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be alarmed. Such as were supremely ignorant, and excessively addicted to idolatrous worship, could not hear his invectives against such a practice without fear or indignation. To have pulled the meat from their mouths under the most pungent stings of hunger, would not have been considered as greater injustice and barbarity, than the exclaiming against their deities. But men of penetration and discernment were alarmed for another reason. saw a system of tyranny and oppression making rapid strides towards maturity, which, if not finally suppressed in a state of infancy, might soon divest them of all their possessions. This made them resolve to cut off the object of their terror and disgust, let the consequences be what they would, as they rightly judged, that of two evils the least should be chosen. Humanity itself can scarcely help lamenting that they did not succeed; but by the timely interference and vigorous exertions of Abu Taleb, his uncle, he was delivered from premeditated massacre, to be a scourge to the world. It does not appear that this man ever espoused the religion of his nephew, but such was his affection for him, far exceeding what is commonly found in that degree of consanguinity, that all his power and influence became devoted to his service when in danger from his enemies.

Mohammed being constantly urged to work miracles in confirmation of his pretended mission, by all those who continued proof against his arts of seduction, he was galled to the very soul, and greatly at a loss what answer to return. But being now so accustomed to the sneers of waggery, or the terrible blows of reason and argument, he received them as things of course, and his presence of mind coöperating with his ready wit, seldom left him for any length of time in total stupefaction. He therefore told them, without seeming to be much disconcerted, that the working of miracles formed no part of his apostleship, being entirely limited by God to preach the rewards of paradise, and the punishments of hell; the dignity of his own character, and the submission which all men were required to pay to him as the prophet of God. Soon, however, did he perceive the impotency of this argument. They considered it as reasoning in a circle, to prove his mission by itself. If you are divinely inspired, let us see your credentials, for God will send no man upon such an errand as you assert you are come on, without such undeniable tokens of the veracity of the messenger, as all men must believe, if not resolutely blind. Finding the people more than a match for him in canvassing the merits of this excuse, he had recourse to another which he deemed more conclusive. He said that their predecessors had treated the miracles of Saleh and other prophets of their own country with such ridicule and contempt, that God was determined they should never have an opportunity of behaving so again. If we suppose that this nonsensical story was an object of general belief among the Arabs, as we think it was, it behooved to have greater weight with

his hearers, than his former apology. If it was a legend of his own fabrication, he would take care to lay the supposed scene of those miracles at such a distance from Mecca, as to put it out of the power of the objectors to contradiét him to his face. But be ing afraid that even this might fail to produce the intended effect, he said that all those whom God had from eternity ordained to believe, would do so, without the aid of miracles, while those whom he determined should not believe, could not be converted by ten thousand miracles. This was the justly exploded doctrine of fate and destiny, which many of the ancients considered as above the Almighty; -as a blasphemous inexpressible something to which God himself was subject. Yet even this, which is no more like the Scripture doctrine of predestination than the east is like the west, or the light of a glow-worm like that of the sun, would not answer his purpose. He therefore observed that Moses and Joshua were frequently disobeyed, and rejected by wickedness and unbelief, which made God send him last of all to compel them by the sword. It may here be remarked, that although Mohammed disclaims, in his Koran, the power of working miracles, for the reasons already mentioned, yet some of his admirers have ascribed many to him which are miracles with a vengeance. It seems he was capable of cleaving the moon in two, which no doubt required a very desperate stroke, even from a prophet's arm! They tell us also that trees went out to meet him; that water flowed from between his fingers; a beam groaned at him; a camel, poor creature, complained to him; possibly knowing him to be a prophet, sent to redress all grievances; and a shoulder of mutton informed him that it was poisoned. Stories have often been invented by wicked men, with a design to depreciate Christianity in the world; but we dare not say that this bundle of absurdities was the production of any wag for a similar purpose, since Arabian writers relate them, who were superstitiously attached to everything Mohammed either said or did, and who would not have uttered a syllable to his prejudice, had they viewed it in such a light.

