1803.] French Calendar—Tranflation of Arrian’s Alexander. 
for it? An epoch which borders fo nearly 
on fo many calamities, on fo many difaf- 
trous {cenes, does it feem proper to be 
made an object of commemoration? We 
fhall not difallow, however, (adds the 
author) that the French revolution is a 
very memorable event, and one of the molt 
important that has occurred for huma- 
nity, fince the eftablifhment of Chriftia- 
nity, and, of confeqtience, that it would 
not be improper to fix-upon it as a uni- 
verfal era. But this revolution (the pro- 
elamation of the republic of which forms 
only a fingle point, and is only a 
fimple incident) commenced long before 
the year 1792; it dates from the opening 
of the Affembly of Notables, and even 
from their convocation—~it goes back to 
the {pring of 178y. The other events, 
reckoning from the taking of the Batftile, 
have only a particular intereft for the 
French themfelves, like any of the other 
incidents of the revolution.”* 
The autumnal equinox, according to 
this author, ought to be rejected, for rea- 
fons drawn even from aftronomy itfelf— 
and that of the {pring fhould be fubftituted 
for it. An apparent coincidence has here 
given rife to an error, It had been re- 
marked, at the obfervatory of Paris, that 
the fun’s entry into the fign of Libra, or 
the Scales, would precifely accord with 
‘the 22d day of September: but as the year 
reprefents an aftronomical or fimply na- 
tural revolution, we fhould fix the com- 
mencement of it after nature itfelf, which 
is fufficiently known to us, and not after 
political revolutions, which have nothing 
in common with the courfe of nature. It 
feems, therefore, fitting, .that we thould 
begin the year at the equinox of March. 
At that time, the fun is equally vifible 
to all the globe; the days and nights are 
of equal lengch to all its inhabitants ; and 
the daily motion of the globe divides the 
earth into two equal hemifpheres. It is 
very true, however, that at this period of 
time the fun fets in Chili, at the fame in- 
ftant that he rifes in our countries; a cir- 
cumftance which feems to indicate, that 
there fhould be different eras for the 
northern and fouthern hemifphere: but as 
this would confiderably derange our cal- 
culations, it is natural that we fhould fix 
upon that epoch which appears to us to 
be the moft convenient. ‘* But I main- 
tain (continues this writer), that the au- 
tumnal equinox is by no means the natu- 
ral epoch from which to commence the 
year; the fun is then retrograde, anc is 
forfaking us; the days are gradually fhort- 
197 
ening; vegetation feems checked, and na 
ture gives up itfelf to a fort of fleep; the 
trees become ftripped of their leaves 5 
colds, mifts, and ice, frequently over- 
fpread the earth; in fhort, one might fays 
that all nature was drawing to its period s 
—and is it under fuch aufpices that we 
fhould commence the year. How ftriking 
the difference between the equinox of 
fpring > Then commences the moft fmil- 
ing of feafons, then the fun feems to burft 
on his moft brilliant career, vivifying the 
plants, and accelerating vegetation. Ani~ 
mal nature then performs the funétions of 
reprodugtion; every thing feems to fmile 
at the happy change. Let us fubltitutey 
therefore ({ays he) the 21ft of March for 
the 22d of September, if we mult indif 
penfably have a new ftyle; but let us do 
it without delay, left habit fhould render 
the change too irkfome. What obftacles 
have we to fear at this conjuncture, fo re- 
mote from the reign of terror, when the 
new era, at lealt next to the Chriftian 
era, excites the moft philofophical, the 
greateft, and the moft general intereft?”” 
Came a a 
For the Monthly Magazines 
NEW TRANSLATION OF ARRIAN’S EXs 
PEDITION OF ALEXANDERe 
i | \HE following excellent critique on 2 
new tranflation of a very valuable 
antient author, is extracted from a late 
number of Le Magazin Encyclopediquee. 
The title of the work is—** Hiftory of 
the Expeditions of Alexander, compiled 
from the Memoirs of Ptolemy and Arifto= 
bulus, his Lieutenants, by Flavius Arrian 
of Nicomedia, furnamed the New Xeno- 
phon, a Roman Conful and General, and 
Difciple of Eyiétetus ; anew tranflationy 
by Citizen Chouffard.”’ | 
‘“¢ This work may be confidered in five 
points of view: 1.Asa Tranflation. 2. 
As Military Details. 3. The Geograe 
phical part. 4. Antiquities; and, 5. An 
Hiftorical Critique. 
Before we examine the tranflation, it 
may be expedient to caft a coup d’a@il on 
the original itfelf. 
«© The Relation of Arrian is one of the 
moft valuable monuments of antiquity. 
This author wrote from authentic me- 
moirs of the greateft authority ; the docu- 
ments of which he both difcuffes and com- 
pares. He announces, in fact, that he 
makes ule of the Memoirs of Ptolemy aud 
Ariftobulus, lieutenants of Alexander. He 
appears to give the preference to Ptolemy. 
He likewife confulted the Journal of Alex- 
Rz ander, 
- 
