1846.] Beginning of the Year in various Jfations. 121 



all, more or less, eat pork. It serves both as butter and meat, 

 with the fish and potatoes which they have constantly on hand. 



The demand for American pork, is on the whole, likely to in- 

 crease; because the class of people who eat it are increasino-, 

 and there is no other country to supply the demand. — Cincinnati 

 Inquirer. 



BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IN VARIOUS NATIONS. 



The Chaldean and Egyptian years were dated from the autumn- 

 al equinox. The ecclesiastical year of the Jews began in the 

 spring; but in civil affairs they retain the epoch of the Egyptians. 

 The ancient Chinese reckoned from the new moon nearest the 

 middle of Aquarius. The year of Romulus commenced in March, 

 and that of Numa in January. The Turks and Arabs date the 

 year from the 16th of July. Dremschid or Gremschid, king of 

 Persia, observed, on the day of his public entry into Persepolis, 

 that the sun entered into Aries; and in commemoration of this 

 fortunate event, he ordered the beginning ofthe year to be remov- 

 ed from the autumnal to the vernal equinox. The Brachmen be- 

 gin their year new moon in April. The Mexicans in February, 

 when the leaves begin to grow green. Their year consists of 

 eighteen months, having twenty days each; the last five days are 

 spent in mirth, and no business is suffered to be done, nor even 

 any service at the temples. The Abyssinians have five idle days 

 at the end of their year, which commences on the 26th of August. 

 The American Indians reckon from the first appearance of new 

 moon at the vernal equinox. The Mahomedans begin their year 

 the minute in which the sun enters Aries. The Venetians, Flo- 

 rentines, and the Pisans in Italy, begin the year at the vernal 

 equinox. The French year, during the reign of the Merovingian 

 race, began on the day the troops were reviewed, which was on 

 the first day of March. Under the Carlovingians it began on 

 Christmas day, and under the Capetians on Easter day. The 

 ecclesiastical beginning on the first Sunday in Advent. Charles 

 IX appointed, in 1564, that for future the civil should commence 

 on the first of January. The Julian calendar was called from .Ju- 

 lius Cffisar ; and it is the old account ofthe year which was reformed 

 by Pope Gregory in 1582, which plan was suggested by Lewis Li- 

 lio, a Calabrian astronomer. The Dutch and Protestants in Ger- 

 many introduced the new style in 1700. The ancient clergy reck- 

 oned from the 25th of March ; and the method was observed in 

 Britain until the introduction of the new style, A.D. 1752, after 

 which our year commenced on the 1st of January. 

 Vol. II, No. 1. 10 



