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that people talk of the equinoctial gales; however, higher wind by much occurs late in the year.

This day was the last day of the year in the French Republican Calendar; their new aera beginning Sept. 23, 1793. The origin of this strange change of long established usages, was as follows:

When the government was changed in France, it was decreed on the 2d of January, 1792, that this year should be called the fourth of Liberty on their coins, and in all their acts; but after the death of Louis XVI. in 1793, it was further determined that that year should be called the first of the Republic: and this circumstance first suggested the idea of a Republican Calendar. Accordingly, on the 12th of January, 1793, the Deputy Romme, President of the Committee of Public Instruction under the Convention, applied to the Academy of Sciences for a commission to deliberate on the projected change. M. de la Lande protested against it; he was obliged, however, to acquiesce, and prepare a new Calendar: in doing which he followed. the Aegyptians in counting twelve equal months, with five intercalary days; and he adapted their denominations to the climate of Paris, which were, by M. Fabre d'Eglantine, expressed in the following terms:

1. Vendemiaire, vintage month, commencing Sept. 23. 2. Brumaire, foggy month, October 23. 3. Frimaire, sleety month, November 22. 4. Nivose, snowy month, December 23. 5. Pluviose, rainy month, January 21. 6. Ventose, windy month, February 20. 7. Germinal, budding month, March 22. 8. Floreal, flowery month, April 21. 9. Prairial, meadow month, May 21. 10. Messidor, harvest month, June 20. 11. Thermidor, hot month, July 20. 12. Fructidor, fruit month, August 19.

"The jacobinical authors of all this ridiculous change did not lay claim to the merit of invention in the names of these months, the epithets adopted being an imitation of the ancient months, applied from time immemorial by the Republic of Holland. The Dutch called

January, Lauwmaand, chilly or frosty month;
February, Sprokkelmaand, vegetation month;
March, Lentmaand, spring month;

April, Grassmaand, grass month;

May, Bloumaand, flower or blossom month;
June, Zomermaand, summer month;

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July, Hooymaand, hay month;
August, Oostmaand, harvest month;
September, Herstmaand, autumn month;
October, Wynmaand, wine month;

November, Slagtmaand, slaughter month;
December, Wintermaand, winter month.

"The same in German, except the word maand, which is called moand.

"A Swedish Calendar of Flora was kept at Upsal, by M. Berger, in the year 1755, wherein the months are thus designated :

1. Reviving winter month, commencing December 22.
2. Thawing month, March 19.

3. Budding month, April 12.
4. Leafing month, May 9.
5. Flowering month, May 25.
6. Fruiting month, June 20.
7. Ripening month, July 12.
8. Reaping month, August 4.
9. Sowing month, August 28.
10. Shedding month, September 22.
11. Freezing month, October 28.

12. Dead winter month, November 5.

"The new French Republican year was composed of 360 days. The remaining five days are called the complementary days; of which the first is the 18th of September; the second, the 19th; the third, the 20th; the fourth, the 21st; and the fifth, the 22d of September, being the last day of the French year. The first decree was issued the 5th of October, 1793; it was followed by another on the 24th of November, that is, on the 4th of Frimaire, in the second year of the Republic, settling the commencement and organization of the year, and the names of the days and months. The decree of the National Convention comprehends four articles, viz. That the French aera should be reckoned from the foundation of the Republic, September 22, 1792, of the vulgar aera, on the day when the Sun arrived at the true autumnal equinox, in his entrance into the sign at 9h. 18'. 30". in the morning, according to the observatory at Paris: that the vulgar year should be abolished in all civil concerns: that each year should commence at midnight with the day on which the true autumnal equinox falls according to the observatory at Paris; and that the first year of the French Republic had actually commenced at midnight of the 22d of September, 1792, and terminated at midnight between the 21st and 22d of Sep

tember, 1793. The decree for adopting a rule of intercalation, in order to preserve the seasons at the same epochas of the year, comprises the following four articles: - That the fourth year of the Republican aera should be the first sextile; that it should receive a sixth complementary day; and that it should terminate the first Franciade: that the four following secular years in succession should be excepted from the last article; namely the first, second, and third secular years 100, 200, 300, which should be common; and that the fourth should be sextile: and that this should be the case every four centuries until the 40th, which should close with a common year, the year 4000.

"In this new Calendar, as described in the Almanacks, the months consist of thirty days each, and are divided into three decades. The days of each decade are known by the name of Primidi, Duodi, Tridi, Quartidi, Quintidi, Sextidi, Septidi, Octodi, Nonodi, and Decadi. The day which begins at midnight is distributed into twelve parts, and these are decimally divided and subdivided. To the five supernumerary days in common years, and six in leap years, was applied the absurd appellation of Sans Cullotides, borrowed from the term of reproach sans culotte, which had been originally bestowed on the republican party, on account of the meanness of their rank and fortune; but which the same party afterwards attempted to render honourable and popular. This appellation also serves to distinguish the leap years."

This Calendar is now no longer in use: it was abolished by Napoleon Buonaparte, and the old Calendar was restored, with the restoration of other Religious Institutions : we record it here, therefore, merely as a matter of curiosity.

