A Museum for Young Gentlemen and Ladies Part 10

THE day is either natural or artificial; the natural day is the s.p.a.ce of twenty-four hours, (including both the dark and light part) in which time the sun is carried by the first mover from the east into the west, and so round the world into the east again. The artificial day consists of twelve hours, i.e. from the sun's rising to its setting; and the artificial night is from the sun's setting to its rising. The day is accounted with us for payment of money between the sun's rising and setting; but for indictment for murder the day is accounted from midnight to midnight, and so likewise are fasting days.

The Hebrews and Chaldeans begin their days at sun rising, and end at the next rising.

The Jews and Italians from sun-set to sun-set. The Romans at midnight. The Egyptians from noon to noon, which account astronomers follow.

A week consists of seven mornings, or seven days, which the Gentiles call by the names of the seven planets (which they worshipped as G.o.ds); the first day of the sun; the second day of the moon, &c. In a week G.o.d made the world, _i.e._ in six days, and rested the seventh. All civilized nations observe one day in seven, as a stated time of worship; the Turks and Mahometans keep the sixth day of the week, or Friday; the Jews the seventh, or Sat.u.r.day; the Christians the first, or Sunday.

Of months there are various kinds; a solar month is the s.p.a.ce of thirty days, in which time the sun runneth through one sign of the zodiac.

A lunar month is that interval of time which the moon spendeth in wandering from the sun, in her oval circuit, through the twelve signs, until she returns to him again, (being sometimes nearer, sometimes farther from the earth) _i.e._ from the first day of her appearing next after her change, to the last day of her being visible, before her next change, which may be greater or lesser, according to her motion.

The usual or common months are those set down in our almanacks, containing some 30, some 31, and February but 28 days, according to these verses:

Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November; February twenty-eight alone, All the rest have thirty-one; But when leap-year comes, that time Has February twenty-nine.

A year is the s.p.a.ce of time in which the sun runs through all the 12 signs of the zodiac: containing 12 solar months, 13 lunar months, 52 weeks, 365 days, and six hours, which six hours, in four years time, being added together, make one day, which day on every fourth year is added to February, making that month 29 days, which at other times is but 28, and this year with the additional day is called leap-year.

_To find the Leap-Year_.

Divide the year of our Lord by 4, and if there be no remainder, it is leap-year; but if there remains 1, 2, or 3, then that denotes the first, second, or third after leap-year.

TABLES OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

_Troy Weight_. _Char._

24 Grains --- 1 Pennyweight dwt.

20 Pennyweights 1 Ounce --- oz.

12 Ounces --- 1 Pound lb.

By this weight are weighed jewels, gold, silver, corn, and all liquors.

_Avoirdupois Weight_.

16 Drams --- 1 Ounce --- oz.

16 Ounces --- 1 Pound --- lb.

28 Pounds --- 1 Quar. of a hun. qr.

20 Hundreds -- 1 Ton --- ton.

By this weight, which is now generally used in England, are weighed b.u.t.ter, cheese, groceries, &c.

N.B. One pound avoirdupois is equal to 14 oz. 11 dwts. 15 grains troy; and one ounce troy is equal to 1 oz. 1 dram, and something above an half, avoirdupois.

_Apothecaries' Weight_. _Char_.

[In the HTML version, the following table shows symbols for the 4 units]

20 Grains 1 Scruple --- [scruple]

3 Scruples --- 1 Dram --- [dram]

8 Drams ---- 1 Ounce --- [ounce]

12 Ounces --- 1 Pound --- [pound]

By this weight apothecaries compound their medicines; but buy and sell their drugs by avoirdupois weight.

_Wine Measure_. _In short_.

2 Pints --- 1 Quart qrt.

4 Quarts --- 1 Gallon --- gall.

63 Gallons --- 1 Hogshead --- hhd.

2 Hogsheads --- 1 Pipe --- pipe.

2 Pipes --- 1 Tun --- tun.

_Beer Measure_.

2 Pints --- 1 Quart --- qrt.

4 Quarts --- 1 Gallon --- gall.

9 Gallons --- 1 Firkin --- firk.

2 Firkins --- 1 Kilderkin --- kild.

2 Kilderkins -- 1 Barrel --- bar.

1 Barrel --- 1 Hogshead -- hhd.

3 Barrels, or 2 hhds.

1 b.u.t.t --- b.u.t.t.

N.B. Eight gallons make a firkin of ale.

_Cloth Measure_. _In short_.

4 Nails --- 1 Quarter --- qr.

4 Quarters -- 1 Yard --- yd.

Note, An ell English is 5 quarters of a yard, and an ell Flemish is 3 quarters.

_Time_.

60 Seconds --- 1 Minute 60 Minutes --- 1 Hour 24 Hours --- 1 Natural Day 7 Days 1 Week 4 Weeks 1 Month 13 Months, 1 day, and 6 hours, is / One 52 Weeks, 1 day, and 6 hours, is < julian="" 365="" days,="" and="" 6="" hours,="" is="">

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_Note_, An exact solar year is equal to 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 48 seconds, 57 thirds: and one lunar month is equal to 29 days, 12 hours, and 45 minutes.

_Dry Measure_. _In short_.

8 Pints --- 1 Gallon --- gall.

2 Gallons --- 1 Peck --- peck.

4 Pecks --- 1 Bushel --- bush.

4 Bushels --- 1 Coomb -- coomb.

2 Coombs -- 1 Quarter -- qr.

5 Quarters -- 1 Wey ---- wey.