Notes On Literature, Science And Art.

the life-time , of the greatest of all dramatists . Beckmann and others have in part satisfied the curiosity of the general reader ; and I cannot but commend a most interesting , instructive , and pleasantly written volume on the subject , from the pen of Mr . James W . Benson , the well knoAvn clock

and watch manufacturer , of Ludgate Hill , entitled " Time and Time Tellers , " in Avhich , for half-a-crown , we have the Avhole history of every species of time-teller given , ¦ and their action described , Avith a freedom from anything at all approaching to trade-puffery ,

or " buy at my shop , " altogether refreshing in these days of almost universal quackery . " Most , of us , " he says " soon make the discovery , that the Avorld has much to teach , Avhich there is little time to learn , and still less time to apply to good

purpose . " And he aftenvards adds : — " The poets are our best interpreters of Time , and ihey seem never tired of referring to it , and symbolising it by every possible figure , emblem ,-and trope . Celerity of motion and brevity of duration are discovered to be its chief characteristics . Time is

therefore depicted as flying , fast , noiselessly , and uninterruptedly . It is a river , speeding on with imperceptible , but resistless pace , to the oceau of eternity . It is a stern , vigorous , old man—Time is already oldrushing by us , with never-slackening strides ; bearing blessings for each and all ; but Ave must be on the alert to strive with

him for his gifts—to ' seize Time by the forelock '¦—or he Avill soon forget to bestoAV them . " Perhaps noAvhere is the imperative duty of using Time aright more forcibl y inculcated than in our beautiful Craft ritual : for the youngest E . A . is taught it most

impressively on his initiation , aud the oldest M . M . cannot listen to the raising of a brother to the sublime degree Avithout being emphatically reminded to be careful to perform his allotted task while it is yet day .

"Let it be remembered , " says Mr . Benson , " that the beginning aud ending of an ordinary English day differs in several respects from those of other nations . The JCAVS reckon their clays , as do also the Greeks and Italians , from sunset to sunset ; the Persians from sunrise to sunrise . The astronomical and nautical day is computed from noon to noon , and is reckoned b y 24

hours , not by twice 12 , —as , for instance instead of Avriting half-past four . in the morning of Ave will say Jan . 2 , the astronomer would write Jan . 1 , 16 h . 30 m . An ordinary English day is reckoned from 12 to 12 at midnight , after the fashion set by

Ptolemy , Avhich has this advantage over the method of reckoning from sunrise or sunset , that the latter periods are continually varying Avith the seasons of the year . The grouping of seven days into a Aveek is shown in Genesis , but the seventh

day is there alone especially named . The Sabbath is still kept by the Jews on the seventh day , but Christians keep the first day of the Aveek in honour of Christ ' s resurrection , and call it the Lord ' s Day . After the older planetary methodSunday

, Avas named in honour of the Sun , Monday of the Moon , Tuesday of Tuesco , or Mars , Wednesday of Wodea or Mercury , Thursday of Thor , Friday of Friga , Venus , Saturday of Saturn . The Month named after the Moonin consequence of a Month

, being nearly equal to the time occupied b y the moon in going through all her changes , is again classed under the names lunar or calendar ; " and so he goes on describing tho difference betAveen the two ; -the year before and after the time of Julius

Caesar ; the Gregorian correction of the calendar , in 1582 , which English bigotry could not adopt until 1752 , aud then an ignorant multitude clamoured to members of parliament , " Give us back our eleven days ! " HOAV " up to 1752 the

legal year began in England on the 25 th of March , and it Avas usual up to that day to employ tAvo dates , as 1750-1 ; but since the change of style the year has commenced Avith the first of January , —nearly midAvinter ; " how " the only country in

Europe Avhich still retains the Old Style is Russia ; " hoAV " the earliest horologue or hour measurer of Avhich history makes mention is that called the Polos , and the Gnomon ; " hoAV Herodotus ascribes their invention to the Babylonians , Phavorinus

to Anaximander , and Pliny to Anaximenes ; hoAV mention is made by Isaiah of the Dial of Ahaz , a king who began to reign over the Jews 2617 years ago ; Avith the history of every species of Time-tellers since then , are told in very agreeable reading , which will furnish us with material for another note .