ALC 
book itself, inimitable by any human pen; 
and therefore insisted on as a permanent 
miracle, greater than that of raising the 
dead, and alone sufficient to convince the 
world of its divine original ; and to this mi- 
racle did Mahomet himself chiefly appeal, 
for the confirmation of his mission, publicly 
challenging the most eloquent schoolmen in 
Arabia, to produce a single chapter com- 
parable to it. A late ingenious and candid 
writer, who is a very good judge, allows the 
style of the Alcoran to be generally beautiful 
and fluent, especially where it imitates the 
prophetic manner, and scripture phrase; 
concise, and often obscure ; adorned with 
bold figures, after the eastern taste ; enli- 
vened with florid and sententious expres- 
sions ; and, in many places, especially where 
the majesty and attributes of God are des 1 
cribed, sublime and magnificent. 
To the pomp and harmony of expression 
some ascribe all the force and effect of the 
Alcoran ; which they consider as a sort of 
music, equally fitted to ravish and amaze, 
with other species of that art. In this Ma- 
homet succeeded so well, and so strangely 
captivated the minds of his audience, that 
several of his opponents thought it the effect 
of witchcraft and enchantment, as he him- 
self complains. 
So numerous are the commentaries on the 
Alcoran, that a catalogue of their bare titles 
would make a volume : we have a very ele- 
gant translation of it into English by Mr. 
Sale; who has added a preliminary discourse, 
with other occasional notes, which the cu- 
rious may consult on this head. 
Among Mahometans this book is held in 
the greatest reverence and esteem. The 
Mussuhnen dare not touch it without being 
first washed, or legally purified ; to prevent 
which an inscription is put on the cover or 
label : “ Let none touch it but they who 
are clean.” It is read with great care and 
respect. They swear by it, take omens 
fi^m it on all weighty occasions, carry it 
with them to war, write sentences of it on 
their banners, adorn it with gold and precious 
stones, and do not suffer it to be in the pos- 
session of any who hold a different religion. 
ALCYON, in natural history, a name 
given to the kingsfisher. See Alcedo. 
ALCYONIUM, in natural history, a ge- 
nus of Zoophytes, the characters of which 
are, that the animal grows in the form of a 
plant ; the stem or root is fixed, fleshy, ge- 
latinous, spongy, or coriaceous, with a cel- 
lular epidermis, penetrated with stellated 
pores, and shooting out tentaculated ovipa-. 
ALE 
rous hydros. There are 28 species. Prom 
some experiments made by Mr. Hatchett, 
and related by him in the Phil. Trans, on 
several of the species of alcyonium he was led 
to conclude, that they were all composed of 
a soft, flexible, membranaceous substance, 
slightly hardened by carbonate, mixed with 
a small portion of phospate of lime. 
ALDEBARAN, in astronomy, a star of 
the first magnitude, called in English the 
Bull’s eye, as making the eye of the constel- 
lation Taurus. 
ALDER-trce, the English name of a ge- 
nus of trees, called by botanists alnus. See 
Alnus. 
ALDERMAN, in the British policy, a 
magistrate subordinate to the mayor of a 
city, or town-corporate. 
The number of these magistrates is not 
limited, but is more or less according to the 
magnitude of the place. In London they 
are twenty -six; each having one of the wards 
of the city committed to his care. Their 
office is for life ; so that when one of them 
dies or resigns, a ward-mote is called, who 
return two persons, one of whom the lord 
mayor and aldermen choose to supply the 
vacancy. 
ALDROVANDA, in botany, a genus of 
the Pentantria Pentagynia class and order, 
of which there is only one species, viz. the 
A. vesiculosa, found in marshes in Italy 
and India, with bladders like utricularia, but 
in bunches. 
ALE-amuer, an officer in London, who 
inspects the measures of public houses. They 
are four in number, and chosen by the com- 
mon-hall of the city. 
AhE-houses, no licence to be granted to 
any person unless he produce a certificate 
of his good character, under the hands of the 
clergyman, churchwardens, &c. Penalties 
for selling without a licence, unless at fairs, 
40s. for the first offence, 4 1. for the second : 
no person can sell wine to be drank at his 
owm house, who has not an ale licence. 
Ale -silver, a tax paid yearly to the lord 
mayor of London, by all who sell ale within 
the city. 
ALECTRA, in botany, a genus of the 
Didynamia Angiosperma class and order, of 
which there is a single species only, viz. A. 
capensis, a native of the Cape of Good 
Hope; found in grassy places near rivers; 
flowering in November and December. 
ALEMBERT (John le Rond D’) an 
eminent French mathematician and philoso 
plier, and one of the brightest ornaments 
of the 18th century. He was perpetual 
