A L C
A L C
The beft writers in Alchemy, according to the judgment o. Boerhaave, are Geber, Morienus, Roger Bacon, Ripley, Raim. Lully, Bern, count Trevifanus, John and Ifaac Ho- landus, Sendivogius, Bafil Valentine, Artephius, Paracelfus, Irenseus Philalethes, and Van Hehnont. See Boerhaave s Chemiftry.
Albinus, Manget, and others, have publifhed collections or writers in Alchemy, under the titles of Bibhothccas », I he- atres b , and Turbas % of chemifts. Garlandia and Rulandus have given diaionaries of AUketfy K Borellus, Bornchius, &c. catalogues of writers in Alchemy e . — [ a Nath Albm. Bibliotheca Chcmica, Genev. 1653. & 1673. Jo. Jac. Mangeti, Biblioth. Chem. Curiof. feu Rerum ad Alchemiam pertinentium Thefaurus inftruaiffimus, Tom. duo, Genev. 1703. fol. See a lift of the authors in Aft. Erud. Lipf. 1702. p. 233. feq. & Jour, des Scav. T. 31, p. 803. leq. b Theatrum Chemicum, Argent. 1613, 1622. & 1661. 6 vol. 8vo. containing an hundred and thirty-three authors \ a notitia of which is given in Catalog. Bibl. Endter. p. 137- c Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, containing the Engldh writers above-mentioned, Lond. 1652. 410. Vid. Wood, Athen. Oxon. T. 2. n. 676. p. 889. Turba Philofopho- rum, 2 vol. 8vo. Bafil. 1562, 1610. containing thirty-two authors; a lift of which is given in Bibl. Endter. p. 144. d Jo. de Garlandia, Expofit. Synonymorum in Arte Alchy- miftica, printed, together with his Alchyiniae Compendium, Bafil 1560. Vid. DuCange, GlolT. Lat. in Prsef. p. 37. Mart. Rulandi, Lexicon Alchemise, Francof. 1612. 4(0. c Petri Borelli, Bibliotheca Chymica, five Catalogus Libro- rum Pbilofophicorurn Hermeticorum, Par. 1654. i2mo. It contains an account of about four thoufand writers. Ola: Borrichii, Confpeaus Scriptorum Chemicorum illuftrium. Hafn. 1697. 410. See alfo a further lift of alchemical authors in Hmdr. Pandect Brandenb. Lipcn. Bibl. Phil. It. Bibl. Med. Catal. Bibl. Endter. paffim. Bibl. Thuan. T. 2, p. 184. Read. Catal. Sion Coll. Libr. p. 291. feq.]
Alchemy is alfo ufed, in a lefs proper fenfe, for the art. of common chemiftry. See Chemistry. In which fenfe, Libavius has published a Practice of Alchemy, defcribing the preparations of the chief chemical medicines. And. Libavii, Praxis Alchemic, h. e. de artificiofa Prsepa- rationePnecipuorumMedicamentorum, Francof. 1604. 8vo.
ALCIBIADIUM. See Alcibium.
ALCIBIUM, in botany, a word ufed fometimes by the an- tients, as an epithet, for a kind of ecbium, or viper's buglofs, and fometimes as the name of a peculiar plant. The firft of thefe is no other than the common echium, which is called by fome echium Alcibium, and by others echium Alabiadium. But Nicander exprefly diftinguifhes the other from this, and fays, that it was a different plant, and was fimply called Al- cibium, without the word echium. He fays, that this had its name from a perfon fo called, who being afleep in the threfh- ing floor in fummer, was bitten by a viper in the groin, and cured himfelf by this herb. We have no account of this plant, by which it is poffible to guefs what kind it was of; and Pliny confeffes himfelf not to know it, or be able to find any account of it in the writers of the times before him ; fo that if Nicander is right in diftinguifhing it from the echium, fo called, we have wholly loft the knowledge of the plant. Nicander, de Theriaca.
ALCMANIAN (Cycl.)— Some authors affign other Akmanian verfes, compofed of three dactyls, and a long fyllable a .
E. gr. Mutter a latit'tamque Dei.
Others give an Alcmaniafi, compofed of a dactyl, fpondee,
and another dactyl, and a long fyllable b .
E. gr. Ne dubita nam vera fides.
— [« Trev. Dia. Univ. T. 1. p. 264. b Alfted. Encycl. T. 1. p. 520. See alfo Martin, Lex. Philol. T. 1. p. 23. voc. Alcman.~\
ALCOA arbor, in botany, a name ufed, by fome authors, for the tree brought from St. Helena, the wood of which emu- lates the colour and texture of ebony. Ray's Hift. Vol. 3. p. 520.
ALCOHOL {Cycl.) is otherwifc written Alchool, Akool, Alhl, and Alcol.
Rolfink a and Wedelius b difpute much on the etymon of this word.— [ a Rolf. Chym. 1. 4. fee. 8. b Wedel. Pharm. Ac- roam. 1. I. fee. r. c. 3. p. 16. feq.]
Jungken defcribes various methods of preparing Alcohol of wine, from Helmont, Boyle, Glauber, Le Mort, &c. Jungk. Lex. Chym. Pharm. P. 1. p. 13. feq.
Alcohol is alfo ufed, by modern chemifts, for any fine highly reaified fpirit. Cajlel. Lex. Med. p. 29. See Spirit rectified.
Alcohol, in the Arabian aftrology, is when a heavy flow- paced planet receives another lighter one within its orb, fo as to come in junaion therewith. Vital. Lex. Math. p. 18.
