CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. FROM WORCESTER'S HISTORY. IN the following table, the most important epochs are given, together with a system of Artificial Memory, to facilitate the recollecting of dates. This system is derived chiefly from Dr. Grey's Memoria Technica. In order to facilitate remembering dates, a word is formed of the name recorded, or of the first syllables of it, together with one or more syllables added to it, and made up of numeral letters. For this purpose a yowel and a consonant are assigned to each digit, and a or b denote 1; e or d 2; i or t 3; o or ƒ 4; and so on, in the following series:- These letters may be easily remembered by considering that the first five vowels represent 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; that the diphthong au, which is composed of a 1 and u 5, denotes 6; that oi, for the same reason, denotes 7, oo 8, and ou 9. The diphthong ai is put for the cipher 0, but without any similar reason. The first consonant, b, denotes 1; d, the first letter of duo, the latin for two, denotes 2; t, the initial of the word three, is put for 3; f, for the same reason, for 4; v (V being the Roman numeral for five) denotes 5; s, the initial of six, is put for 6; p, from septem, the Latin for seven, denotes 7; k, from the Greek okto, eight, is put for 8; n, the initial of the word nine, denotes 9; and 7, the final letter, is put for 0. Having perfectly learned the foregoing series, the student may proceed to exercise himself in the formation and resolution of dates, in the following manner : 10 189 342 390 659 1492 1776 1830 apois booiz The system may be extended at pleasure; and, by the formation of words in the manner described, it will be easy to fix in the mind the time of the death of illustrious men, the commencement of the reigns of kings, and other events, of which it is desirable to remember the date. It will be easy to remember whether the event took place before or after Christ. Besides the series of letters already explained, g may denote a hundred, and th a thousand. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF INVENTIONS. 991 The Figures of Arithmetic brought into Europe by the Saracens. Surnames begin to be used by the nobility. 1137 The Pandects of Roman Law discovered at Amalfi. 1157 The first regular Bank at Venice. 1253 Linen first made in England. 1260 Glass Mirrors and Magnifying-glasses invented by R. Bacon. 1280 to 1311. Spectacles invented by Bacon, Salvinus, Armatus, and Spina. 1290 Tallow candles begin to be used. 1300 Chimneys and Glass Windows begin to be used in private houses. 1302 The Mariner's Compass improved by Flavio Gioia. 1320 to 40. GUNPOWDER invented at Cologne by Schwartz. 1342 Cannon used at the siege of Algeziras: Muskets in use in 1370. 1350 Clocks in use: first made in England in 1568. 1390 Playing-cards invented: first Paper-mill in Germany. 1410 Painting in oil-colours invented at Bruges by Van Eyck. 1440 Art of PRINTING invented by Coster, Guttenberg, &c. 1464 Post-offices established in France: in England in 1581. 1471 Printing introduced into England by William Caxton. 1477 Watches made at Nuremberg: in use in England in 1597. 1489 Maps and Charts brought into England by Bartholomew Columbus. 1530 The Spinning-wheel invented at Brunswick by Jurgen. 1532 The true SOLAR SYSTEM revived by Copernicus. 1545 Needles first made in England. 1582 First treatise on Decimal Arithmetic published at Bruges. 1586 Potatoes introduced into England from America. 1590 to 1620. The Telescope, by Porta, Jansen, Drebell, and Galileo. 1610 The Thermometer invented by Sanctorius, Drebell, and Galileo. 1614 Logarithms invented in Scotland by Napier. 1619 The Circulation of the Blood discovered by Harvey. 1630 The first Gazette or Newspaper at Venice: in England in 1665. 1641 Coffee first brought into England: Tea in 1666. 1643 The Barometer invented by Torricelli and Pascal. 1654 The Air-pump invented at Magdeburg by Guericke. 1655 The Steam-engine invented: improved by Watt in 1768. 1659 Saturn's Ring discovered by Huyghens. 1687 The Newtonian Philosophy published in England. 1721 Inoculation introduced into England from Turkey. 1725 Stereotype Printing invented by Ged; introduced by Didot, 1799. 1752 The identity of Lightning and Electricity ascertained by Franklin. 1769 The Spinning-jenny invented by Arkwright. 1781 The planet Uranus or Herschel discovered by Herschel. 1794 The Cotton-gin invented by Whitney. 1798 VACCINATION discovered and introduced by Dr. Jenner. Galvanism discovered by Galvani. Lithography invented at Munich by Sennefelder. 1807 The first STEAMBOAT on the Hudson. 