Rule for finding the Year-Letter.

Note. The rule for finding the year-letter for the Old Style is not to apply to years before 8 A. D., in confequence of an error having prevailed for feveral years after Cæfar's death, when the intercalations were made in third instead of fourth years, after the last leap-year. The lift of year-letters, from the year 45 B. C. to the

year 8 A. D. will, however, obviate any inconvenience which might have arisen from the non-application of the rule for finding the year-letter.

Julian or Old Style.

In England before 3-14 Sept., 1752, i. e., until the 2nd of September,

Add to the year of our Lord (beginning on the 1ft of January, and ending on the 31st of December), the fourth part of the year's number, omitting fractions, add alfo 5; then divide by 7, and if there be any remainder, the letter under fuch number, in the following table, will be the Year-letter.

If there be no remainder, A, will be the Year-letter. Example. Required the letter for the year 1648.

Note. The Julian year, beginning Ift of January and ending 31ft of December, is the year for the calculation, notwithstanding the legal mode of reckoning the year in England, from the 25th of March to the 24th of March. (In 1752, in England, the year began on the 1ft of January and ended on the 31st of December.)

4)1648

412 * 5 7)2065

295.-0

0 = A.

Leap Year B, A.

-When there is no remainder after dividing by 4, the year is a Leapyear, and has two Year-letters, the letter which in the table precedes the one found by the calculation, being the first letter. (This alfo applies to the New Style.)

B, to point to January on the moveable calendar, for days from ift of January to 29th of February, the year being 1647-8, English Style.

A, to point to January for days from the 1ft of March to the 24th of March, the year being 1647-8, English Style; alfo, for days from the 25th of March to the 31st of December, 1648, English Style.

Gregorian, or New Style.

In certain foreign countries, the day after the 4th of October was called the 15th of October, 1582, ten days having been unwritten in the Calendar. (In England the day after the 2nd of September, was called the 14th of September, 1752, eleven days having been omitted from the Calendar.)

Add to the year of our Lord, (beginning ift of January and ending 31st of December,) the fourth part of its number, omitting fractions; add also the number which in the following table stands at the top of the column, wherein the "hundreds " of the year will be found.

Then divide the fum by seven, and if there be any

remainder, the letter under fuch number, in the above

table, will be the Year-letter.

mainder, A will be the Year-letter.

If there be no re

Example. Required the letter for the year 1753.

4)1753 438-1

I

7)2192

313—1 = G.

Note. When there is no remainder, after dividing by 4, the year is a Leap-year and has two Yearletters, the letter which in the table, precedes the one found by the calculation, being the first letter.

Thus, 1753, letter G.

Which is to point to January on the moveable Calendar for days from 1 January to 31 December.

Note. According to the regulation of Pope Gregory, for the adoption of the New Style, the years 1600, and 2000, being fourth hundredth years, and bissextile or Leapyears, have each, two Year-letters; while the years 1700, 1800, and 1900, have each only one Year-letter, those last years not being fourth hundredth years, but being reckoned common years according to the New Style.

D

to fuit the Roman fyftem of intercalating: commencing with 708 A.U.C., 1 January, in the 1st

year

of the Julian era.

*The Year of Rome, according to the calculations of Marcus Terentius Varro, who died in the 17th year of the Julian era, has been reckoned from the 21st of April, 753 years before the 46th year of the Julian era, confequently 754 A.v.c. began on the 21st of April A.D. I.