Discourses on Various Subjects Read Before Literary and Philosophical Societies (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 edition. Excerpt: ...all persons born between December 31. 1750 and March 25. 1751 f--is still apt to perplex those who have to deal in any way with the dates of events and documents anterior to the parliamentary reformation of the Calendar. For example: the anniversaries of remarkable occurrences which happened in England before the adoption of the New Style are, as given in some, if not all, of our almanacs, really erroneous, and may lead to further errors, unless their character is clearly understood. 1752, being a leap-year. 'f And not only of such but of all (mutatis mutandis) born in the corresponding period of any year preceding, who were living after the alteration. Respecting such records the editors of a popular annual publication say: --"In the anniversaries given in the British Almanac, the alterations of style made in 1752 have not been followed, as any correction of date would have embarrassed the reader in historical and biographical references." Accordingly, in that almanac, the execution of Charles I. is recorded as having taken place on the 30th of January, 1648, and the revolution (more properly the acceptance of the crown by William and Mary) on the 13th of February, 1688, both of which dates are Old Style, and also according to the old civil year. This plan may possibly be the best, although I see some reason to doubt it; but, at all events, it will mislead the reader, unless he exactly comprehends it and carries it in his mind. Even if we lay aside the consideration of the discrepancy of ten or eleven days between the Julian and the Gregorian Calendar, the simple difference in the modes of commencing the year is itself a continual source of perplexity. Companion to the Almanac for 1828. Although, before the reformation of the Calendar...