The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-08-15
ALMANAC NAGARIES.
AN INTERESTING COLLECTION IN
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

Noted Men who Are Credited with
Being the First Almanac Makers.
Ycnriy AImnuacs the Rage since
the sixteenth Century.
one of the most curious collections
st the library Of congress Is that of
ulmauacs. These publications, which
MS advertising mediums are left at the
door, often To be at once thrown care
lcssly into the wastchasl,ct. have n
striking ana venerable history.
lt Is still CoutcndCd 10y many author
tiles that the almanac of lljI was the
first specimen of printing. and it has
boon variously credited To Gutenberg,
ScIaClfer and plistcr of BambCrg. DIR.
FausWs, celebrated in legend. whose
strange story has been immoualizCd
10y Marlowc and Goethe, was the ac-
credited author OF almanacs containing
astrological signs Wctaincd at the pres
cnt day. and uccromantic secrets.
Poor Richards Almanac the Pre-.
~duCtion of Benjamin Franklin, is well
known rs n treasury of homcly wit
and wisdom. one of the grcntcst OF
modern German authors, AucrhaCh,
first won his way 10 popular esteem
10y using the almanac ms vehicle for
his talents.
Rcyiomoutanus. famous German
mathematician, under the patronage of
Matthias Corviuus king of Hungary
published series of almanacS from
1876 TO 1906, and yearly almanacs bc,
came an established custom I'm the six
tccnth century. Henry III. of France
I'm 1879 enacted that the almanac
should not hc made the instrument Of
partisan politics 10y the introduction Of
prophecies against parties and indi-
yiduals I'm the state.
The first almanac I'm the modern
shape appeared In England in 1873. 1t
was compiled 10y Maurice Wheeler,
canon of Christchurch, oxford, and
was printed In that city. The sale was
so great that the booksellers of London
bought the copyright In order to mo-
nopolizc its subsequent sales. The
almanac Royal' OF Paris, 1897, con
talncd notices of pastimcs, court rcccp-
tion days, fairs and markets, To which
were added soon aftcrward the gen
ealogy of the rcignlng house, etc.
In Englaut- -JamCs |. granted Il mo-
nopoly of the trade 10 the universities
and the Stationcrs' company. subject
60 the censorship OF the archbishop of
Canterbury and the bishop of London.
The universities accepted an annuity
from their colleagues, and resigned the
active exercise OF their privilege into
the hands OF the StatiouCrS. Under
their supervision were conducted the
popular almuuacs known rs "Moorc'S s.
and "Partridgcs." the latter OF which
was humorously attacked 10y Swift
"poor Robins Almanac" published
from 1862 TO 1S2S, may have furnished
n model. at least I'm title, Tor Franklin's
"Poor Bichard."
Popular supcrstlttions and the cX-
trava aganccs OF astrology found room
I'm these almanacs, the Stationcrs, like
genuine corporation or trust OF
the time, having no personality OF
their own. and exhibiting no special
bias except for what would sell, as
was particularly proved in 1924. when
they issued n set Of predictions TN one
almanac and bitterly contradictcd
them In another
The famous "Moorc's Almanac pur-
ported TO be edited 10y Francis Moore.
physician. Tho original Francis Moore
died I'm 1924. but the publication was
still lsucd as II under his supervision.
and In 1175 vigorous rival arose In
another almanac claiming 10 bc the
genuine Francis Moore y great law
suit followed. which was decided