Unification in the measnre of time. 77 



printed and addressed "Aux savants reunis a Bologne pour 



la commemoration du huitieme centenaire de son Univer- 



site." A little later the same Academy addressed to all 



Universities and scientific bodies which had been represented 



at the festival of the centenary a note, dated August 2, on 



the progress of the question in its relation to the universal 



hour,* and as soon as their attention was called to the 



impending Bath meeting of the British Association for 



the Advancement of Science, I was requested to profit 



by the international character of that meeting, and, as the 



Academy's delegate, to do all I could "to give a strong 



impulse to the studies connected with the unification of 



the Calendar." 



III. 



The Bologna Academy of Science, fully aware that the 

 first condition of success is to propose to one's self things 

 reasonable, has declared that the desired unification of the 

 Calendar ought to be urged " within wise limits." " This 

 Academy," they say, " beg to remark that the Universal 

 " Calendar, being merely intended to serve international 

 " relations and scientific purposes, will no more impede 

 " the maintenance and use of national calendars, with their 

 " own particular divisions, than the universal hour will be 

 "likely to impede the maintenance and use of the local 

 " hours. The abolition of the national calendars, provided 

 " they be correct, is by no means aimed at by our Academy, 

 " and the very circumstance of the festival in celebration of 

 "the eighth jubilee of our University witnesses to our 

 " respect for, and profound attachment to, the traditions of 

 " the past. Simplification is not levelling, and it would 

 "indeed be a poor service rendered to science to deprive 

 " people of the means of understanding their past history. 

 " The very fact, moreover, that all Christian countries employ 



* Siir les derniers pr ogres de la question de runification dti Cakndrier, dans 

 ses rapports avec Fheiire imiverselle. Bologne, Gamberini, 1888. 



