Supplement to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Editions of the Encyclopædia Britannica/Alfergan

ALFERGAN, or Alfragan, an Arabian astronomer, who lived under the reign of the Caliph Almamon, and who, on account of his skill in calculation, was surnamed the Calculator. He wrote an Introduction to Astronomy, which contains little that is original, being chiefly compiled from the Almagest of Ptolemy. He was also the author of a treatise on Dials, and of an account of the construction and use of the Astrolabe. These two pieces still remain in manuscript; but there have been three different Latin translations published of his astronomical work. The first, by Joannes Hispalensis, was published at Ferrara in 1493. This translation was afterwards reprinted at Nuremberg in 1537, with a preface by Melanchton. The second was the work of John Christman, and was published at Frankfort in 1590. The third, and the mast esteemed of these translations, was by Golius, Professor of Mathematics and Oriental Languages at Leyden. It was published at Amsterdam in 1669, accompanied with the Arabic text, and with notes by Golius, which are extremely curious. But these notes extend no farther than the ninth chapter, as the author did not live to complete this part of his undertaking. The work itself contains thirty chapters, all of which are very short.