The New York herald., 1878-03-06
THE LECTURE SEASON.

THE LECI " RE SEASON.
PROFESSOR D. q. EATON ON ASTRONOMY AND
THE CALENDAR
Professor d. G. Eaton OF the Packer Institute, lee
tured last evening In The hall OF the Young Mems
Christian ASSOCIATION OF Brooklyn, on tho subjects
"Astroro ony and the Calendar"
There thrce great natural units, he said, necos-
sary to the measurement OF time. These units
found in tho movement OF the celestial bodies. Tho
drst is the revolution Of the earth upon its axis,
which measures day and night This is tho founda-
lion OF all measurement OF time. The rising
ting OF the sun Is not UNIFORM but tho time Of tho
rising and setting OF star, such Sirius which may
be seen near tho meridian tonight Is The samo
throughout all ages. 1t was tho samo a thousand
years ago and will be the same u thousand years
hence. The other natural units OF time are tho
month and year. Such an adjustment OF tho civil to
natural year shall The perpetual
OF the seasons upon tho same month is what const
tutes the calendar. The Artificial units Of time
the week, hour, minute and second. The account Of
the origin OF tho week can be found nowhere except
In the books Of Moses, though it IL division OF time
TINT known TO all tho civilized nations OF an
| tiquity. 1t not, however, until aitor
the time of tho Emperor Theodosius, that
1t was introduced among the Romans. Tho lecturer
at this point gavc explanation Of the way 10 which
| tho days OF the week were named by the ancient
Egyptians and renamed by the Saxons. He also gavo
an account tho confusion which was caused IN tho
Roman calendar by tue vanity OF the Emperor Angus
tus, who, afer having the eighth month Of the year
named alter himself caused another day be added
| to tho number which II contained before that tho
month Of July lnsmed after julius C@sarl should
ance OF days in each month one day
Of e
iuson the uniformity Of the calendar by hesitating
or than TWO hundred years to accept tho change
IN the old style OF reckoning recommended by Pope
Gregory and accented at once by all Catholic coun.
tries II IN 1852 that tho new style adopted
uvla kxru~ pu md a hau
been iniroauced into tho Russian Empire Tne mo.
tive which induced Pope Gregory 70 make this i'm
stcd SO much confusion, was merely 10 rsgu-
late the recurrence OF Easter Sunday. Though
importancs, yet Tho result has boon great good to
mankind II Is still matter OF difficulty for chro.
in the remote past, and their task has NOT been
| lightcned W the cnanges mado IN the calendar by
some Of the Roman empsrors and tho pontiIs OF tho
Professor. Eaton's lecture was illustrated by on
hand sketches on the blackboard and enlivencd BY
several little anecdotes which gave much pleasure To
REV. ps. sronAs ON THE OTTOMAN AND tn,
MusCovIrE.
Tho 1rst OF Rev DR.. Richard s. Storvs Isbturc OF
'Ths Ottoman and the Muscovte--Their Long Ducl'
was delivered In the Brooklyn Academy Of Music las
evening Tho lectures for the benelt O
tho Brooklyn Mercantile Library Associa
tion. The Academy was well filed by al
Intelligent and Interested audience DR.. Storrs spoke
for over hours listened 10 with untirinl
attention. Upon tho platform wore seated severa
members Of the association. including Rev. Drs
Burlington, Cuyier and Charles H. Hall, Messrs
Hsnry c. Murphy, Henry E. Pierrepopt, samue
that the subject was largo ono ",
have become accustomed during tho last twentv-Hv,
that time after tho battle Of Waterloo IL seemed al
II tho era OF pence had come In 1883. however wal
is5s. Then came The war asans, Italy in 1883 tna
OF Austria and Prussia Against Denmark In 1864 tha
OF Prussia against Austria in 1866, ana tina
| OF United Germany against France IN 1870. Ant
now wo have been watching from day to day. fol
months, Tor tdings of the present struggle between
Turkey and Russia the second III twenty-five years
and the third fifty years, and, though the pressn
treaty may be ratified, It win be only transient. ant
tho era OF peace Is not yct fully opened
This struggle has been watched by Americans with
vscilating interest At nrst they were adverse 4
the Turk aud thought no should be driven from the
map oil Europe aud OF the world But within the las
few weeks tnere has appeared kind Of passive sym
pstny ior IN sao TURK: ! 'hink we sna'i and Ina Ina
gong on for centuries, that II is not
struggle between two emperors, but between tw'
nationnlities, two religions, two difercnt Kinds 0
civilization, or between civilization and barbarism
that IL cannot be terminated by any dexterous ant
careful diplomacy but It's result must bc satsfactor
to Russia and the central Powers OF Europe, whii
the maritime Powers do - they like with this re
suit.
REV. DE. BEARD ON THE PUBLIC RECORDS o.
LONDON.
The Rev Charles W. Beard, d. D., read paper las
night before the New York Historical Society cntte
"a Month Among tho Records in London" Dl
Beard said that no spent last October In the metror
oils oil Engapd a city that teens with objects of In
tercst, and PROBABLY au American going there woui
not select tho records Of London on which to speu
a mouths vacation He had, however, gone there {
inspect the manuscripts pertaining TO the exile
| had ad IN Enolu IA.
of the edict OF Nantca He, therefore, selected hi
lodgings In one Of the streets running out Of th
Strand, and was within nvo minutes walk or ride q
Somerset House, tho Record office, tho British Mu
scum and Lambeth Palace. The Public Record oliice II
Fcitcr lane was noble building, to which there
officially In obtaining access, and where every facilt
was Afforded 10 searchcrs All the documents are !
the custody OF Lori Romiily tho Master OF the Rols
Among those records were tho Doom sday Book, .,
cording the survey oil England, as ordered by WIlar
tho Conqucror; the papers oil the Court OF CHANGER
from the reign OF King John to tho present timc IN
Court Of Exchequer ana It's records from tho reign
King Henry II. TO the present date, tho records
The Court OF Common Pleas and several other courts
including tho star Chamber Court.
Dr. Beard said that IT WAS only within the prescr
In this systematic form. and admirably had she don
. w. he tnen referred To MS VISIT 10 III
Registrar Genera, % a. .m, somsrsc' ~, House. an an
tration OF births marriages and doaths; TO Ia
visit 10 the British Museum and Guldhaii libraries
: ana also to Lambeth Palace. He Doro testimony
the cordial assistance that rendered han ny u
public officials, aud urged upon the Historical Socc,
similar sy stem OF preservaon OF public docu me
DR. JOHN HALL ON 1.-THE PENKNIPE"
, Tho Rev. DR.. John Hall lectured last evening to
large audience at the Frst Ward Free Reading goom
NO. 1876 Greenwich street, and took for hrs subje
sTho Penknifc." Alter describing the penkpifs ar
telling number OF humorous anecdotes In reIatie
TO II. the lecturer described the meaning OF tho
: '@cur' In q society senso