Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland, were later in the adoption 

 of the change, but soon followed the example of Germany. 

 Some Swiss towns nevertheless offered such vigorous opposition to 

 the measure, that the intervention of the military was necessary 

 to enforce it when adopted by the authorities. 



In Poland, where it was adopted by the government as early as 

 1586, it encountered considerable opposition in certain towns, 

 and even excited a serious insurrection at Eiga. 



108. The anti-papal spirit being much more dominant in 

 England than common sense or scientific authority, the reform, 

 was resisted for nearly two centuries, so that the real had fallen 

 above eleven days behind the legal date of the equinox. In 1752, 

 however, the force of things at length prevailed over this dis- 

 creditable bigotry, and the reform was introduced into the 

 calendar, by declaring the 3rd to be the 14th September. 



109. A measure of which the effect was to overturn the long 

 established landmarks of time, and to substitute for them others, 

 new and altogether strange to tradition and usage, could not be 

 supposed to pass without exciting many reclamations among 

 persons of all classes from the peer to the peasant. Personal 

 feelings were excited at the unceremonious perturbation of 

 birthdays and of marriage anniversaries. Eeligious exasperation 

 was produced by the arbitrary transposition of the most solemn 

 festivals. Even the moveable feasts already surrounded with 

 some confusion, became for the moment confusion worse con- 

 founded. Political celebrations and the dates of historical events 

 shared in the general disturbance. 



In an essay on the ecclesiastical calendar, by Professor De 

 Morgan, which was published in the Companion to the British 

 Almanac, for 1845, some amusing examples of this are collected. 

 A friend of the author, an eminent scientific man, not long since 

 deceased, related of his own knowledge, when a boy, that a 

 worthy couple in a country town, scandalised at the change of 

 style in 1752, continued to attempt the observance of Good 

 Friday on the old day. To this end they used to walk seriously, 

 and in holiday costume, to the church door, at which the gentle- 

 man used to knock for a certain time with his cane, demanding 

 admittance. On finding no admission, they walked as solemnly 

 home again, and read the Church service appointed for the day. 

 On the new and, as they regarded it, spurious Good Friday, they 

 ostentatiously acted as if it either preceded or followed the genuine 

 day, as the case might be, so as to render it manifest to their 

 neighbours and friends, that they at least totally rejected the new 

 style. 



110. In the 48 years, between 1752, the date of the change of 

 172 



