~Historical.~--A local Historical Society was inaugurated with an address from Dr. Freeman, Nov. 18, 1880, and, doubtless, in a few years the reports and proceedings will be of very great value and interest. The fact that down to 1752 the historical year in England commenced on January 1, while the civil, ecclesiastical, and legal year began on the 25th of March, led to much confusion in dates, as the legislature, the church, and civilians referred every event which took place between January 1 and March 25 to a different year from the historians. Remarkable examples of such confusion are afforded by two well-known events in English history: Charles I. is said by most authorities to have been beheaded January 30, 1648, while others, with equal correctness, say it was January 30, 1649; and so the revolution which drove James II. from the throne is said by some to have taken place in February, 1688, and by others in February, 1689. Now, these discrepancies arise from some using the civil and legal, and others the historical year, though both would have assigned any event occurring _after_ the 25th of March to the same years--viz., 1649 and 1689. To avoid as far as possible mistakes from these two modes of reckoning, it was usual, as often seen in old books or manuscripts, to add the historical to the legal date, when speaking of any day between January 1 and March 25, thus: 8(_i.e._ 1648, the civil and legal year. Jan.30. 164- ( 9(_i.e._ 1649 the historical year. or thus, January 30, 1648-9. This practice, common as it was for many years, is, nevertheless, often misunderstood, and even intelligent persons are sometimes perplexed by dates so written. The explanation, however, is very simple, for the lower or last figure always indicates the year according to our present calculation.