Ancient and Modern Division of Time.
It is not generally known that a little more than a century ago, New Year’s was celebrated on the 25th of March, throughout the British dominions, including America. The following enactments, adopted by Parliament, entitled, “An act regulating the Commencement of the year, and correcting the Calendar in Use,” were passed in the twenty-fourth year of the reign of George II. “PREAMBLE.— Whereas, The legal supputation of the year of our Lord according to March—hath been found by experience to be attended with divers inconveniences,” etc. “Enactments.—That throughout his Majesty’s dominions in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, the said supputation, according to which the year of our Lord beginneth on the 25th day of March, shall not be made use of from and after the last day of December, 1751; and that the first day of January next following the said day of December shall be reckoned, taken, deemed, and accounted, to be the first day of our Lord, 1752, and so on from time to time. The first day of January in every year which shall happen in time to come, shall be deemed and reckoned the first day of the year,” etc. The act further corrects the calendar thus: “And that the natural day next immediately following the 2d day of September shall be called and accounted to be the 14th day of September, omitting for that time only the eleventh intermediate, nominal days of the common calendar.” We believe that in the State of Rhode Island to this day all farm and other leases date from the date of the ancient New Year, namely, the 25th of March. The ancient divisions of the day differed widely from the customs of our own time.—Appleton’s Journal.