<_< = 
1825.1 - [ 
251° J 
MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE, DOMESTIC 
AND FOREIGN. 
Authors or Publishers, desirous of seeing an early Notice of their Works, are 
: requested to transmit Copies before the 18th of the Month. 
—— 
NIVERSAL Historical Dictionary; or, 
Explanation of the Names of Persons 
and Places in the departments of Biblical, 
Political anid Ecclesiastical History, Mytho- 
logy, Heraldry, Biography, Bibliography, 
Geography and Numismatics. Illustrated by 
Portraits and Medallic Culs. By GEORGE 
Crass, A.M., <duthor of the Universal 
Technological Dictionary, &c. To be com- 
pleted in Twelve Monthly Parts. 4to. Parts 
LI. and If.—Of the importance of a work 
like this, to men of literary pursuits, if the 
execution be equal to the design, there can 
be but one opinion. Of that execution, 
however, to speak at large, in any very 
positive terms, would, in the periodical 
critic, be little less than presumptuous 
quackery. We never yet met with, or heard 
of, more than one voracious reader who 
read through a whole dictionary [Rees’s 
Encyclopedia, Ist edition, for example, was 
the subject of the experiment alluded to], 
article by article, from great A to crooked Z; 
and, as “the proof of the pudding” must go 
according tothe vulgar proverb, itis only pro- 
gressively, by repeated references as necessity 
or fancy may happen to whet the appetite, 
that one becomes properly acquainted with 
the extent and general sutiiciency cf the re- 
spective ingredients, Judging, however, by 
the degree of examination we have found 
it practicable to extend to the two parts 
already published (a sixth of the purposed 
whole), our opinion would, in this respect, 
be very fayourable: Of the nature of the 
plan, a few examples, perhaps, will give the 
reader a better idea than any practicable 
description, or prospectus. The articles, in 
general, of course, are short (for it is a 
dictionary, in the strict sense of the word, 
that is designed, not an alphabetic abstract 
of history and biography) ; but references to 
the sources of information, where they are 
requisite, appear to be subjoined. As, for 
example— 
“* SARON, or, according to the Arabians, Hartin 
Arraschid, son of Mahdi, a Babylonian Caliph, be- 
gan to reign in the year 170 of the Hegira, A.D. 780, 
and died in the year 192 of the Hegira, A.D. 802. He 
was a valiant and successful warrior, and a distin- 
guished patron of learning, but perfidious towards 
the conquered, and capricious towards his own sub- 
jects. Presents were interchanged between him and 
Charlemagne. Theophan. Chronog. ann. 773; Paul. 
Diac. 1. 24, c. 4; Sigebert, Chron. aun. 802; Pocock’s 
Abul. Pharaj. Hist. Orient.” 
Where a name is comprehensive, as 
having reference to a race or series, the 
whole succession is brought into one view, 
thus— 
“‘ ABBASSIDES (TIlist.), the second line or race 
of Saracen Caliphs, descended from Abbas, the 
iincle of Mahomet, who raised themselves on the 
ruins of the house of Ommiah, and reigned over 
Persia, Syria, Arabia, Egyp’, Africa and Spain. 
Their empire, which was kept entire until A.D. 910, 
was completely overthrown A.D. 1258, by the irrup- 
tion of the Tartars. 
Chronological Succession of the Abbassid 8. 
Abwl Abbas Al Saffah, grandson of Abbas, the 
uncle of Mahomet, after the overthrow and death of 
Merwan, was acknowledged caliph in the year of the 
Hegira 132, A.D. 742, died 136—746.” 
And so on with the whole race, thirty-six 
in number, to its extinction in the year of 
the Hegira 656, A.D. 1266. So, again— 
«© ABD’ALLAH (Hist.), or, as it is variously writ- 
yten, Abdala, Abdollah, Abdulla, Ab@ula, &c., aname 
common to many Saracen princes and distinguished 
persons :” 
which follow, in chronological succession, 
under the respective heads, — Suracen 
Princes in Asia of this Name— Saracen 
Princes in Africa of this Name—Saracen 
Princes in Europe—WDistinguished Persons of 
this Name. The whole including sevyenty- 
four names, and occupying nearly three 4to. 
columns, closely printed in small type, with 
references to the historians, &c. affixed to 
every name of the respective dynasties. 
In the same manner, after— 
*©AC-COINLU (Hist.), or white sheep, a family 
of Turcomans, who reigned in Asia, so called from 
the ensign they bore,” 
follows the Chronological Succession of the 
Ac-coinlu, to their extinction in the year of 
the Hegira 915, A.D. 1525. 
The geographical article ALGIERS, 
which, in a brief paragraph of two sen- 
tences, gives the position, boundaries and 
territorial division of that country, and to 
which is subjoined a table of the respective 
towns, with their modern and ancient 
names,—is followed by ‘‘ AL.crERs, the capi- 
tal; and that, by a chronological sketch, 
“ History of dlgiers,” from the time of Ju- 
lius Cxsar, to the expedition of Lord Ex- 
mouth in 1816, compressed into less than 
half a column. 
In one of the minor clauses, however, of 
the article ARABIA, upon which we 
casually cast an eye, we find an inaccuracy 
(probably from some error of omission in 
the press) which renders the passage un- 
intelligible. Under the clause, Latent, 
Boundaries and Division, we had been told 
that “ Arabia was divided, by the ancients, 
into Arabia Petrea, now Baraab; Arabia 
Deserta, now Berjera; and Arabia Felix, 
now digaman, diman, or Jemen.” But the 
next clause, or section, stands thus— 
“ Principal Towns.—T he principal towns of Arabia 
Petrea, were Petrwa the capital; Bostra, now Bas- 
sora; Medava, or Medbah and ‘Tor;—that of Arabia 
2K 2 Deserta, 
