• This Month derives its Name from the Latin Februo to purify; on account of the expiatory Sacrifices which the Romansafed to offer this Month for the purifying the people. This was antiently the ith Month of the Year. + Is lo called from MAR's the God of War, who was worthipped by the ROMANS on the first Day of this Month. With THEM it was the first Month in the Year. The reafon of its being dedicated to him feems to have been because Romulus founder of the Roman State fuppofed himself to be the Son of Mars. It is fuppofed to have been fo called from the Latin Word Aperio to ofen: becaufe then the Pores of the Earth begin to open. Forth fly the tepid Airs; and unconfin'd, The Hawthorn whitens; and the juicy Groves D This Month is faid to have derived its name from Maia, the Mother of Mercury, who was ftyled Bona Dea, or the Beneficient Goddess and to whom the firft Day of this Month was held facred. The numbers prefix'd in the firft Column of the two foregoing Months to the feveral Days, between the Twenty-firft Day of March, and the Eighteenth Day of April, both inclufive denote the Days upon which thofe Full Moons do fall, which happen upon or next after the Twenty-first Day of March in thofe Years, of which they are respectively the Golden Numbers; and the Sunday Letter next following any fuch Full Moon points out Eafter-Day for that Year. All which holds until the Year of our Lord 1899 inclufive; after which Year, the Places of thefe Golden Numbers will be to be changed. Some imagine this Month is fo called from the Goddefs Juno, others, from Junius Brutus, who expelled the Tyrant Tarquin from Rome; and was the firft Conful and Affertor of Roman Liberty. |