X. INTRODUCTION. 



equidistant from the same point above alluded to ; 

 but as it is found that the weather follows or is a 

 month later than the astronomical season, and 

 as the weather and its natural phenomenon of 

 flowers, leaves and so on, is a more marked thing 

 than the mere daylight ; so it is generally agreed 

 on to consider the same seasons as thus divided: — 

 Spring, or the springing again of nature into life^ 

 begins on the first of March ; summer on the 

 first of June ; autumn on the first of September ; 

 and winter on the first of December. The con- 

 ventual year of the almanack considers the spring 

 quarter as beginning on the twentyfifth of March 

 and so on of the others ; whilst the Christian year 

 of the calendar regards the time of Advent as the 

 beginning and the disposition of the quarters, in 

 the Breviary and Missal, differeth from the other 

 computations ; so that there is an adjustment neces- 

 sary between all these. What we have to do 

 with here, however, is principally the natural year 

 or circle of the seasons, and its adaptation to the 

 Christian year or festivals of the calendar. I 

 shall begin with the natui*al year. I need not re- 

 mind the reader that hours are divided into minutes, 

 moments, and decimes. 



SIX SEASONS. 



The division of the year into four seasons, 

 however, does not correspond so well with the 



