Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-05-28
Almanacs,


Almanacs.
Almanacs are generally supposed Ia
have originated with the Arabs, as
the term is composed of two Arabic
words signifying "Diaries." The su.
perstitious beliefs to which the habits
OF life of this people inclined them
the wild and desolate localitiesin in which
their temporary habitations were fixed,
as well as their monotonous existence,
rendered them peculiarly liable to be
impressed by tho mysterious practice
OF star-gazers and soothsayers. Such
was their fanatical reliance upon tho
influence which the movements of the
various heavenly bodies were supposed
70 exert, that not only important OK.
petitions, but even ordinary domestio
duties, were determined BY lac diyjpe.
tions OF the astrologer 1t was but
natural. then, that treatiscs descript.
i've ofthe yarions changes of tho heav
enly bodies, and. spoculations and
prophecies connected with them should
constitute the earliest species OF liter.
ature among such people. Accord
ingly, historians inform us that scarce
y an Arabian or Moham medan fam
ny could be found, in which the
almanac was not among their most
valued possessions. In the progress
OF years these publications were in
troduced among other nations, who
almost universally initiated the pecu.
liar style OF the Arabians and, until
a comparatively recent date, calcula-
tions relating 10 the heavenly bodies
everywhere constituted principal
feature of tho almanac. A great va.
riety OF almanacs in manuscript form,
prepared during the middle ages, arc
still to be found in many of the libra.
ries OF Europe, and afford the curious
student fund Of interesting iriorma-
ton.
The first printed almanac OF which
we have any authentic evidence, an.
peared about tho middle of tho 18th
century. In l774, a series of these
works, printed in both tho German
and Latin languages, was introduced
by celebrated German mathcmati.
clan, and for thirty years maintained
an uninterrupted popularity. AL.
though their contents were mainly
speculations relating to the localities
and movements Of the heavenly bod
les, such was the estimation in which
they were held, that the exorbitant
price OF ten golden crowns each was
demandedand paid without hesitation.
In France, during the 10th century,
the contents Of the almanac were va.
ried by the introduction of political
diatribes rejecting severely upon
prominent statesmen and officials /;
and this was soon supplemented by a
record Of clerical dlgnitaries, and tho
genealogies of eminent personagcs.
particularly of those connected with
the royal family.
In England until the year 1928,
astrological almanacs disseminated
broadcast tho seeds Of fanaticism and
superstition, notwithstanding the fact
that their publication was, by royal
degree, subject to the inspection and
approval Of the highest prclatcs in
the British realm. The uneducated
and irreligious taste of the ago de.
manded the irrational jargon and
senseless mummeries Of the charlatan
and mountebank. 1t is a noteworthy
and significant circumstance that, even
at as late period as the close OF the
18th century, almanacs In which all
reference to the influence Of the moon
upon the parious members of the human
body was excluded, proved entirely
unsaleablc. But in 1928, a radical
change was effected in public senti.
ment, by the "Society for the Diffu.
sion of Useful knowledge" Through
the efforts of this association a more
enlightened taste was introduced
among tho people, and in brief pc.
riod the occupation Of the astrologer,
which till then had yielded princely
revenue, ceased TO be remunerative -
Under the auspices Of this society,
the publication Of tho "Bri;ish Alma
mac" work repleto with interest and
instruction, proved q most efficient
auxiliary in the reformation of public
sentiment. The press of England
earnestly endorsed their pbianthropic
spirit, and belaborcd with satire and
invective the mercenary publishers
who had 40 long pandered to the pop.
ular superstitions Of the age. Other
almanacs Of equally meritorious char.
acter, several of which are still pros
porous, wcrc speedily projected, and
the liberal encouragement with which
they wero received attcsts the more
enlightened tasto OF the people.
Germany, Belgium and France,
each have publications of this charac.
tor, which are held in high esteem.--
While those of the first named coun.
tries, with few exceptions, repudiate
supernatural beliefs and tho practice
Of magic arts, tho most attractive
features of the almanacs Of the French
are their superstitious fancies and fa-
naticism.
In this country, Franklin's "Poor
Richards Almanac" published in 1882
nearly one hundred years prior to
tho first issue of the British Almanac
at once achieved great popularity,
and its success is an index to the go.
MUS Of tho people Of his age. At the
present day our almanacs are as radi.
cally varied in their contents, as the
nationalities represented by our pop
ulation, and each truiiitully reflects the
tastes of the class by whom IL is pat
ronized. Trivial as the unrchecting
may be disposed to regard this spe.
cics of literature, tho history Of alma
macs, with o synopsis of their contents
at different cpochs, from their first in.
PRODUCTION to the present day, would
present an accurate portraiture of the
gradual advances Of tho human race