242 OF THE REFORMATION

papists j and though he acknowledged its pro-priety, was yet afraid of its being adopted, lestit should open the door to further encroach-ments.

But though all proposals were at that timerejected, yet those who wished for a reformation,still continued their applications ; and in 1752,an act of parliament, after much debate, wasobtained for this purpose. And as a hundredand seventy years had elapsed, since the Grego-rian alteration took place, the old style had con-sequently gained above a day more upon thecourse of the sun than it had at that time; itwas therefore enacted, that instead of cancellingten days, as had been done by the Pope, elevendays should be left out of the month of Sep-tember; and, accordingly, on the second ofthat month, the old style ceased, and the nextday, instead of being the third, was called thefourteenth.

It may be observed, however, that the Gre-gorian reformation met with many opponentsfrom men of science; Mæftlin, Scaliger, Vieta,and other mathematicians, attacked it with greatviolence, and proposed methods of their own,which they considered as less exceptionable. ButClavius, to whom the care of this business wasassigned, after the death of Luilius, composed alarge work in its vindication, and victoriouslycombated all his adversaries. Some defects,

however,