ALCOHOLIZATION, in chemiftry, the reaification of a vinous fpirit. Teichm. Elem. Chem. P. 1. c. 4. p. 2. This is otherwife called Alcoolifation.
Alcoholization, according to Starkey, denotes the circulation of a volatile fpirit on a fixed alkali, till fuch time as out of
the, two arifes one only neutral body, different from 'both 'the former. Alcoholization is one way of volatilizing alkali's. Starkey, p. 128. Mem. de Trev. an. 1706. p. 246.
Alcoholization is alfo ufed for pulverization. Juncker^ Confp. Chem. tab. 12. p. 313. See Pulverization, Cycl.
ALCOHOLISED is underftood of things which are reduced to an Alcohol.
In this fenfe, we meet with alcolifed fpirits, alcolifcd powders, &c.
This is otherwife written, alcoolized, and amounts to much the fame as fubtilized, reaified, &c.
According to Starkey's doctrine, as there are three kinds of fpirits, acid, urinous, and vinous, we may alfo make three kinds of alcoholized alkali's, which are diftinguilhcd by the names of arcanum pontieitalis, arcanum microcofmi, and ar- canum jamech. Starkey, p. 128. Mem. de Trev. loc. cit.
ALCOLA is ufed, by alchemifts, for the tartar of urine. Cajl. Lex. Med. p. 30.
Alcola is found in three different forms ; viz. I. Refolved, or reduced into an impalpable fubftance. 2. Sandy, or voided under the appearance of fmall grains of whitifli or reddifti fund. 3. Mucilaginous, or vifcous. Paracelf. de Urin. Indie. 1. 1. tr. 2. c. r. feq. ap. Caft. Lex.
ALCOR, in aftronomy, a fmall ftar adjoining to the large bright one in the middle of the tail of the Great Bear. Phil. Tranfaa. N°. 283. p. 848. Wolf. Elem. Aftron. §. 236. Edit. 1. Sec Ursa major, Cycl.
The word is Arabic. — it is a proverb among the Arabians, applied to one who pretends to fee fmall things, but over- looks much greater, Thou canjl fee Akor, and yet not fee the full moon. Vital, Lex. Math. p. 19. Wolf Lex. Math. P- 34-
ALCORAN (Cycl.) — Some take this word to denote a collection, and fuppofe the name was given to this book, as being a collection of the loofe chapters, or fheets, out of which it was firft formed.
This opinion, to which Salmafius adheres >, is refuted by Mr. Sale b from this confideration, that the name Koran is not only given to the whole compofhion, but to any part, or portion of it, confequently cannot properly import a collec- tion. M. Ancillun fuggefts, that the word is not a noun, but a verb, fignifying eonfejfus ejf, or correxit, and imports ing either a confeflion of faith, or a correaion of the Old and New Teftament c ; but this will hardly be adopted by any. — — [ a Exerc. ad Solin. in Proleg. b Prelim. Difc. to Koran, §• 3- P- 56. feq. c Ancill. Melang. P. I. p. 78. Aft. Erud. Lipf. 1698. p. 288.]
The Alcoran is known by divers other names, fome of which are mentioned in the Cyclopaedia. It is fometimes alfo called al Mojhaf, q. d. the volume ; al Kitab, the book ; Tanzil, a thing defcended from above ; Kelam Scheref the noble word ; Ketaz aziz, the precious book. Sale, lib. cit. p. 57. Trev. Dia. Univ. T. 1. p. 264.
The form in which any paffage of it is quoted by any of the Mahometan writers, in their works, is by writing in a large charaaer, or in red letter, the two words Coulho taala, God fays, without marking either chapter or verfe. The work is divided into an hundred and fourteen furasj or chapters, and the flints fubdivided into little verfes, or figns, called ayat ; which are all compofed in a broken interrupted ftyle, refembling profe rather than verfe, though generally- reckoned, by learned men, in the latter clafs. Mr. Sale allures, that it is written in profe, but that the fen- tences generally conclude in a long continued rhimc, for the fake of which, the fenfe is often interrupted, and unneceflary repetitions made. The Arabs are fo delighted with this jingling, that they employ it in their moll elaborate compo- fitions, which they embellifti with frequent paffages of, and allufions to, the Alcoran ; fo that it is next to impoflible to underftand them, without being well verfed in this book. The divifion into fura's is but of a late (landing. Neither the fura's, nor the verfes, are a&ualiy marked in any of their copies, though, in fome MSS. the number of verfes in each chapter is fpecified after the title.
Befide the divifions of chapter and verfe, which are unequal, the Mahometans have divided the Alcoran into fixty equal portions, called hizb, or ahzab, each of which is fubdivided into four equal parts. This feems to be an imitation of the Jews, who have a like divifion of their Mifchna, into fixty portions, or maffiototh. But the more ufual divifion of the Koran, is into thirty feftions only, called ajza, each of twice the length of the former, and fubdivided, like them, into four parts. Thefe divifions are for the ufe of the public readers of the Alcoran, in the royal temples, and chapels ad- joining to them, wherein are the tombs of their great men. Of the thirty readers belonging to every chapel, each reads his feaion every day ; fo that the whole Alcoran is read over once a day. Sale, lib. cit. p. 59.
After the title at the head of each chapter, excepting the ninth, is prefixed the formula, " In the name of the moft " merciful God," called by the Mahometans Bifmallah, wherewith they conftantly begin all their books and writings, as the diftingui thing mark of their religion.
4 Twenty-
