thousand Years, since _India_ was first inhabited. Sure I am, we are a more antient People than you are, and our _Brama_ prohibited the eating of Beef long before your Nation ever erected an Altar in Honour of the Ox, or ever put one upon a Spit. What a Racket you make about your _Brama_! Is he able to stand the least in Competition with our _Apis_, said the _Egyptian_? Let us hear, pray, what mighty Feats have been done by your boasted _Brama_? Why, replied the _Bramin_, he first taught his Votaries to write and read; and 'tis to him alone, all the World is indebted for the Invention of the noble Game of Chess. You are quite out, Sir, in your Notion, said a _Chaldean_, who sat within Hearing: All these invaluable Blessings were deriv'd from the Fish _Oannes_; and 'tis that alone to which the Tribute of divine Adoration is justly due. All the World will tell you, that 'twas a divine Being whose Tail was pure Gold, whose Head resembled that of a Man, tho' indeed the Features were much more beautiful; and that he condescended to visit the Earth three Hours every Day, for the Instruction of Mankind. He had a numerous Issue, as is very well known, and all of them were powerful Monarchs. I have a Picture of it at Home, to which, as in Duty I ought, I Say my Prayers at Night before I go to Bed, and every Morning that I rise. There is no Harm, Sir, as I can conceive, in partaking of a Piece of roast Beef; but, doubtless, 'tis a mortal Sin, a Crime of the blackest Dye, to touch a Piece of Fish. Besides, you cannot justly boast of so illustrious an Origin, and you are both of you mere Moderns, in Comparison to us _Chaldeans_, You _Egyptians_ lay claim to no more than 135,000 Years, and you _Indians_, but of 80,000. Whereas we have Almanacks that are dated 4000 Centuries backwards. Take my Word for it; I speak nothing but Truth; renounce your Errors, and I'll make each of you a Present of a fine Portrait of our _Oannes_. A Native of _Cambalu_, entring into the Debate, said, I have a very great Veneration, not only for the _Egyptians_, _Chaldeans_, _Greeks_, and _Celtae_; but for _Brama_, _Apis_, and the _Oannes_, but in my humble Opinion, the *_Li_, or as 'tis by some call'd, the *_Tien_, is an Object more deserving of divine Adoration than any Ox, or Fish, how much soever you may boast of their respective Perfections. All I shall say, in regard to my native Country, 'tis of much greater Extent, than all _Egypt_, _Chaldea_, and the _Indies_ put together. I shall lay no Stress on the Antiquity of my Country; for I imagine 'tis of much greater Importance to be the happiest People, than the most antient under the Sun. However, since you were talking of the Almanacks, I must beg the Liberty to tell you, that ours are look'd upon to be the best all over _Asia_; and that we had several very correct ones before the Art of Arithmetick was ever heard of in _Chaldea_.