The Saxons charted the courses of the moon for the whole year so they could predict the phases of the moon and calculate times for planting and festival days. They used foot-long, squared sticks, called al-mon-aught, meaning all-moon-heed, which forms the basis for the word almanac.
Written English almanacs trace their beginning to Oxford, the seat of British science during the Middle Ages. Manuscript almanacs were used as early as 1380; the first printed edition, Sheapheards Kalendar, was published by Richard Pynson in 1497.
Almanacs became popular in England in the 1600s. Skilled mathematicians were employed to construct the astronomical part of the almanacs, but astrologers supplied the supposed planetary influences, the weather predictions and other interesting matters which were required to make the almanacs attractive to the popular mind. A humorous almanac, Poor Robin, first appeared in 1663 for the benefit of the skeptics who ridiculed celestial science. Poet Robert Herrick is said to have assisted in its composition. An entry for January reads, "There will be much frost and cold weather in Greenland."
In 1733 in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin published an almanac under the fictitious name of Richard Saunders. Poor Richard's Almanac contained the usual astronomical information as well as "many pleasant and witty verses, jests and sayings." Poor Richard's was a great success and was published for 25 years. A collection of its proverbs, titled The Way to Wealth, had an immense circulation in America and England.
To watch the storms, and hear the sky
Give all our almanacs the lie.
-William Cowper
Comments