An examination of the century question : To which is added, a letter to the author of 'Outlines of astronomy' [Sir J.F.W. Herschel], respecting a certain peculiarity of the Gregorian system of bissextile compensation / [By A.G. Brae?].

Date:
1850
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An examination of the century question : To which is added, a letter to the author of 'Outlines of astronomy' [Sir J.F.W. Herschel], respecting a certain peculiarity of the Gregorian system of bissextile compensation / [By A.G. Brae?]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Perhaps the most recent instance of involuntary homage to the zero principle is afforded by Dr. Schmitz, in his method of reducing the Greek Olympiads to the Christian sera.— (Vide Smith’s Dictionary of Greek and Rom,an Anti- quities, article “ Chronologia.”) This will readily appear if his process he used to find the year of Christ correspond- ing to the 195th Olympiad. Dr. Schmitz says it must he obtained by multiplying 194 by 4, and deducting the pro- duct from 776 ! The resulting year is unquestionably the year 0 ! These instances are too numerous and too various to be the result of chance; they must have proceeded from a natural proneness to one mode of practice, when not re- strained by immediate care or design. It must therefore be admitted that these examples, collectively, afford a very strong demonstration of the convenience and practical facility of the zero principle. It will fitly conclude this “ Examination of the Century % * * Question,” to exhibit at one view the relative situations of the years of the Christian sera under the zero arrange- ment, as advocated therein, and under the common ar- rangement. It is proposed— That the 1st of January, in the year of Rome 753, shall lie accounted the Christian epoch. That the twelve months from the 1st January, 752, to the epoch, shall be accounted as b.c. 1. That the twelve months from the epoch to the 1st of Ja- nuary, 754, shall be accounted as a.d. 0. That the twelve months from the 1st of January, 754, to the 1st of January, 755, shall be accounted as a.d. 1, as at present. That b.c. 4, a.d. 0, and a.d. 4, &c., shall be accounted as leap years.
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