It was only in the reign of Charles IX. of France, or in the
second half of the sixteenth century, that the civil year was made to
begin on the 1st of January. As the end of February was five days
before the 1st or kalends of March, the extra day was known by the
phrase _bis sexto_ (_ante_) _calendus martii_. Hence the fourth year
is termed in the calendar _bissextile_, but is more usually called by
us in England _leap year_."
"The remedy is certainly simple; but are your figures perfectly
square? If you add a day every four years, do you not overleap the
earth's fraction?"
"Yes, from ten to eleven minutes."
"And what becomes of these minutes? Are they allowed to run up another
score?"
"No, not exactly. In 1582, the civil year had got ten clear days the
start of the solar year, and Pope Gregory XIII. resolved to cancel
them, which he effected by calling the day after the 4th of October
the 15th."
"That manner of altering the rig and squaring the yards," said Willi
laughing, "would make the people that lived then ten days older. If it
had been ten years, the matter would have been serious. Had the Pope
said to me privately, 'Willis, you are now only forty-seven, but
to-morrow, my boy, you will fill your sails and steer right into
fifty-seven,' I should have turned 'bout ship and cleared off.
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