the evening
preceding, that first day of the Julian year, both the first day of the
Creation, and the first motion of time are to be deduced.
