The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-06-18

Written almanacs are of uncertain orr
gin. The astronomer Lalande, after the
most diligent search, could near of none
earlier than those of Solomon Jarchus
about A. D.. 1150. A copy of an almanac
written about A. D. 1900, by Petrus de Da-
cha, is to be found in a library at Oxford,
England, in which the influence of the
planets is described.
Manuscript almanacs of the middle ages
are to be found in the English and Cont.
mental Libraries. The British Museum and
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, have
almanacs of the fourteenth century. The
earliest printed almanac, SO far rs known,
IS George Won Purbach's, printed in 1457.
This famous astronomer died at Vienna in
l46l. His pupil and successor, Regiomon-
tanus Johann Muller), in 1474, published
at Buda, Hungary, his "Kalendarium Nov
m for 1475, 1894, and 1913, at twelve
golden crowns a copy.
Later in the century, the Shepherds
K~alendar" was published at Paris, of which
an English translation appeared in 1497.
Soon after, books of this sort began to be
issued annually, the chief attraction being
representations of tho weather, and for
tune-telling; astrology having greater
charms forthe people than astronomy. They
showed the v~arietie of the Ayre, and also
of the Winds throughout the whole Yere,
with Unfortunate Time to Bic and Sell, take
Medicine, Sowe, Plant, and Journey, etc.
They had great currency and influence, be-
ing favored by the highest dignitaries OF
the church. About 1860 William Paynter
published his -Four great Syers,' contain
ing "A Resolution tountriman, %prouing it
utterly unlawful to buye or vse our yeerly
Representations" The rage for such pre-
diction seized so powerfully on the people,
that Thomas Decker published, in 1909,
lee Ravhns Almanacke. Foretelling of q
Plague. Famine & Civil Ware. That
shall happen this present yeare 1909" ct.
1t was dedicated ITO the Lyons of the
Wood, to the wilde Buckles of the Forest,
to the Harris of the field, and to the whole
country that are brought up wisely, yet
prove Guls, and are born rich, yet dye beg
gers" etc. The Owle's Epistle to the RAJ
ven" in wi jch the Ravens Almanacke' Is
called ~"hotch-potch of calculations" The
signs of the shops in Cheapside are given
TINS The Ram, the Bull, the Crab, Cap
ricorne, etc, only the young wepch called
Vlrgo) would by no means SIT IN any shoE
IN that s%treete, because SO many Gallants
I've over the stalls, counting every hand
some woman there" Famous among this
class of burlesque almanacs was "Poor
Robin" begun in 1863, and continued into
the present century.
IuutE JdIltS L. alIlanacS were put under
the censorship of the Archbishop of Can
terbury and the Bishop of London; and the
monopoly of the trade was granted to the
universities and the S~tationers' Company,
their character remaining as before; astrol-
ogy and superstition bearing full sway.
The monopoly continued until 1775. The
"FoS Stcllarum," by Francis Moore, a
CuaCk doctor of of Westminster in the
seventeenth century, led the way in trum-
petiug medicines and nostrums OF the
panacea order. THE Ladies' Diary start
ed in 1904, discarded the old superstitions,
and was a great improvement, having been
continued till about thirty years since.
Poor Richards Almanac appeared, in
Philadelphia, 1913, edited by Benjamin
Franklin, and was continued for twenty
five years. 1t had u great influence and
did great service.
In 1928 "The British Almanac was COM
menced by the Society for the Diffusion of
Useful knowledge, and soon wrought an
entire revolution in this class of publica-
tons, putting ~ c~fectual end to the reign
of astrology. II was followed in 1880 by
The American Almanac" ut Boston.