COMMON THINGS THE ALMANACK. 



the date of the festival of Easter has a strict dependence upon the 

 periodical phases of the moon. As our knowledge of astronomy 

 has been for ages progressive, and as the tables of the lunar 

 motions more especially have been subject to continual improve- 

 ment, being rendered more and more exactly in accordance with 

 the phenomena as science has advanced, it would follow that, if 

 Easter were strictly regulated by the moon, the ecclesiastical 

 authorities, from whom the calendar has always emanated, would 

 be dependent on the astronomers of the time being for the means 

 of predicting from year to year the days to be appointed for the 

 celebration of Easter ; inasmuch as a rule prescribed by the astro- 

 nomers of the 14th century would fail before the improved 

 knowledge of those of the 15th ; as the rule prescribed by the latter 

 would be rendered erroneous by the still more exact knowledge 

 obtained by those of the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th. 



Now, any person who will refer to the prefatory matter prefixed 

 to the Book of Common Prayer, will see that the means of pre- 

 dicting the days upon which the Feast of the Resurrection will 

 fall for centuries to come, are given entirely irrespective of the 

 contingent discoveries of astronomers, and of the possible errors 

 which might have prevailed in times past as to the lunar motions. 



That approximate coincidence between the epoch of the cele- 

 bration of the Resurrection and the astronomical dates of the 

 vernal equinox and the full moon was designed, is undoubtedly 

 true, and that the technical rules laid down for calculating 

 from year to year the day of the celebration of the Resurrection, 

 does lead to a certain rough correspondence with the lunar phases, 

 may be admitted. But the determination of Easter-day has no 

 necessary dependence on, and is not meant to be defined by, the 

 actual lunar phenomena as seen in the heavens. 



15. According to the rule established by the Roman branch of 

 the Catholic Church, and which has been followed by the Church of 

 England, the day of the celebration of the Feast of the Resur- 

 rection is determined, according to the explanation of the English 

 Church, in the following manner : 



Find the day of the first full moon which occurs on or after the 

 day of the spring equinox. The festival of Easter will be cele- 

 brated on the Sunday next following that day. 



16. Now it is most necessary to the clear comprehension of the 

 calendar, and for the prevention of numerous errors into which 

 even well-informed persons frequently fall, to observe emphatically 

 that not one of the principal terms used in this rule is to be 

 understood in its usual and obvious meaning. The "spring 

 equinox " does not mean the real spring equinox of the astro- 

 nomers, the "moon" does not mean the moon which shines in the 



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