COMMON THINGS THE ALMANACK. 



rence is, however, as may be imagined, very rare. Thus for 

 three centuries, before 1818, it only happened three times, viz., 

 in 1598, in 1693, and in 1761, and it will not happen again 

 until 2285. 



31. That Easter should be celebrated on the latest day which is 

 permitted by the rule, it would be necessary that the 14th day of 

 the ecclesiastical moon should be as late as possible after the 20th 

 March, and that it should fall upon Sunday. To be as late as 

 possible, it would be necessary that the 20th March should be 

 itself the 14th of the moon. In that case the 14th of the next 

 moon would fall upon the 18th April, which being by the supposi- 

 tion Sunday, Easter-day will by the rule be the following Sunday, 

 that is the 25th April. Later than this Easter cannot fall, 

 consistently with the rule laid down by the Church. 



This contingency last occurred in 1734, and will next happen 

 in 1886. It occurred in 1666 and will occur in 1943, in 2038, in 

 2190, &c. 



Thus it appears that Easter-day may fall upon any of the 35 

 days, which are included between the 21st March and the 26th 

 April, but that it cannot be earlier than the 22nd March, nor 

 later than the 25th April. 



32. The moon, the phases of which determine Easter, is called 

 the PASCHAL MOON, and it is most important to bear in recollec- 

 tion that it is not the real visible moon of the heavens, but is the 

 fictitious or imaginary moon called the Ecclesiastical Moon. 



As the 14th day of the paschal moon cannot be earlier than the 

 21st March, nor later than the 18th April, it follows that the first 

 day of that moon cannot be earlier than the 8th March, nor later 

 than the 5th April. 



16 



