ABRAHAM**, one of the most celebrated writers in the 17th century, with respect to the astonishing number of pieces composed by him. His chief work is the continuation of Baronius's Annals. He was a native of Poland, and a Dominican friar. Upon his coming to Rome, he was received with open arms by the Pope, and had an apartment assigned him in the Vatican. He merited that reception, for he has imitated Baronius to admiration, in his design of making all things conspire to the despotic power and glory of the papal see. He died in 1630, aged 70. C, THE third letter, and second consonant, of the alphabet, is pronounced like k before the vowels a, o, and u; and like r, before e, i, and y. C is formed, according to Scaliger, from the z of the Greeks, by retrenching the stem or upright line; though others derive it from the z of the Hebrews, which has in effect the same form; allowing only for this, that the Hebrews reading backwards, and the Latins, &c. forwards, each have turned the letter their own way. However the C not being the same as to sound with the Hebrew caph, and it being certain the Romans did not borrow their letters immediately from the Hebrews or other orientals, but from the Greeks, the derivation from the Greek z, is the more probable. Add, that F. Montfaucon, in his Palaeographia, gives us some forms of the Greek z, which come very near to that of our C; thus, for instance, ει and Suidas calls the C the Roman kappa. The second found of C resembles that of the Greek Σ; and many instances occur of ancient inscriptions, in which Σ has the same form with our C.

All grammarians agree, that the Romans pronounced their Q like our C, and their C like our K. F. Mabillon adds, that Charles the Great was the first who wrote his name with a C; whereas all his predecessors of the same name wrote it with a K; and the same difference is observed in their coins.

As an abbreviation, C stands for Caius, Carolus, Cæsar, condemnno, &c. and CC for confidibus.

As a numeral, C signifies 100, CC 200, &c.

C, in Music, placed after the cleff, intimates that the music is in common time, which is either quick or slow, as it is joined with allegro, or adagio; if alone, it is usually adagio. If the C be eroded or turned, the first requires the air to be played quick, and the last very quick.