ALMANACK, a book or table, containing a calendar of days and months, the rising and setting of the sun, the age of the moon, the eclipses of both luminaries, &c.—Authors are divided with regard to the etymology of the word; some deriving it from the Arabic particle al, and manach, to count; some from almanach, new-year's gifts, because the Arabian astrologers used at the beginning of the year to make presents of their ephemerides; and others from the Teutonic alman ahte, observations on all the months. Dr Johnson derives it from the Arabic particle al, and the Greek pop, a month. But the most simple etymology appears from the common spelling; the word being composed of two Arabic ones, Al Manack, which signify the Diary. All classes of the Arabs are commonly much given to the study of astronomy and astrology; to both of which they are inclined by their belief in fate, and by their pastoral life, which affords time and opportunity to cultivate them. They neither sow, reap, plant, nor undertake any expedition or business, without previously consulting the stars, or, in other words, their almanacks, or some of the makers of them. From these people, by their vicinity to Europe, this art, no less useful in one sense than trifling and ridiculous in another, has passed over to us; and those astronomical compositions have still everywhere not only retained their old Arabic name, but were, like theirs, for a long while, and still are among many European nations, interspersed with a great number of astrological rules for planting, sowing, bleeding, purging, &c., down to the cutting of the hair and paring of the nails. Regiomontanus appears to have been the first in Europe, however, who reduced almanacks into their present form and method, gave the characters of each year and month, foretold the eclipses and other phases, calculated the motions of the planets, &c. His first almanack was published in 1474.
The essential part of an almanack is the calendar of months and days, with the risings and settings of the sun, age of the moon, &c. To these are added lists of posts, offices, dignities, public institutions, with many other articles, political as well as local, and differing in different countries.
England has abounded in almanacks, some of them of no very creditable description, though widely circulated among the people for a long period of years. Such, in particular, were Moore's Almanack, and Poor Robin's Almanack, now happily, with several others of the same class, either extinct or about to become so. This change has been mainly owing to the publication of an entirely new almanack by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. The following statement is extracted from a curious article upon English Almanacks, in the London Magazine, third series, vol. ii. p. 591. "For a century and a half, the two univer-
sities and the Stationers' Company held the monopoly of them, by letters-patent of James I. During this period, according to the condition of the patent, almanacks received the imprimatur of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the bishops of London; and yet it would be difficult to find, in so small a compass, an equal quantity of ignorance, profligacy, and imposture, as was condensed in these publications. By the persevering exertions of one individual, the monopoly was overthrown about 1779; and the parties claiming the patent-right then applied to parliament for an act to confirm it. That bill was introduced by the minister of the day; but Erskine, then first coming into repute, appeared at the bar to oppose it,—and the monopoly was destroyed for ever, by a solemn vote of the House of Commons. From that time the Stationers' Company proceeded upon a different course. They secured their monopoly by buying up all rival almanacks; and they rendered the attempts of individuals to oppose them perfectly hopeless, by those arts of trade which a powerful corporation knew how to exercise. For the last fifty years they have rioted, as of old, in every abomination that could delude the vulgar to the purchase of their commodity. On a sudden a new almanack started up, under the superintendence and authority of a society distinguished for its great and successful labours to improve the intellectual condition of the people. For the first time in the memory of man, an almanack at once rational and popular was produced. From that hour the empire of astrology was at an end. The public press, infinitely to their honour, took up the cause. The blasphemy of Francis Moore, and the obscenity of Poor Robin, were denounced and ridiculed through all quarters of the kingdom. In one little year the obscene book was discontinued, the blasphemous book retreated into pure stupidity, and the publishers of the blasphemy and the obscenity applied themselves, in imitation of the first powerful rival they had ever encountered, to make a rational and useful almanack." The almanack of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge is entitled the British Almanack; the improved one published in imitation of it by the Stationers' Company, is called the Englishman's Almanack. Of other British Almanacks, the most deserving of mention are Oliver and Boyd's Edinburgh Almanack, and Thom's Irish Almanack and Official Directory; of foreign almanacks, the Almanach Royal de Belgique, and the small but excellent Almanach de Gotha, now in its 89th year.
The French Almanach Royal is one of the most extensive publications of this class, the volume generally extending to about a thousand octavo pages.