r period dealt with is that which extended from 722 B.C. to
479 B.C. It was during the latter part of this interval of about 242
years that Confucius flourished. But the book is not quite a general
history for it is more particularly devoted to the small State of Loo
of which Confucius was a native, where he passed a great portion of his
life, and where he was advanced to the highest honours. It contains the
history of twelve princes of this State with incidental notices of the
other confederated nations. The number of the years of each reign is
accurately determined, and the events are classed under the years in
which they occurred. Each year is divided into sections according to the
four seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and the sections are
subdivided into months, and often the days are distinguished. The name
_Chun-Tsew_ is said to have been given to this work from its having been
commenced in Spring and finished in Autumn, but Williams thinks that the
name rather refers to the fact that its contents are divided into
seasons as stated. The style in which it is written is very concise,
being a bare mention of facts without comment, and although on this
account it might appear to us dry and uninteresting, it is much valued
by the Chinese as a model of the ancient style of writing. It forms one
of the _Woo-King_ or Five Classical Books, without a thorough knowledge
of which, and of the _Sze-Shoo_ or Four Books, no man can attain to any
post of importance in the Chinese Empire.

The account of each eclipse is but little more than a brief mention of
its occurrence at a certain time. The following is an example of the
entries:--"In the 58th year of the 32nd cycle in the 51st year of the
Emperor King-Wang, of the Chow Dynasty, the 3rd year of Yin-Kung, Prince
of Loo, in the spring, the second moon, on the day called Kea-Tsze,
there was an eclipse of the Sun." This 58th year of the 32nd cycle
answers to 720 B.C. Mr. Williams in the year 1863 presented to the Royal
Astronomical Society a paper setting out the whole of the eclipses of
which I have cited but one example, converting, of course, the very
complicated Chinese dates into European dates.

These Chinese records of eclipses were in 1864 subjected to examination
by the late Sir G. B. Airy,[22] with results which were highly
noteworthy, and justify us in reposing much confidence in Chinese
astronomical work. Airy remarks:--"The period through which these
eclipse