The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-01-18

Dean Swift the savage satirist, wrote q solemn
prediction" that Partridge would die on August
% and on August 30 ne followed this up BY
publishing a statement that, true TO the p-edic-
tion, Partridge had indeed died
Even the astrologer's publishers accepted the
statement as true In vain Partridge protested
that ne was very much alive But Swift came
back st hin with & long and Mandatory obituary.
Poor Partridge was SO harRssed by the task Of
convincing people he had not died and would
continue issuing his almanac that eventually he
gave I'D IN despair and suspended lis publica1oni
Meanwhile, over across the Atlantic, the Eng
Esh colonisrs were seeing the beginnings Of what
was 10 become I'D important American insritu-
ton According 10 some authorities, the first
American almanac came from the printing press
ct Harvard college in 1888. With that Puritan
ical background, naturally it was strictly seri-
GUS affair, as were others issued In various
places IN New England thereafter. They
contained mainly astronomical calculations and
scientific items.
However, in 1887 John TuIly Of Ssybrook,
Conn issued mildly humorous almanac which
was only fairly successful because the serious
minded New Englanders doubted its usefulness
More satisfactory TO them was the ADes Alma
nae, first issued in 1726 by Dr. Nathaniel Ames.
He had an inquiring mind. IN interest in scien-
tifc matters and some skill in writing poetry,
he and his son after him, issued for nearly 80
years.
But real almanac history In America begins
with Benjamin Franklin During his visit 10
London (172425) he had noticed the large sale
Of these little books. had enjoyed equally the wit
Of Poor Robins AlmanRck" and the wise max
inns Of 1.-The English Apollo" serious and lit
erary almanac issued by certain Richard SsuD-
ders So when he returned - America and
al his -1r-iv rrorai In, fe61
he had his partner. Thomas Godfrey, write an
almanac which he published for three years,
from 1729 TO 1871 He also printed al almanac
for J. Jernann and imported copies Of Poor
Robin from England 10 sell In his print shop,
which WIS also book store
ITO economize on the expense Of writer
thirty pounds sterling was the price in general
he decided TO write one himself. thus adding the
material and moral profits Of an author 70 the
gains Of q printer" says Fay. In deciding upon
q name for his book he borrowed" from two
English almanacs which had impressed him most
Poor Robin" and Richard Saunders and
the result was little volume which bore this
pretenrious title:
Poor Richard. 1913. An almanzck for the
year Of Christ 1733. being the first af1E Leap
year. wherein Is contained the Lunstions.
EcEpses, Judgment Of the Weather. Spring
Tides Planets Motions and Mutual Aspects. Sun
and Moons Rising and Setting, Length Of Days,
Times Of High Water, Fairs. Courts and observ-
able Days Fitted TO the Latitude of forty de-
grees and meridian Of five hours West from
London. bur may without sensible Error serve
al the adjacent places even from Newfoundland
TO South Carolina By Richard Saunders. PhIlon,
Philadelphia Printed and sold by Benjamin
Franklin Fl the New Printing Office near the
Market"
The almanac had q promising start, for, says
Fay, Franklin gave his verve free rein. Rude.
picturesque and rich In humor, his almanac
described the life and preoccupadons Of the
American colonies In raw colors and bold strokes
II was an adequate expression Of this country
where the people worked hard and economical
penny by penny. where the great happenings Of
the year were the snow In DecembE. the freezing
weather IN January. the harvests Of September.
and an occasional daring joke on the minister
when his back WIS turned
He further guaranteed the success Of his ven