We could wish that there were such a thing as a history of Calendars and Almanacks, from the earliest recorded period of history to the present time; we believe that the first European Datebook, which assumed the title of Almanack, is the Almanach Royale de France of 1579: it includes notices of Postdays, Fairs, and Festivals.

FAUNA. Swallows and Martins are still very numerous, the general migration not having begun. They roost in immense numbers on buildings, round about which Martins. fly sometimes in such quantities as almost to darken the air with their plumes. Sparrows, Linnets, various Finches, and also Plovers, are now seen about in flocks, according to an annual habit, prevalent among many kinds of birds, of assembling together in Autumn.

September 23. St. Linus Pope and Martyr. St. St. Adumnan of Ireland.

Thecla Virgin Martyr.

enters.

rises at v. 56'. and sets at vi. 4'.

Natalis Augusti. Suet.-Rom. Cal.

CHRONOLOGY. - Boerhaave died in 1738.

Dr. Baillie died in 1823. This celebrated physician was brother to Joanna Baillie, and nephew to the late Mr. John Hunter, the illustrious Surgeon, and to his brother Dr. William Hunter.

Dr. Baillie was a man who, during a life of very active professional business, was distinguished for candour, humanity, and judgment in his profession. We are requested, by an anonymous Correspondent, to append the following extract to our short biographical notice of Dr. Baillie: it relates to an evil habit, which still prevails among the inferior branches of the medical profession, of trying a multitude of needless and trifling experiments on the bodies of living animals; a practice which Dr. Baillie is said always very much to have set his face against.

It is extracted from the Idler, and comes from the pen of Johnson

Extract from the Idler, No. 17, a periodical Paper by S. Johnson. "Among the inferiour professors of medical knowledge, is a race of wretches, whose lives are only varied by varieties of cruelty, whose favourite amusement is to nail dogs to tables and open them alive, to try how long life may be continued in various degrees of mutilation, or with the excision or laceration of the vital parts, to examine whether burning irons are felt more acutely by the bone or tendon; and whether the more lasting agonies are produced by poison forced into the mouth, or injected into the veins. It is not without reluctance that I offend the sensibility of the tender mind with images like these. If such cruelties were not practised, it were to be desired that they should not be conceived; but since they are published every day with ostentation, let me be allowed once to mention them, since I mention them with abhorrence

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It is time that universal resentment should arise against these horrid operations, which tend to harden the heart, extinguish those sensations which give man confidence in man, and make the physician more dreadful than the gout or stone."

"This paper is intended to be placed in books which contain accounts of cruel Philosophical Experiments, in order to counteract the evil consequences which may arise from reading such abominable acts of inbumanity."

London, 1800, printed by W. Phillips, George Yard, Lombard Street.

FAUNA. Often about this time the ground is covered with Spiders' webs innumerable, crossing the paths, extending from shrub to shrub, and floating in the air. This appearance is called gossamer, and is caused by an infinite multitude of small Spiders, which, when they want to change their place, have a power of shooting forth several long threads, to which they attach themselves, and thus becoming buoyant, are carried gently through the air as long as they please; after which, by coiling up their threads,

they descend very gradually to the ground. A remarkable shower of gossamer is described in the following quotation from White's Natural History of Selborne. "On Sept. 21, 1741, being intent on field diversions, I rose before daybreak; when I came into the enclosures, I found the stubbles and clovergrounds matted all over with a thick coat of cobweb, in the meshes of which a copious and heavy dew hung so plentifully, that the whole face of the country seemed, as it were, covered with two or three setting nets, drawn one over another. When the dogs attempted to hunt, their eyes were so blinded and hoodwinked that they could not proceed, but were obliged to lie down and scrape the incumbrances from their faces with their forefeet.""As the morning advanced, the Sun became bright and warm, and the day turned out one of those most lovely ones which no season but the Autumn produces; cloudless, calm, serene, and worthy of the south of France itself."

"About nine an appearance very unusual began to demand our attention, a shower of cobwebs falling from very elevated regions, and continuing without any interruption till the close of day. These webs were not single filmy threads, floating in the air in all directions, but perfect flakes or rags; some near an inch broad, and five or six long. On every side, as the observer turned his eyes, might he behold a continual succession of fresh flakes falling into his sight, and twinkling like stars."

September 24.

St. Gerard Bishop.

Abbot. St. Rotiri Bishop.

Ireland.

St.

St. Geremar
Chiuniald of

Orises at vI. and sets at vi.

This day is therefore now the Autumnal Aequinox.

Libra diei somnique pares ubi fecerit horas.

POMONA.-Apples are now gathered for our English vintage. The Cider making, which in some counties, particularly Worcestershire, Somersetshire, and Devonshire, is a busy and important employment; but, like the Hop, it is so precarious a produce, as to render it unwise for the cultivator to place his chief dependence on it. Phillips has not been unmindful how

Autumn paints

Ausonian hills with Grapes, whilst English plains
Blush with pomaceous harvests, breathing sweets.
O let me now, when the kind early dew

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