Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-10-31
From the Messenger.
Division of Time.

Chronology treats Of the computation OF time
the dates Of events As a science, it is com.
parauyely modern The ancients gave it but
little systematic attention. Itl- however, es.
seniially important, especially when we would
reason from historical facts, and secure correct
dates in relation to past events
Very properly has it been called 'one of the
eyes of history as properly has geography
been called the other eye. The aid it affords
to memory in the study Of history and blogra-
ply, IS very manifest to all. It brings order
out Of chaos 1t renders the past with its
crooked and eyeutiul eras ineligible, by giving
to 1t a system and makes seryicsble to The
present by afJrding a ready reference The
evident primary divisions Of time are those nat.
urally suggested by the revolutions Of the heay.
emily oodies.
The day was probably the first division, from
sunrise to suns.t. The uJhM was a division
OF time gained doubtless by observing the moon .
changes, The year from the annual motion Of
the earth round the sun. As these divisions
are not commensurate, to this fact is relerable
the difficulties with which chronology has ever
been btset. The day was early divided into
twely, parts or hours, aud 80 alec the night
Herodltus informs US the Greeks derived the
practice from the Egyptians, and they probably
iron the Hebrews,
The Romans divided the day and Light into
four parts each, called watches. In the Bible
there ls frequent reference made to the watches
Of night, Fix, xiv. "a Mat xiv. 25 The
Greeks divided their months into three parts of
ten days EACH called decades. The Romans have
a division ol time called mend,aai, or market
days every ninth day, The Egyptians had a
week OF seven days, and 20 most OF the oriental
nations. This division OF time was dou ubtless
instituted by God Six days shalt thou labor
and do all thy work, but the seventh is the Sab
bath OF the lord thy Cod &c. The Hebrew
native observed this division sacedly The days
were nlued after the planets or their deties (.
Dies Soils, Sunday d. Lunae Monday d.
Martius, Tuesday d. Mercuril, Wednesday /;
d. Jovls, Thursday, d. Venerls, Friday D.
Satuui, Saturday. 1t is a fact worthy of no
tee that or names for the days of the week
had a similar origin, as is observable IRON their
Saxon derivation. Sunus dog, Surs day, Sun.
day Monan dag, Moons day, Monday Tieves
dag day Of rley, the same as Mars, Tues 10y !;
Wodnes dag Wooden a northern deity, Wednes.
dayj Thunres dag, day OF Thorr, the god of
thunder, Thursday Fnse dag, day Of Frigga,
the Venus Of the north, Friday Safer dag,
day Of Safer, the Saturn OF the north, Satur-
day.
Tho month. This division of time, US we
have already observed, has its origin in the
varied phases or changes of the moon 1t in
cluded the tmo Of the moons revolution round
the earth Ii was considered to bo - l.2days,
and the month was reckoned as consisting alter
natoly OF % and 80 days. But such reckoning
as this, even tyro in arithmeti' will see,
would in time produce loss and confusion. Some
other method must be adopted. An extra month
was thrown in every two years. But the effect
of this system was to change tho place Of the
months relatively to the seasons. And so expe-
dent after expedient was resorted TO- but there
was u sad defect somewhere. potah after po-
tab was added, but there was rent, and min
utes and hours and days eked out, and were to
all intents and purposes lost. Romulas and
IIume ed Jnliusf f---s.h "a suggested nsshods