The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-03-22
The Month Of March.

When R0mulus established calendar
for bis newly founded city, he divided the
year into ten months, and named the first
month Martius, In honor Of his father,
Mars, the heathen god of war Ovid, how
ever, says that the nations Of Italy had
long previously named one Of their months
after the same deity, but that they differed
in the place they severally assigned to il /;
some making il the second, others the
third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or even the
tenth month Of the year. Numa Pompi-
Illus, the successor Of RomuIus, added the
months Of January and February to the
Roman year, and reduced March from be-
ing the first month to the third rank in
his calendar, in which station 1t continued
until the Christian Church adopted the
season Of Easter for the commencement Of
the year. In France this arrangement
was again altered by an ediet Of Charles
TX in 1864, which decreed that the year
should, from thenceforth, begin on the LIST
of January. This example was adopted
by the Scotch in 1899; but in England
the 18th of March continued to be the
new years day until the year 1852 Al
though this month was named by the Ro-
mans after the god ofwar, it was consider
ed as under the more especial patronage Of
Minerva, the goddess of wisdom; it has
always consisted Of thirty-one days, no sub
sequent reformer of the calendar having
altered the arrangement Of Romulus in
this respect March was considered by
the Romans an unlucky month for the
celebration Of marriages. BY our Saxon
ancestors this month, says Verstegan, was
called Rhede or Rethe- Mouath, according
to some authorities, to express its general
boisterousness of character, Rhede signify.
ing in their Interpretation rough or rugged.
but according to Others, from its being
dedicated by them, before their conversion
to Christianity, to their idol, Rhede. Tht
name was afterwards changed to Lene
Monat, or Length Month, because it is IL
March that the length Of the day begin,
to exceed that of the night.
The month of March is interesting il
many particulars. Notwithstanding tn,
boisterous wind and frequent storm which
have acquired for it the character of "com
ing in like lion" yet we seem, at its yer,
commencement, to be taking leave Of the
rigors Of winter. The air, though cold, i
generally clear, healthy, and free from
damp and fogs, the trees begin to pu
forth their leaves, the birds to sing, ant
those who have taken shelter in our elm,
from the intense cold Of northern winter
are already returning to their native re
gions. It appears, in fact, as if all nature
we're preparing to welcome the return O
this month, when the sun enters the con
stellation Of Aries, or the Ram. From
this period the weather generally becomes
milder, yielding gradually to the genia
rays Of the sun bees venture out Of theil
hives, and flowers begin to stud the fields
and gardens, until March, which, accord
ing to the proverb, has come IN like lion
"goes out like lamb" The hieroglyphiC
or pictorial representations Of March, have
generally consisted of man, of tawny
color and fierce aspect, with helmet on
his head, representing, in fact, the heather
god Mars. He is unaccompanied, however
by any other warlike ensign than his hel.
met one hand holds bunch of almond
blossoms and other scions, the hand resting
on spade, while basket Of seeds hang
upon the same arm. The other hand eth.
er holds or rests upon a ram, typical Of
the sign Aries. The poet Spencer repre-
sents him as riding on a ram, and scatter.
ing seed over the ground:
sturdy March. with brows full sternly bent
And armed stronly. rode upon ram.
The same which over Helicspontns swan;
Yet in his hand spade he also hent
And In bag all sorts OF seeds ysame
Which on the earth he strewed as he went
And filed her womb with fruitful hope OF nourish
ment"
A dry March is reckoned most favora-
bic to the future prospects of the gardener,
the florist, and the husbandman, and hence
the proverbs, "a bushel Of March dust is
worth kings ransom;;' "a dry March
never begs its bread;' and, on the other
hand, March grass" (which would require
a wet season to grow so early) "never did
good
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