Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-01-14

WHAT IT WAS UNDER THE OLD STYLE
WHAT 1T Is UNDER THE NEW
STYLE.

The Egyptians were the first of th'
nations, it is now said, who fixed th'
length Of the year.
The Roman Year was introduced
BY Romulus, 1913 b. c., and it was
corrected by Numa. 713 Il. C., anC
again by Julius Caesar, 45 3. c.
| The Solar or Astronomical YeG7
was found to comprise 3G5 days, 5h.
45m., sis, decimals; 26 B. G.
The Lunar Year, which comprc
hends IL lunar months, or 354 days
8h., 45m., was in use among the Chal.
deans, Persians and ancient Jews
Once in every three years was added
another lunar month, so as to make
the solar and the lunar years nearly
agree, but though the months were
lunar the year was solar; that is the
first month was of 80 days, the second
20, and so alternately, and the month
added triennial by was called the second
adder. The Jews afterwards followed
the Roman method Of computation.
The Sidertal Year, or return to the
same star, is 365 days, hours, 8 min
utes and III seconds. The Jews dated
the beginning of the Sacred year in
March. The Athenians in June the
Maccdonians, September "a ; the Chris
tians Of Egypt and Ethiopia, on Aug.
29th or Both and the Persians and
| Armenians, August llth. Nearly all
Christian nations now commence the
year January lst.
Charles TX. Of France, in 1864, pub
lished arrit, the last article Of which
ordered the yca9 for the time to come
to be constantly and universally begun
and written on from January lst
The beginning Of the year has been
reckoned from the day celebrating the
birth Of Christ His circumcision,
January lst. His conception, March
25th. His resurrection, Easter.
The English began their year on the
25th of December, until the time Of
William the Conqueror. This prince
having been crowned on January lst
gave occasion to the English to begin
their year at that time, to make it
agree with the then most remarkable
period Of their history Until the act
for altering the style in 1852, the year
did not legally and generally COM
mcnce in England until March 20. In
Scotland, at that period, the year began
on the lst Of January. This difference
caused great practical Inconvenience,
and January, February and part Of
March sometimes have two dates, as
Is often found 10 old English records,
1745, I746. Such reckoning often
leads to chronogical mistakes; for in
stance, it is popularity said in England,
"the revolution Of 1855" as that event
happened in February, 1888, according
to the then mode Of computation but
If the year was held to begin as it
does now, on the Ist Of January, it
would be the revolution Of 1859.
ORIGIN or THE CALENDAR.
The Roman Calendar, which has,
as already stated, been accepted by
almost oil Christian nations, was in
troduccd by Romulus, 1873 Il. G., who
divided the year into ten months, com
prising 3O4 days. This year was Of
fifty days less duration than the lunar
yeer, and Of sixty-onc less than the
solar, its commencement having no
relation to any fixed seasoD. Numa
added two months, and Julius Caesar,
As B. G., in order to establish greater
correctness, fixed the solar year at 1865
days and six hours, every 4th year
being leap year. This perfect arrange
ment has been called the Julian styie,
and practiccd generally throughout the
Christian world till the time Of Pope
Gregory Kill, when the defects Of the
Julian system were corrected, these
defects consisting in that the solar
year, consisting Of 3C5 days, 5h., and
40 minutes, and not 3G5 days, 6 hours.
The difference then amounted to- ten
entire days, the vcrnal equinox falling
on the llth instead Of the 2lst Of
March. To obviate this error Gregory
ordained in 1882, that hat year should
consist Of 365 days only October s
becoming October l5), and TO prevent
further irrcgularity il was determined
that year beginning century would
not be bisscxtilc Cor leap year, with
the exception Of that beginning each
fourth century, thus: 100 and 1900
have not been bisscxtile, nor will 1900
be 80, but the year 200O will be leap
year. In this manner 3 days are re-
trenched in 400 years, because the
lapse Of ] 1 minutes makes three days
in about that period The year Of the
calendar is thus made as nearly as pos
sibIe to correspond with the true solar
year, and future errors Of chronology
are avoided. The new style was
adopted in France, Italy, Spain, Den
mark, Flanders and Portugal in 1883,
and in Great Britain in 1871.
LEAP YEAR.
Leap year originated with the a.
tronomers Of Julius Caesar, As years
i. G. They fixed the solar year al
3G5 days, hours, comprising, as they
thought, the period from one yernal
equinox to another. The six hours
years, forming day, the fourth year
was made to consist Of 3GG days. The
day thus added was called intcrcalery
and was placed day before the 2itf
Of February, the 9th Of the calendar
which was called bissertiie, or twice
six. This added day with us IL Feb
ruary 20. This arrangement makes
the year nearly three minutes Longer
than the astronomical year. To obyi
ate this, as we have shown above
100 and 1900 were not leap years
neither will 1900, but 2000 will.
DERIVATION or THE NAMES, ASD oR1-
DIN or THE MONTHS.
January derives its name from
janus, an early divinity. January
was added to the Roman calendar b,
Numa, 7l3 B. G. He placed it abou
the winter golstice and madc il th,