Perceiving that there was little probability of augmenting the number of his proselytes by the various arts he had hitherto employed, but that a cause so interesting to him was rather on the decline, he resolved to effectuate by violence, what he could not accomplish by dint of argument. The number of his adherents must, however, have been very considerable, before he could venture to undertake such a hazardous enterprise, since his ambitious views were blasted forever, and his very life at stake, if he did not succeed. Those who say the fewest, allow him to have had five hundred, others a thousand, and others more. Finding that his cause would flourish no longer at Mecca for the present, and that every moment's delay only increased his danger, by strengthening the rage and fury of his opposers, he fled to Medina, with as many as would follow him. This city is about two hundred and seventy

miles distant from Mecca, to which he certainly fled in consequence of an invitation. This favorable turn of fortune he improved in the best manner to his advantage, and the number of his followers increasing so fast, he resolved on the reduction of Mecca, with all convenient speed. The genuine dispositions of the man now began to show themselves in all their native deformity, and to evince that rapine and murder were the darlings of his soul. When his cruelty or injustice offended any of his disciples, a chapter of the Koran put everything to rights. It was a plump argument, that God authorized and countenanced him, and to gain the belief of his followers to such a daring assertion, was to magnify his villany into some thing meritorious. Soon after his arrival at Medina, he built a house for his own accommodation, depriving some poor orphans of the ground upon which it was erected. Such a barbarous deed excites pity in the bare relation of it, but this great prophet of God could perform it without any compunction! It is matter of lamentation to the good man, and of triumph to the infidel, that religion has been so frequently made the imp of wickedness in every age of the world. It is a melancholy proof that no degrees of impiety will shock some men, and an evidence of the stupidity of the multitude, in believing that the very worst of crimes can be the offspring of religion.

As all authors are agreed that Mohammed lived thirteen years at Mecca, and ten at Medina, at which place he died, and as his famous trip to heaven is placed in the twelfth year of his pretended mission, it will be proper to take some notice of it here. Being in bed one night with his best beloved wife Ayesha, he had a very familiar visit paid to him by the angel Gabriel. On examining the performances of Raphael, Titian or Van Dyke, we do not find that they ever painted an angel with more than two pinions. It follows, therefore, that they have never favored the world with a picture of Gabriel, since Mohammed, who behcoved to know the true state of the matter, informs us that he had seventy brace of wings! It seems too, that he is as much master of etiquette as any teacher of manners whatever, for he very politely rapped at Mohammed's door. On gaining admittance, he shook the good old prophet most lovingly by the hand, telling him that he was sent to conduct him to the divine presence, to receive the finishing touches of his glorious mission. A galloway called Alborak, as white as milk, was ready to carry him, a beast on which the prophets had ridden some thousand years before. But while Gabriel held the bridle till Mohammed should mount, the creature began to kick and plunge with such fury and desperation, that he could not get up. Had the stupid animal known the honor that was intended him, in being employed to carry such a load of holiness on such an important errand, instead of exhibiting so much rusticity and want of breeding, he would have neighed with transport. However, a lucky thought came into the good man's head at this critical junc

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ture, which accomplished his aim. He faithfully promised to Alborak, that if he would let him mount, without any more ado, he should be rewarded in the end with a seat in paradise. And to say the truth, the paradise of Mohammed is fitter for quadrupeds than for rational beings. This had its intended effect, when away they set for Jerusalem much quicker than lightning. Alborak being fastened to the foot of a rock, they instantly reached the first of the seven heavens, composed entirely of solid silver. Here was an old decrepit man, who turned out to be Adam, the father of us all, and who, embracing the prophet with great tenderness, thanked God for giving him such a son, as well he might; for certainly he was a most hopeful and promising child! Here too he saw the stars hanging by golden chains suspended from the roof, which is a hint to you, ye advocates for the Copernican system, who absurdly believe that the planets roll round the sun! At the distance of five hundred years' journey, according to the usual rate of travelling upon earth, they reached the second heaven, which was all of pure gold. In it he met with Noah, who, from a deep conviction of his inferiority, recommended himself to his prayers. The third heaven was of precious stones, in which Abraham resided; but a sight of him was a trifle, compared to an angel, on whom he gazed with astonishment. The distance between his eyes was seventy thousand days' journey, and consequently his whole height was five millions forty thousand, or four times as high as all his heavens put together, since each was distant from the other five hundred years' journey. You must not be surprised if he stood right up between the third and fourth, although higher than all the seven; for if you cannot give it your reason, an Arabian can give it his faith. You may say indeed, that it requires pretty strong faith; but surely it calls for no stronger belief than the Roman Catholic possessed, when he exclaimed, on his being fairly conquered by argument, "credo quod impossibile est!"