1816 The Safety-lamp invented by Sir Humphrey Davy. 1830 The Liverpool and Manchester Railroad opened; the first on which locomotive steam-carriages were used. 1838 The Great Western, Steamship, makes her first voyage, crossing the Atlantic, from Bristol, England, to New York. 1842 The use of the ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH introduced. 1846 The use of ETHER in surgical operations introduced. DIVISION OF TIME. Almanacs.-The term Almanac is derived from the Arabic language, al manach, signifying to count or reckon. The Solar Cycle is a period of 28 years; and at the end of that time the days of the week will fall in the same places again. The Lunar Cycle is a period of 19 years, after which time the days on which the new and full moon happen will be the same. Almanacs are registers of time, with reference to its various divisions, changes, &c. &c. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII. ordered that after the 4th of October ten days should be omitted, so that the 5th became the 15th day of the month. This was to rectify a former error in the calculation of time; and this new system was called New Style. This New Style is now used in all Christian countries. In reading old books we often find the mention of dates as Old Style and New Style, both being given: this explains it. The 25th day of December is the anniversary of the birth of Christ; and it is called Christmas, from the Latin words, Christi missa, or mass of Christ, which means a service or ceremony in remembrance of our Lord. From the birth of Christ, our years are reckoned; and A. D. 1851 means Anno Domini, that is, in the year of the Lord 1851, or in the one thousand eight hundred and fifty-first year since his birth. Names of months are of Roman origin. The names of the days are taken from our Saxon forefathers. Sunday was called Sundaeg, from being dedicated to the sun: Monday, Monan-daeg, or moon's day, and dedicated to the moon. Tuesday was Tuisdaeg, named in honour of Tuisco, said to have been the father of the Germans from whom the Saxons sprang. Wednesday was Woden'sdaeg, and Woden was looked on as the father of their false deities and the god of war. Thursday was Thor's-daeg, the day of Thor, the eldest son of Woden. He [e was the Saxon god of the air, lightning, and thunder. Friday was dedicated to Friga or Frea, and called Friga's-daeg. She was the wife of Woden, and mother of gods. Saturday was the day of Seator or Seator's-daeg. He was also a Saxon deity. Beginning of the Day.-The ancient Jews and Greeks looked on sunset as the beginning of the day; the Egyptian day began at noon, and ours begins at midnight. Noon is that precise time when the sun attains its highest point in the heavens, and shadows begin to turn. Meridian is a word of Latin origin, and means the middle of the day. A. M. stands for ante meridiem, two Latin words, meaning before noon; and P. M. stands for post meridiem, two Latin words, meaning after noon. TIME TABLE. To January Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. From Jan. 365 31 59 90 120 151 181 212 243 273 304 334 Feb. April May June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. 334365 28 59 89 120 150 181 212 242 273 303 92123 153 184 214 61 92 122 153 183 184 215 243 274 304 335 365 31 62 92 123 153 153 184 212 243 273 304 334 365 31 61 92122 122 153 181 212242273 303 334 365 30 61 91 92 123 151 182 212 243 273 304 335 365 31 61 61 92120 151 181 212 242 273 304 334 365 30 31 62 90 121 151 182 212 243 274 304 335 365 This table will be found very convenient for ascertaining the number of days between any two dates not more than a year distant; also for ascertaining with accuracy and despatch the time when notes, drafts, &c. fall due. Each of the numbers in the table shows the length of time (in days) from any day of the month standing opposite to it on the left, to the corresponding day of that month which is over it. EXAMPLES. What is the number of days from March 15th to November 15th? Opposite March, and under November, we find 245, the number required. What is the length of time from May 4th to August 16th? Opposite May, and under August, is the number 92, showing the days from May 4th to August 4th. To August 16th it is 12 days more, which, added to 92, give 104, the answer. How many days from December 25th to June 12th? Opposite December, and under June, is 182, the number of days from December 25th to June 25th; but to June 12th is 13 days less, which, deducted from 182, gives 169, the answer. If a note be drawn July 14th, at 90 days, when will it fall due, grace included? In the line of figures opposite July, seek that number which is nearest in amount to the number of days for which the note is drawn. This is found to be 92, which stands under October, showing that 92 days, from July 14th, bring the time to October 14th, to which add one day, (the excess of 93 over 92,) and you have October 15th, answer. |