ARABIC

ARABIC, Arabicus, something that relates to Arabia, or the Arabs. Arabic, or Arabic Language, is a Branch or Dialect of the Hebrew. See LANGUAGE and HEBREW. Father Angelo de St. Joseph speaks much of the Beauty and Copiousness of the Arabic. He assures us it has no less than a thousand Names for a Sword; five hundred for a Lion; two hundred for a Serpent; and eighty for Honey. See WORD, ALPHABET, etc.



Arabic Figures, or Characters, are the Numeral Characters commonly made use of in large Computations. See FIGURE, NUMERAL, etc. The Arabic Characters stand contradistinguished to the Roman. See CHARACTER, etc. The Learned are generally of opinion, that the Arabic Figures were first taught us by the Saracens, who borrowed them from the Arabs, and they from the Indians. Scaliger was so satisfied of their Novelty, that he immediately pronounced a Silver Medallion he was consulted about, Modern; upon his being told of the Numeral Figures 234, 235, being on it. The common Opinion is, that Planudes, who lived towards the Close of the thirteenth Century, was the first Christian who made use of them. Father Mabillon even assures us, in his Work de Re Diplomatica, that he has not found them anywhere earlier than the fourteenth Century. Yet Dr. Wallis insists on their being of a much older Standing; and concludes they must have been used in England at least as long ago as the time of Hermannus Contractus, who lived about the Year 1050; if not in ordinary Affairs, yet at least in Mathematical ones, and particularly Astronomical Tables.

The same Author gives us an Instance of their Antiquity in England, from a Mantel-Tree of a Chimney, in the Parsonage House of Helmdon in Northamptonshire, wherein is the following Inscription in Basso Relievo, M° 133, being the Date of the Year 1133. Philos. Transact. N° 154.
Mr. Luffkin furnishes a yet earlier Instance of their Use, in the Window of a House, part of which is a Roman Wall, near the Market-place in Colchester; where between two carved Lions stands an Escutcheon, containing the Figures 1090, Philos. Transact. N° 255.
M. Huet is even of opinion that these characters were not borrowed from the Arabs, but from the Greeks; and that they were originally no other than the Greek letters, which we all know that people used to express their numbers by.
See NUMBER, NUMERATION, etc.

M. Huet is even of opinion that these characters were not borrowed from the Arabs, but from the Greeks; and that they were originally no other than the Greek letters, which we all know that people used to express their numbers by. See NUMBER, NUMERATION, etc.

Gum Arabic, is the name of a gum which distills from various species of Acacia, growing in Egypt and Arabia. See GUM.
It is very common among us, but little is to be met with which is genuine; it is suspected to be adulterated with our common Plum-tree gums. That is accounted best, which is in smallest pieces, and almost of a white color.

It diffolves eafily in any aqueous Liquor, and is good in all kinds of Fuser: aes ube Z Apanicx, Anasicus, was alfo a Title or Denominas tion of Honour, given to the Emperor Severus; on accoun- of his conquering 4rabia, and reducing it into the form of a Romaz Province. See TIRNE, and QUARIRY.
On the Reverfe of fome Medals of that Emperor, we read PARTHIC. ARABIC. ADIAB, COS. IL PP. And fometimes PARTH. ARAB. PARTH. ADIAB.
It dissolves easily in any aqueous liquor, and is good in all kinds of uses.

ARABIC