The fourth heaven was made of emerald, in which Joseph dwelt: - The fifth was of adamant, the residence of Moses, with whom he had a conference: -The sixth was of carbuncle, the abode of John the Baptist; and the seventh of divine light, where he found Jesus Christ. It is worthy of observation, that all whom he saw in each heaven, recommended themselves to the efficacy of his prayers; but he confesses that he himself requested the prayers of Christ. We do not suppose that this humility was genuine, but that he paid him this compliment to flatter the Christians, who had always greater indulgences from him than the Jews, and whose favor and friendship he studiously courted. There was also a very remarkable angel in this highest heaven, for he had no fewer than seventy thousand heads, (Mohammed you see, did not "deal in trifles,) in each head seventy thousand tongues, and each tongue uttered seventy thousand distinct voices at once. That is, he spoke audibly three hundred forty three millions of millions of

words in an instant, and therefore if he could write with the same expedition, he must have been able to compose eighty-five millions, seven hundred and fifty thousand folio volumes almost in the twinkling of an eye, though we allow four millions of words to each!! On Mohammed's arriving within two bow-shots of the throne of God, he perceived his face covered with 70,000 veils, but when he came near it through water and snow, the hand of the Almighty was so cold, when laid upon his back, that it penetrated to the very marrow. Having obtained important secrets, which it was not lawful to utter, and having been informed that he should be (which was the very cream of the journey) the greatest man upon earth, he was conducted back again by Gabriel to the foot of the rock, where mounting Alborak, he was presently at home.

The Arabians themselves could not help laughing at this great story, when it was related by him the next day. Some of his converts were perfectly ashamed, and it occasioned a considerable diminution of his influence for a little time; but by the timely and artful interference of Abu Bekr, another of his uncles, the defection was prevented from increasing. This man was a convert to the truth of his pretended mission, and succeeded him in the regal and pontifical dignity. It became next a subject for discussion, whether it was a real journey or a vision, which gave rise to much altercation among his followers. The more rational part of them would have had it only a vision or a dream, since they found it by no means safe to give the prophet the lie by declaring it a fabrication; but that it was a real journey was the opinion which gained the victory, as it had Mohammed and Abu Bekr on its side. The Impostor himself having now had considerable experience of the success of his Koran, when viewed as a revelation, determined to give currency to this journey of his, by another chapter, in which he brings in God himself as vouching for the truth of every particular. The contemplative mind stands astonished at this stupendous wickedness, and wonders how human nature could perpetrate such deliberate villany. But indeed, when the stings of conscience are so blunted as to permit a man with impunity to commence an impostor, there is nothing in the whole compass of human depravity at which he will startle.

Being now at Medina, and enjoying the attachment of a considerable body of men, he made frequent attacks upon the adjacent towns and villages, distributing the booty taken from the vanquished among his soldiers, and reducing the inhabitants to slavery, who procured their emancipation by the acceptance of his religion. In short, after he had subdued Mecca, which he was not long in accomplishing after his flight from it, he carried his victorious arms through the greater part of Arabia, and even into Syria; and till he put his cause out of the reach of danger, it continued to be supported in the same bloody manner. Such was .he terror and consternation which his victories occasioned every