The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1860-02-14
NO. Cos.
Leap Year.

the shortest month, February, which will,
therefore, have 20 days :aia year; and ON
the last, or additional day, it IS claimed by
the ladies q privilege which belongs at all
other tignea to the genllemen--the privil.
cCe Of popping the question: Lcsp
Year occurs every fourth year, and is 60
cslied because it leaps over day moro
thGn do's any ordinary year Fo, instance
in other years, if Christmas d y or New
Years day fall on a Sunday, il i'll fall on
Monday the following year; but in Leap
Year it wiil faUl on Tuesday, being thus
two days latter in th9 week, instead Of one.
1t is called beesextile--!rom the Latin BIS,
twice, and sertus. sxth-neaning that tho
sixth of The ca'ends Of March-(coirespon
ding to the cath of February, } was reck.
oned twice every fourth year BY tho inter
calculation of q day. The necessity Of
Loap Year, arises from the fact tfat tho
solar year docs not correspond exactly with
the civil year, in consequence Of its not on
ding exactly with given day, but with
fraction Of a day. If it wero not for this
arrangement, Christmas in course of time
would be in midsummer, and the Fourth
Of July in the depth Of winter.
The true year consists Of The lime it
takes for tho earth to make one revolution
round tho sun, which is determined by liz
coming back to the same point in the 10.
diac form which il started and this is &C.
complished in 365 days and nearly six
hours; bat as the calendar must consist of
complete da s, these six hours are omitted,
and in four years they make up q whole
day, when one is added TO the year, ma
king what is called a Leap year. This,
however, is not strictly correct, for il is as
certained by accurate calculations that Is
solar year Is exactly 365 days, hours,
As minutes and 57.7 soconds; consequent
iy, putting On six hours we add IL mil.
utcs, l2.4 seconds in four years. This, in
the course Of 1851 years, would amount
to twenty four hours, or complete day.
Every year the number of which is divisi.
be by four without remainder, is Leap
Year, except the last year Of each century,
which is q Leap Year only when divisible
by 400 withouta Il remainder. Thus this
year 1900 will not be Leap Year.
The Roman year originally had but ton
months as may be sc n in tho meaning
Of the name December, which is Tenth
Month" March was the first mouth of
the year in thu time of Romuus, and De.
cember was the last. But Numa Pompus
who knew astronomy better, added Janua.
ry aid February.
While Romes great founder made the time his
care,
Ten months he choose to constitute year.
But Numa. better skilled in astral lore,
t., Rpt u mp hal al NJ tIyn
The Egyptians were the first who APP
rroximated to the real length Of the year
which they made to consist Of 500 days
They afterwards added five days. rs was
done by Thares, one Of the seven wise
men Of the Greeks. The Jews, Syrians,
Ethopians, Romans, Persians and Arabs,
all had years of different length,
The day on which the year commences
is also different in different ,uutrieS, but
in all it i, held in great venaration. Tho
Jewish historical year commences with tho
now moon near the vernal equinox March
22d,) and the civil year with tho new
moon near the autumnal equinox. The
Mohomedans begin their year on the day
when the sun enters the Aryies; the Per.
sian in the month which answers 10 our
June; tie Chinese anl In lian, with tho
I i.si Is" S Wr" moon mno MnPpsH' Pgoi "a II. rh" vn
aA0 :, Luz hY@'ai,S in" ah ~ .ai. 'Io 90" yo; ~
~ ''''' '''no VIC 'e''vto W" - ."IiL az IUun
Iy o'7.'s ~ i,..'9 d" " ',''',," u .ua 70"
fl.roI n',ig ossn -" nc. o' - ~, M.i, e"
begin th-i, year on tASt Gay, in order 10
IN ~ az } 10 60, ,oiH i WIN '-' '''o'' ''''
O.j y, y.,. .., N ,i'','' .i I;,;, u''.o..' - So,
- 'i3 Li'.?.''"i E.!,. I'.' C,;i 1.san IA
EAS''N1 y" 'u' iS't.,"' , o. 'n' 0,rST ''y,'.
,o"' % --''' -! % ".,'u o' "...ou ~"y
,4' Ce!t'a" anu i'a'ion ~ year 1es'", !,'
M l1y T G,'' I =, 's. '. .:.: u nay . ''''s,tCo ,S
W: NJ as -" 80 o., - vac .15-''I ~ 80" , 'i
., ,.,o. - r. -, =; 49,. - ol,, 'o 80 .' ,,'
'.1 1''' - -, -. 30 80 . Inns 80, . ,,t'' 80
% 80 e. 30" ~. 80 ~ "'.I, t.,,'S, .,.
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el The Ju,ian wear by the calender o.,ab