E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Criss-cross Row (Christ-cross row).
The A B C horn-book, containing the alphabet and nine digits. The most ancient of these infant-school books had the letters arranged in the form of a Latin cross, with A at the top and Z at the bottom; but afterwards the letters were arranged in lines, and a + was placed at the beginning to remind the learner that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
