We find the word used in Italian
by Jacopo Alighieri (Dante's son): -
"A voler giudicare
Si conviene adequare
Inprimo il Taccuino,
Per vedere il cammino
Come i Pianeti vanno
Per tutto quanto l'anno."
- Rime Antiche Toscane, III. 10.
Marco does not allude to the fact that almanacs were published by the
Government, as they were then and still are. Pauthier (515 seqq.) gives
some very curious details on this subject from the Annals of the Yuen. In
the accounts of the year 1328, it appears that no less than 3,123,185
copies were printed in three different sizes at different prices, besides
a separate almanac for the Hwei-Hwei or Mahomedans. Had Polo not omitted
to touch on the issue of almanacs by Government he could scarcely have
failed to enter on the subject of printing, on which he has kept a silence
so singular and unaccountable.
The Chinese Government still "considers the publication of a Calendar of
the first importance and utility. It must do everything in its power, not
only to point out to its numerous subjects the distribution of the
seasons,... but on account of the general superstition it must mark in the
almanac the lucky and unlucky days, the best days for being married, for
undertaking a journey, for making their dresses, for buying or building,
for presenting petitions to the Emperor, and for many other cases of
ordinary life.
