Translation of Dates
Many old books have their dates printed in a manner which puzzles the finisher, should he be required to date any so printed, which are too thin to admit of its being done as on the title-page. The following key is here given, as it may be found useful in such cases:—c. 100; IↃ, or d, 500; cIↃ or m, 1000; IↃↃ, 5000; ccIↃↃ, 10,000; IↃↃↃ, 50,000, cccIↃↃↃ, 100,000. Thus, cIↃ, IↃ, clxxxviii—1688. While on this subject, it may not be inappropriate to notice the dating of some books printed in France during the republic in that country. Thus, “An. xiii.”—1805, that being the thirteenth year of the republic, which commenced in 1792.