CALENDAR. 
are substituted instead of golden numbers. 
See Epact. 
Dr. Playfair, in his “ System of Chro- 
nology,” observes that the method of inter- 
calation used in the Gregorian Calendar is 
not the most accurate. Ninety-seven days, 
or too — 3, are inserted in the space of four 
centuries. This supposes the tropical year 
to consist of 365'“, S’*, 49', 12”. On this 
supposition the interpolation would be ex- 
act, and the error would scarcely exceed 
one day in 268,000 years. But the refor- 
mers of the calendar made use of the Co- 
pernican year of SeS**, S'*, 49', 20”. Instead, 
therefore, of inserting 97 days in 400 years, 
they ought to have added, at proper inter- 
vals, 41 days in 169 years, or 90 days in 
371 years, or 131 in 540 years, &c. Recent 
observations have determined the quantity 
of the tropical year to be 365*’, o'*, 48 45 j . 
Admitting tliis to be the true quantity of 
it, the intercalations ought to be made as 
follows : 
H + — + + + + + 
4 17 33 128 ^ ^ m 9^ 1057 
l’ T’ 8’ sT’ 132’ 163’ 199’ 225’ 256’ 
+ + — — — + ~ 
1185 1313 1441 2754 4067 9447 51302 
287’ 31H' l49 ’ 667 ’ 985 ’ 2288’ 12425’ 
+ 
60749 172800 
14713’ 41851 ’ 
that is, one day ought to be 
intercalated in the space of 4 years, or rather 
4 days in 17 years, or 8 days in 33 yeais, &c. 
If 41,851 days were intercalated in 172,800 
years there would be no error. The signs 
-f- and — indicate that the number of in- 
tercalary days above which they are placed 
is too great or too small. Every succeed- 
ing number is more accurate than that 
which goes before. As this method of inter- 
polation is different from that now in use, it 
is obvious that the Gregorian calendar must 
be corrected after a certain period of years. 
The correction, however, will be incon- 
siderable for many ages, as it will amount 
only to a day and a half, which is to be sup- 
pressed in the space of 5000 years. 
Calendar, reformed or corrected, that 
which, setting aside golden numbers, epacts, 
and dominical letters, determines the equi- 
nox, with the paschal full moon, and the 
moveable feasts depending tliereon, by astro- 
nomical computations, according to the 
Rudolphine table. This calendar was in- 
troduced among the Protestant States of 
Germany in the year 1700, when 11 days 
were, at once, thrown out of the month of 
February, by which means the corrected 
style agrees with the Gregorian. 
Calendar, French, new, is a quite new 
form of calendar that commenced in France 
on the 22d of September, 1792. 
The year, in this calendar, commences 
at midnight the beginning of that day in 
which falls the true autumnal equinox for 
the observatory of Paris. The year is di- 
vided into 12 equal months, of 30 days 
each; after which 5 supplementary days 
are added, to complete the 365 days of the 
ordinary year : these 5 days do not belong 
to any month. Each month is divided into 
three decades of 10 days each ; distinguished 
by 1st, 2d, and 3d decade. All these are 
named according to the order of the natu- 
ral numbers, viz. the 1st, 2d, 3d, &c. 
month, or day of the decade, or of the 
supplementary days. The years which re- 
ceive an intercalary day, when the position 
of the equinox requires it, which we call 
embolismic or bissextile, they call Olympic ; 
and the period of four years, ending with 
an Olympic year, is called an olympiade; 
the intercalary day being placed after the 
ordinary five supplementary days, and 
making the last day of the Olympic year. 
Each day, from midnight to midnight, is 
divided into 10 parts, each part into 10 
others, and so on to the least measurable 
portion of time. 
In this calendar too the months and days 
of them have new names. The first three 
months of the year, of which the autumn 
is composed, take their etymology ; the first 
from the vintage, which takes place from 
September to October, and is called Ven- 
demaire; the second, Brumaire, from the 
mists and low fogs, which show, as it were, 
the transudation of nature from October to 
November ; the third, Frimaire, from the 
cold, sometimes dry and sometimes moist, 
which is felt from November to December. 
The three winter months take their etymo- 
logy; tlie first, Nivose, from the snow 
which whitens the earth from December to 
January; the second, Pluviose, from the 
rains which usually fall in greater abun- 
dance from January to February ; the third, 
Ventose, from the wind which dries the 
earth from Febraary to March. The three 
spring months take their etymology; the 
first, Germinal, from the fermentation and 
developement of the sap from March to 
April ; the second, Floreal, from the blow- 
ing of the flow'ers from April to May ; the 
third, Prairial, from the smiling fecundity 
pf the meadow crops from May to June. 
