The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-01-02
ALMANACS OF LONG AGO.
SOME OF THE MILE POST REC
ORDS OF ANCIENT HISTORY.

Their Origin md Growth-DatinE Hack
Over Threo thousand Years-Early Styles |
and Doviccs-Bu,it to Suit tho Tastes Of
tho Day.
The invention Of the almanac was the
beginning of history, in the sense that
history is philosophy teaching by ex-
ample Previous to that important and
convenient revelation, there was practi-
cally no basis of comparison, no process
of marking the course of time, no means
of connecting the past with the present
and the present with the future.
The art of calculation, the whole great
system of mathematics, had its origin in
the pebble device, used to count sheep
by dropping a pebble in basket for
each one as it passed until an entire
flock got by, then enumerating another
flock in the same way, and finally de-
termining the relative numbers of the
two by alternately taking q pebble from
each basket until one was exhausted.
Next came the chalk marks, or straight
lines in blocks of five, the last being
drawn across the other four at an angle,
which plan is still largely employed;
then the plan of two notched sticks-the
first double entry idea-was evolved;
then came the digit system, or counting
in fives and tens with the fingers; and
finally the Arabic notation, with its ten
symbols or figures, superseded all other
methods.
PEBBLES AND CHALK MARKS.
1t is easy to understand that, while
| the world was thus slowly learning how
| to count, it could have no history. There
| was no way TO record events or to ad-
| just and combine facts. The pebbles and
| chalk marks and notched sticks only an
swered the crude purposes of life that
| took no account Of yesterday or to-mor-
row. 1t was not possible for the aver
| age mind to have any conception of
dates or periods, distances or localities.
The relation of what was to what had
been and what might be did not enter
into the prevailing order of thought and
| feeling. One day was rs a thousand
years, and thousand years as one day.
| There was no intellectual growth, no
permanent escape Fl ON the right of saw
agery, so long as the gift of measuring
| space and time was absent; men began
| to be men only when they acquired that
advantage, and were able to connect the
experiences of one generation with the
necessities of the next, or, in other words,
to grasp the doctrine of accumulation,
which is the source of all development.
When they came 10 see that the whole
was greater than any part, and that a
part was nothing unless rooted to the
whole, they were placed i'll the way of
harmonizing themselves with their en-
vironment and accomplishing sane and
useful results. Time was invested with
appreciable value, and the procession of
the days took on n practical purport.
Wings were provided Cor intelligence.
The Gagged reason cf the race secured the
soaring privilege, and its horizon widened
with every effort. First the pebbles were
cast away, then the notched sticks, then
the digital device; and thus the dawn of
history slowly but surely approached.
EARLY ALMANACS.
The first almanacs-that is TO say,
the first histories--were of Arabian ori.
gin, and reflected the local genius of the
people in very striAing way: They
copy of such work is preserved in the
British Museum, and dates back to the
time of Rameses the Great, of Egypt,
who lived 1 200 years before the birth of
Christ. 1t is written on papyrus, in red
mk' and covers period of six years.
The entries relate TO religious cere-
monies, to the fates of children born on
given days, and to the regulation of
business enterprises in accordance with
planetary influences. do nothing at
all this day." is one of the warnings.
'lf thou seest anything at all this day
it will be fortune" is another entry.
Look not at rat this day." "Wash not
with water this day." and "Go not out
before daylight this day" are some Of
the additional cautions. This almanac
was found in an old tomb, and is SUD-
| posed to have been buried with its
Egyptian owner when he was converted
INTO mummy for future explorers to
| dig up and dissect in the interest of sci.
encc and literature.
Next after this in point of age amonp
the existing specimens of ancient alma.
macs are some composed in the Fourth
century. They are Roman church calen.
dars, giving the names of the saints and
other religious information. The Baltic
hal,ons' VINO were not versed in papyrus
maklng' had calendars engraved on ak
"''N'' waning SIfChS ana other articles
or personal use. The days were notcbed
with broad mark for Sunday, and the
saints days were symbolized in yarious
devices, such as n harp for st. David's, a
gridlron for st. Lawrence's, a lovers
knot for st. Valentines, and SO on, The
Saxon almanacs are numerous and con.
tain historical as well as ecclesiastical
entries 1t is possible to trace in these
curious records all the changes of popu-
lar belief and taste. They We're pre-
pared to meet the current demand and
to constitute systematic story of what
TOOK place in successive periods and how
knowledge increased with the revolving
years. We owe to them most that we
Know OF the people for whom they were
MADE and by whom they were indorsed.
st Louis Globe-Democrat.
Strength Of VALE
liz iS found fhof ,roD.