The times., 1899-02-27
THE FIN DE SIECLE.
Argument Made by General schuyler
Hundred Years Ago
(From the New York Herald

(From the New York Herald.)
| To the Editor Of the Herald:
| The date Of the beginning Of the twentieth CEN
| turv having aroused much discussion, the follow
ing elucidation Of the problem. written in liD
by my great grandfather. Gen Phihp Schh!Ie''
| to his eldest daughter, may be Of interest
| KATHARINE SCHUYLER BANTER
oSwego. y. Jan. -. ls99
Albany. Feb. II. 1923.
My Beloved Angelica: Since my let
ter to you on the controversy reia-
tive to the termination of the pres
ent century 1t has occurred TO me that
an investigation OF the subject from mere
abstract deductions would not be compre-
hended with so much facility as when elu-
cidated by diagram, in which the sense
OF sight might be brought to aid the men
tai reasoning. I have projected the enelos-
ed. which. with such observations thereon
and such conclusions as l shall adduce
therefrom. have the presumption to be-
iieve will determine the question and bring
the contendng parties TO coincide in opin-
ion.
Whether Christ was born at the begin
ming of the first moment of the first day
of month now by us called January, or
at the beginning of the first moment OF the
first day or any other day of any other
month, is perfectly immaterial In the So
luton of the question under consideration.
It is agreed on all hands that the Christian
era commenced with the birth of him
l shall therefore premise the following
postulata:
First-That the birth of Christ was in
the beginning of the first moment OF the
first day of the month of January.
SecOnl-That the Christian is made
up of continued series OF time called
years
Third-That a year commences with the
first particle of time OF the first day OF
January and terminates with the end OF
the last day of the then following Decem-
Der. and that year consists of twelve
calendar months as they are named in our
Common Almanach.
Fourth-That 100 such years constitute
a century.
Fifth-That between the last particle OF
time of the last day OF any December and
the beginning of the first particle of time
of the first day of the then succeeding
January no time intervenes, but that both
are in contact the one beginning where
the other ends. and that his holds with
respect to continued series of space as
well as time
The truth OF these five postulata. l sup
pose, will not be contested. and. having
lulSs / piOtctu " ODStENt
| That with respect to Christ (if we may
on this occasion be permitted to consider
MIN as one OF the human racel. time as
to him was not before. but commenced
with his birth; that at the moment of his
birth was therefore the first moment of
the Christian era, from whence the com
putation OF years and centuries Is to COM
mence and that hence it follows the Chris
, tian era Is series of years in arithmeti-
cal progression, the first term whereof
tas beginning with the beginning of the
first particle of time-to wit with the
birth of Christi is cipher. or o. and each
interval OF the series or common differ
ence. is one year. and if carried on to any
number of terms as to the end of the
last moment of the year 80. which by pos
tulate the fifth, is the beginning of the
hrst moment of the year 100. the number
, of intervals or years interviewed will be
100. or century completed. and. ergo il
, the series had been continued to the end
of the last moment of 1893. which by pos
tulate the fifth. is the beginning of the.
first moment of the year 1900 complete
l.s0o years will have interviewed or eight
cen complete centuries ended and that ev-
cry particle OF time subsequent to the end
of the last moment Of 1873 marks the be
ginning of January !. 1900 must necessa-
. rily be in "A century next following the
eighteenth, consequently the nineteenth
century.
But men of sound sense and such candor
as to be incapable of the subterfuge which
cayilling about words affords have hell
and some do still hold. that the present
century does not terminate until the last
moment of the last day of December OF
the next year-that is the year 1850 is past.
and that the nineteenth century does not
commence until the first moment of the
year 1901.
They have probably reasoned thus:
From the year l of the Christian era to
the end Of the year $500, or beginning OF
1891. only 1.SO0 years. or eighteen centurf s
have intervened, and therefore the nine
teenth century does not commence until
the LIST day of January. 1901 So far they
are right But here they evidently com
mence their computation not from the BIRTH
OF Chrtst-as the beginning of time-but
from period when he was already one
year old Thus in computation of time We
say from the LIST day of January to the last
day OF December inclusive. is one year or
3e5 days. but the fact is that there are in
that period only 1854 days.
But if We say from the Isl OF January to
the last day of December. both inclusive
is one year, or 3S5 DAYS, then we are cor
rect. Or. in otker words from the begin
ming of the first particle of time of the 1st
day Of January 20 the end OF the last par
tieie of time of the last day of December
is one year. or 3s5 days.
suppose surveyor vas directed to begin
at the northwest corner OF the CITY Hall
| at New York and 20 measure in a due
north course f-SG0 miles, and at the end OF
50 chains or a mile. to set up a stone TO
Indicate how far that stone was from the
northwest corner OF the city hall what
mark would he place upon it9 Surely he
would mark it with the No. l. II he pro
ceeded so chains. or one mile further and
set up another stone, this he would mark
with the number 2. and proceeding thus to
set up a stone at the end of every so
chains. or one mile. when he had run 500
times so chains he would set up a stone and
mark it 1.SO0. and. turning his face to the
south he would say. Il am now l 800 miles
from the northwest corner OF the city hall
OF New York.
But if he had put the stone numbered
at the northwest corner of the city hall
then the stone TO be placed at so chains, or
one mile. from the said corner would have
been marked .. and the stone marked 500
only 1.199 miles from New York But
placing the stone marked ! al the said
corner would surely mislead the traveller
/ in determining how far he was from New
York. for seeing marked on the stone he
would conclude that he had still two miles
10 travel to be at the New York city hall
And thus persons have been in error on
the subject in question. They have placed
l at the birth of Christ. instead of placing
it at the end OF the year from his birth. and
thus rejected one entire year out OF the
series of years composing the Christian
era.
Ad;eU NV beloved child