If Christmas day on Thursday be, UNLUCKY DAYS. The following list of the "evil days in each month" is translated from the original Latin verses in the old Sarum Missal: January. Of this first month, the opening day February. The fourth day bringeth down to death; March. The second lays a cohort low. September. The third day of the month September, October. The third and tenth, with poisoned breath, November. The fifth bears scorpion-sting of deadly pain; December. The seventh's a fatal day to human life; O. S. and N. S. THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR. The Julian calendar was framed about 46 years before Christ. Cæsar made the year consist of 365 days; and the annual excess of six hours, which amounted to one day in four years, was taken into account by making every fourth year (leapyear) consist of 366 days. But Cæsar's correction of the calendar was imperfect, being founded on the supposition that the solar year consisted of 365 days, 6 hours, whereas the true solar year consists of 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45 seconds. Thus the Julian year exceeded the solar 11 minutes 14 seconds, which amounted to a whole day in 130 years. In consequence of this inaccuracy, the vernal equinox, which happened on the 25th of March in the time of Julius Cæsar, had receded to the 21st of March in the year 325, and was fixed to that day by the Council of Nice. Attempts were afterwards made to effect some change in the calendar; but a complete reformation was not made until 1582. Pope Gregory XIII. invited to Rome the most learned astronomers of the age; and, after the subject had been discussed ten years, it was decreed that the vernal equinox, which had receded ten days since the Council of Nice, and consequently happened on the 11th of March, should be brought back to the 21st of March, and that for this purpose ten days should be taken from the month of October, 1582. To avoid future deviation, it was determined that instead of every 100th year being leap-year, every 400th year only should be leap-year. By this plan-a diminution of three days in 400 years-the error in the present calendar will not exceed a day and a half in five thousand years. The calendar thus reformed by Pope Gregory was immediately introduced into Catholic countries, but was not finally adopted in Great Britain until 1752, when, by act of Parliament, eleven days were struck out of the calendar, the 3d of September being reckoned the 14th. The Greek Church still obstinately adheres to the old style. RESULTS OF THE CHANGE IN THE STYLE. The following happily-conceived address to the patrons of "Poor Job's Almanac" was occasioned by the change of the style in 1752. The number of that year bears the title Poor Job, 1752. By Job Shepherd, philom. Newport Printed by James Franklin,* at the Printing-office under the Town School-house. In this almanac the month of September has, in the margin, the figures of the successive days, commencing 1, 2; and, after leaving blank a space for eleveu days, recommencing with 14, and continuing to the 30th. KIND READER :-You have now such a year as you never saw before, nor will see hereafter, the King and Parliament of Great Britain having thought proper to enact that the month of September, 1752, shall contain but nineteen days, which will shorten this year eleven days, and have extended the same throughout the British dominions; so that we are not to have two beginnings to our years, but the first of January is to be the first day and the first month of the year 1752; eleven days are taken from September, and begin 1, 2, 14, 15, &c. Be not astonished, nor look with concern, dear reader, at such a deduction of days, nor regret as for the loss of so much time; but take this for your consolation, that your expenses will perhaps appear lighter, and your mind be more at ease. And what an indulgence is here for those who love their pillows, to lie down in peace on the second of this month, and not perhaps awake or be disturbed till the fourteenth, in the morning! And, reader, this is not to hasten the payment of debts, freedom of apprentices or servants, or the coming to age of minors; but the number of natural days in all agreements are to be ful Brother of Dr. Franklin filled. All Church holidays and Courts are to be on the same nominal days they were before; but fairs, after the second of September, alter the nominal days, and so seemed to be held eleven days later. Now, reader, since 'tis likely you may never have such another year nor such another almanac, I would advise you to improve the one for your own sake, and I recommend the other for the sake of your friend, POOR JOB. Memoria Technica. NAMES AND ORDER OF THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. THE Great Jehovah speaks to us In Genesis and Exodus; Leviticus and Numbers see Followed by Deuteronomy. Joshua and Judges sway the land, Ruth gleans a sheaf with trembling hand; Samuel and numerous Kings appear Whose Chronicles we wondering hear. Ezra and Nehemiah, now, Esther the beauteous mourner show. Job speaks in sighs, David in Psalms, Ecclesiastes then comes on, And the sweet Song of Solomon. Isaiah, Jeremiah then With Lamentations takes his pen, NAMES AND ORDER OF THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, wrote the life of their Lord; The Acts, what Apostles accomplished, record; Rome, Corinth, Galatus, Ephesus, hear What Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians revere: Timotheus, Titus, Philemon, precede The Epistle which Hebrews most gratefully read; NAMES OF SHAKSPEARE'S PLAYS. Omitting the Historical English Dramas, " quos versu dicere non est Cymbeline, Tempest, Much Ado, Verona, Winter's Tale, Merchant, Troilus, Lear, Hamlet, Love's Labor, All's Well, Pericles, Othello, Romeo, Macbeth, Cleopatra, Cæsar, Coriolanus. ENGLISH SOVEREIGNS. First William the Norman, Then William his son; Next Henry the Third, Edwards one, two, and three; And again, after Richard, Three Henrys we see. Two Edwards, third Richard, Then Charles whom they slew, Next James the Second Ascended the throne; Then good William and Mary Together came on. Till, Anne, Georges four, And fourth William all past, God sent Queen Victoria: May she long be the last! PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES. The elder ADAMS next we see, And JEFFERSon comes number three; 3 |