OCTOBER. 
it now bears, from the Latin words oclo, eight, and imber, 
a (bower of rain ; although it is the tenth month in our 
prefent calendar, as it was alfo in thofe of Nuraa Pompi- 
lius, Julius Caefar, and Auguftus. In the Alban calendar 
it contained 39, and in the amended one by Romulus 31, 
days: Numa reduced it to 29 days ; .but one of thefe fo 
expunged was reftored by Julius Caefar, and the other 
by Auguftus ; fince which lalt alteration it has retained 
its prefent numberof 31. It was placed under the protec¬ 
tion of Mars. 
Like September, this month has undergone fome tem¬ 
porary changes of name; and, like that month, it foon 
reverted to the one by which it was originally diltinguilhed. 
The fenate, out of refpedl to the emperor Antoninus Pius, 
firft altered Odtober to Favfiinas, from Fauftina, his ami¬ 
able confort; as they had alfo, out of compliment to that 
much-loved emperor, changed the title of September to 
the name he bore. Domitian, the deceitful and detefta- 
ble defpot who in his reign caufed September to bear the 
furname he had alfumed of Germanicus, likewife changed 
the ancient appellative of this month to Domitianus; and 
Commodus, one of the vainelt and mod cruel tyrants that 
ever difgraced humanity, who had commanded September 
to be called Herculeus, from his arrogant affumption of 
that hero’s name, likewife changed Offoberto Inviffus, or 
Invincible, in allufion to his lkill in athletic exerciles, of 
which he was fo extremely fond, as even to abandon his 
palace and refide among the gladiators. 
Our Saxon anceftors called October Wyn-moneth, or 
Wine-month ; alfo Winter-fyllith, from the winter ap¬ 
proaching with the full moon of that month. Some of 
the very old Saxon calendars have marked the charadter of 
thismonfh by the figure of a hufbandman carryingafack 
on his (boulders and lowing of corn ; as expreffive that 
October was a proper time for that important part of agri¬ 
cultural labour, when the weather was cool and dry. In 
others lefs ancient, hawking is the emblem of the month ; 
and, in yet more modern times, Oftober has been de¬ 
picted as a man clothed in a garment of the colour of de¬ 
caying leaves, with a garland of oak-brariches and acorns 
on his head, holding in his left hand a bafket of chefnuts, 
medlars,.fervices, &C. and in his right, Scorpio, being the 
fign of the zodiac the l'un enters on the 23d of the month. 
Brady's Clavis Calendaria, vol. i. 
The 5th of Oftober, or the ill of the Hebrew month 
Tifri, is obferved by the Jews as the firft day of their new 
year ; and it is alfo celebrated by them as the Anniver¬ 
sary of the World; that is, according to their received 
traditions, the yearly day of judgment, when the Al¬ 
mighty judges the univerfe, both as nations and indi¬ 
viduals. They then take the Book of the Law, and read 
the portion for the day from the firft verfe of the twenty- 
firft chapter of Genefis to the end ; after that, they read 
the Mophter, or portion for the day, from the firft of the 
twenty-ninth chapter of Numbers to the end of the fixth 
verfe. The portion from the Prophets is from the firft 
verfe of the Firft Book of Samuel, to the end of the tenth 
of the fecond chapter. 
This feltival of the Jewilh new year is alfo called the 
Feajl of Trumpets. See Numbers, chap. xxix. And 
therefore, immediately after this portion of the law is 
read in the fynagogue, and the prayer faid for the prof- 
perity of the government, they blow the cornet, or ram’s 
horn, faying “ Blefled art thou, O Lord our God, King 
of the univerfe! who hath fanftioned us with his com¬ 
mandment, and commanded us to hear the found of the 
trumpet. Blefled art thou, O Lord our God, King of 
the univerfe! that he hath let us live, and fublifted us to 
this feafon.” After the blowing of the cornet, they fay, 
with a loud voice, “ Happy is the people that know the 
joyful found: O Lord ! in the light of thy countenance 
lhall they walk.” The Law being returned into the ark 
again, the Mufopk, or Addition, is again faid, which 
makes mention of the additional offering of the day ; con¬ 
cluding with prayers that generally lalt till after twelve 
Vo-c. XVII. No. 1185. 
