PDF - Cunningham Memorial Library

xvi
PRELIMINARY
1L is placed over the g, when it is to be so pronounced.
It is also to be observed, that the English letter
y is here used for the Greek letter v (upsilon).
THERE are a number of words frequently used in tile'
Englisb language, which by some are said to be derived
solely from the Arabic, and by others to be compounded
partly from the Arabic ~nd partly from tlie Greek;
these the Author has judged right here to class together:
for the et)'mology of most of which he is indebted to
Dr. J. BORTHWICK Gn,CHRlsT.
AL, EL, or UL, as an Arabic noun, denotes" God, heaven,
divine;n as an Arabic particle, it-is prefixed to words
to give them a more emphatic signification, signifying
much the same as our particle tile, as in AlcoranJ
"The Koran:" and in the Arabic Astronomy we
have Al Thllraiya, "The Pleiades."
Alcahest, or alkahest, perhaps from ul, "the," and
qusd, "project," or q'llssut, " a plaster," qissut, "an
affair ;" also kalzislz, or kast, "diminution, alloy. n A
liquor ,vhich has the power of resolving all things into
their first principles. 'Vith the secret 01 preparing
this extraordinary liquor Van Helmont" professed
j'
,. Helmont was born at Brussels in 1577. He acquired
such skill in natural philosophy, that he was
accounted a magi