110 TI5IN-RECKDNING. 



inches burnetl in about an lionr, and thus the six candles lasted 

 24 hoiu-s, each being lighted in succession by an attendant. The 

 system of measuring time by the burning of candk^s was subsequently 

 used in monasteries. About the time of the eleventli century clocks 

 moved by weights and wheels were lirst introduced. The pendulum 

 clock w!is invented in the 17tlx century. 



The Babylonians, Persians, Indians, Syriaais, Greeks and other 

 ancient nations, began their day at sunrise, and had divisions cor- 

 responding to morning, forenoon, mid-day, ai"ternoon, evening and 

 night. The Jews had four divisions, viz., evening, moniing, noon 

 and midnight, the two first being much longer tluui noon and mid- 

 night. Tlie civil day of the Jews begiin at sunrise, their sacred day 

 at sunset. The latter mode was followed by the Athenhxns and 

 ancient Gauls. 



The ancient, like the modern, Arabians began their day at noon. 



The Chaldean astronomers divided tlie day into sixty parts ; like 

 the modern Chinese, they also had a division of the day into twelve 

 hours. 



The ancient Egyptians (probably B.C. 1000) divided the day 

 equally into day and night, and ag;un sub-divided each half into 

 tNvelve hours, numbered from 1 to 12; the night witli them com- 

 menced six hours before and terminated six hours after midnight ; 

 the day began six houi-s before noon aaxd lasted twelve houi-s, or 

 until six hours after noon. It is probable that the Egyptians had 

 diilei-ent modes of computing the day in ditfereut provinces. Accord- 

 ing to Pliny, they reckoned it from one midnight to another. The 

 astronomers of Cathay and the East Indies reckoned it in the saipe 

 manner. The Mohammedans from one twilight to another. 



The day is reckoned to begin in China before midnight, the first 

 hour extending from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. of our mode of reckoning. 

 The Jews, Turks, Austrians and others, with some of the Italians, 

 have begun theii- day at sunset. Tlie Arabians begin their day at 

 noon, and in this respect they resemble the astronomers and navi- 

 g-ators of modern nations. In Japan it has been ciistomaiy to adhere 

 to the piiictice of the ancient Babylonians in beginning their day at 

 sunrise. 



The above ai-e some of the customs, gleaned from liistory, which have 

 prevailed at various times in ditferent countries with respect to the 

 day and its sub-division. To these may be added the custom prac- 

 tised at sea bv navigators. Miu'inei's of dilierent nations have had 