393 
in the forenoon. Public prayers are alfo performed in 
the afternoon and evening of this and the following day; 
thofe two days being the two days of holy convocation, 
on which no fervile work is to be done. This feltival is 
likewife preparatory to that of the day of atonement. 
OCtober 9, or the third day of the month Tifri, is kept 
as Rujh Ho/hona, a ftriCt fall, in commemoration of the 
murder of Gedaliah, who was appointed governor over 
the cities of Judah by the king of Babylon. Gedaliah 
and fourfeore other perfons were treacherouily aflaffinated 
by IlhmaeL This fall the prophet Zachariah (viii. 19.) 
calls the fajl of the J'eoenth month. 
The Jews obferve the 12th of OCtober in remembrance 
of judgment of death pronounced upon the perfons con¬ 
cerned in making the golden calf. Exodus xxxii. 
OCtober 16. This is the Jewifli fall of Yom Kipur, or 
the great Day of Expiation, though every day between 
the jewifli new-year’s-day and this is called a day of peni¬ 
tence ; and the fabbath, which falls in thefe days, is called 
the Sabbath of Penitence, when the rabbi of every fyna¬ 
gogue preaches a fermon to the congregation on the fub- 
jeCt of repentance. The Day of Expiation, called, byway 
of eminence, “ The Great Day,” is moll fo'emnly ob- 
lerved, from the rules preferibed in the fixteenth chapter of 
Leviticus; but now, though there is no Temple, nor 
High Pried to officiate, the obfervance of the day is Hill 
thought ItriCtly binding upon the Jews, from the words, 
“ And this lhall be a ftatutey’w ever unto you, that in the 
feventh month, on the tenth day, ye lhall alfiiCl your 
fouls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your 
own country, or a ftranger that fojourneth among you.” 
Lev. xvi. 29, 31. 
This fall commences on the eve of the ninth day, (Oct. 
15.) previoully to which, the Jews hold it a duty incum¬ 
bent on them, if any man has offended another, either in 
word or deed, to alk pardon ; for, though they aflert that 
fincere repentance will infure pardon for fin on the great 
day of atonement, that is to be only underltood of tins 
between a man and his Maker; but, for one man that 
has injured another, the rabbins hold there can be no 
hope of a pardon till the offending party has reconciled 
himfelf, and made reftitution to the party offended. This 
feltival, as hinted before, commences on the eve of the 
ninth day after the new year; when the Jews leave off 
eating and drinking, and, having cleaned and dreffed 
themlelves in their belt apparel in honour of the day, they 
go to the fynagogue, where the evening-prayers of the 
fall laft upwards of three hours. They afterwards return 
home, but are not allowed to tafte any manner of fufte- 
nance. They attend again next morning at fix o’clock, 
and continue their devotions till dark ; fo that this is a 
very ftridt fait. 
On 061 . 20, the Jews celebrate the Feaft of Tabernacles, 
or Succoth, to remind them of their forty years’ journey¬ 
ing in the wildernefs. At the hour the fabbath begins, 
they go to the evening-fervice of the fynagogue, where 
additional prayers are faid, in honour of this feltival. Af¬ 
terwards, inftead of fitting down to meat in their houfes, 
they mult go to their refpedtive tabernacles, or booths, 
where, every preparation being completed, the mailer of 
the family takes a glafs of wine in his right hand, and 
fays the liodujh, or grace, adding “ Blefled art thou, O 
Lord our God, King of the univerfe ! who hath fanctiffed 
us with his commandments, and commanded us to dwell 
in a tabernacle-,” and this they add to the grace after 
every meal during the feven days of the Feaft of Taber¬ 
nacles. In cafe of rainy weather, their (lay in thefe 
booths is difpenfed with. In the morning of the Feaft of 
Tabernacles, when they go to fynagogue, after Dying,the 
prayers tor the feltival, and before th epraife, they take the 
citron, the branch of the palm-tree, myrtles, and willows, 
fome in the right haad, and others in the left, laying an 
appropriate grace; but, if this happens to fall on the fab¬ 
bath, they are excufed, as they are not allowed to carry 
any thing on that day. On this feftiyal, as well as on 
5 H other 
