charge of weakness and fickleness, it is surprising that his disciples should have been blinded by so flimsy a disguise; yet such is the fact. And it adds another proof of the truth of the remark, that as there is no error or absurdity in religion too monstrous to be conceived or broached, so there is none too gross to be imposed upon the credulity of others.

That his career was one of the most extraordinary occurring in the annals of any nation, or age, will not be questioned. By force of a vast ambition, giving direction to native talents of a superior order, he had risen from small beginnings to the pinnacle of power among the Arab nation, and before his death, had commenced one of the greatest revolutions known in the history of man. He laid the foundation of an empire, which, in the short space of eighty years, extended its sway over more kingdoms and countries than Rome had mastered in eight hundred. And when we pass from the political to the religious ascendency which he gained, and consider the rapid growth, the wide diffusion, and the enduring permanence of the Mahometan imposture, we are still more astonished. Indeed, in this, as in every other instance where the fortunes of an individual are entirely disproportioned to the means employed, and surpass all reasonable calculation, we are forced to resolve the problem into the special providence of God. Nothing short of this could have secured the achievement of such mighty results; and we must, doubtless, look upon Mahometanism at the present day, as a standing monument of the mysterious wisdom of Jehovah, designed to

compass ends which are beyond the grasp of human minds.

As to person, Mahomet, according to his Arabic biographers, was of a middling stature, and of a florid complexion. His head was large and well formed; his hair smooth, and of a glossy black; his eye of the same colour; and so uncommonly vigorous and robust was his frame, that at the time of his death, scarcely any of the marks or infirmities of age had appeared upon him. His features were large, yet regular; his cheeks full; his forehead prominent; his eyebrows long and smooth, mutually approaching each other, yet not so as to meet; and between them was a vein, of which the pulse was quicker and higher than usual whenever he was angry. He had an aquiline nose and a large mouth, with teeth of singular brilliancy and somewhat singular form, as they were pointed like the teeth of a saw, and placed at some distance from each other, though still in beautiful order. When he laughed he discovered them, and they appeared, if tradition may be credited, like hail-stones, or little white pearls. Even his laughter is said to have been full of majesty, and in his smile there was such a peculiar contraction of the muscles of the mouth and cheeks, and such an expression given to the countenance, as rendered it irresistibly attractive. In his later years he became corpulent; but he had always a free open air, a majestic port, and a most engaging address.

Of the eloquent account of the prophet, given by the historian of the Decline and Fall,' the following passage is selected as especially discrimi

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nating and just. Charity may believe that the original motives of Mahomet were those of pure and genuine benevolence, but a human missionary is incapable of cherishing the obstinate unbelievers who reject his claims, despise his arguments, and persecute his life; he might forgive his personal adversaries, he may lawfully hate the enemies of God; the stern passions of pride and revenge were kindled in the bosom of Mahomet, and he sighed like the prophet of Nineveh for the destruction of the rebels whom he had condemned. The injustice of Mecca, and the choice of Medina, transformed the citizen into a prince, the humble preacher into a leader of armies; but his sword was consecrated by the example of the saints; and the same God who afflicts a sinful world with pestilence and earthquakes, might inspire for their conversion or chastisement the valour of his servants. In the exercise of political government, he was compelled to abate the stern rigour of fanaticism, to comply, in some measure, with the prejudices and passions of his followers, and to employ even the vices of mankind as the instruments of their salvation. The use of fraud and perfidy, of cruelty and injustice, were often subservient to the propagation of the faith; and Mahomet commanded or approved the assassination of the Jews and idolaters who had escaped from the field of battle. By the repetition of such acts, the character of Mahomet must have been gradually stained; and the influence of such pernicious habits, would be poorly compensated by the practice of the personal and social virtues which are necessary to maintain the reputation of a prophet among his sectaries and friends. Of his late years,

ambition was his ruling passion, and a politician will suspect that he secretly smiled (the victorious impostor!) at the enthusiasm of his youth, and the credulity of his proselytes. A philosopher would observe, that their cruelty, and his success would tend more strongly to fortify the assurance of his divine mission; that his interest and religion were inseparably connected, and that his conscience would be soothed by the persuasion, that he alone was absolved by the Deity from the obligation of positive and moral laws."*

CHAPTER XII.

The rise of the Arabian empire.-Disputes about the suc cession to Mahomet's power.-Abubeker appointed. He assumes the title of Caliph.-Troubles at the commencement of his reign. He calls the followers of the prophet to war for the spread of their religion.-Ardour of the Arab troops.-Success against the Greek army.-Fall of Bozra.-Battle of Aiznadin. Fall of Damascus.-Death of Abubeker.-Omar declared. his successor.-Continuation of the Syrian campaign.-Omar's journey to Jerusalem.-Fall of that city.-Of Aleppo.-Of Antioch. The plague breaks out in the Arab army.-Death of its generals.-Kaled's disgrace.-Amrou leads the army into Egypt.-Pelusium-Memphis.-Alexandria, successively taken. -Medina supplied with corn from Egypt. -Entrance of the Arabs into Persia.-Victories gained in that empire.-Omar and the Persian satrap.-Review of Omar's reign. His assassination.-Character.

THE death of Mahomet without nominating a successor, led, as might be expected, to disputes as to who should be invested with this high ho

* Gibbon, ch. 1.

nour.

The claimants were principally two, Ali, the early friend and first disciple, as he called himself, of the prophet, and Abubeker, who had on all occasions been distinguished by zeal and courage in his service. Ali was the husband of Mahomet's only child Fatima; Abubeker was the father of the prophet's favourite wife Ayesha. The dispute was carried on with considerable fierceness and obstinacy for some time, and threatened the extinction of the rising empire. Neither of the claimants would yield. Both pleaded the sanction of the prophet's preference. The zealous Ali, the poet, the soldier, and the saint, had been appointed by Mahomet at a very early period as his chief minister, and obedience had been claimed for him from all the faithful. The prophet had often fondled his sons on his lap, and exhibited them in his pulpit as the hope of his age, and the chief of the youth of his paradise. Abubeker had been charged by Mahomet during his brief illness, with the duty of officiating in his mosque at Medina, and to the artful Ayesha it is not improbable intimations had been given by the prophet on his death-bed, which she had sufficient address to urge in her father's favour. The dispute was increased by the respective parties of the Moslems, the fugitives and the auxiliaries claiming the right of making the appointment. Each nominated its candidate, Abu Obeidah and Omar. At length Abubeker pretended to relinquish his own claims, and attempted to overrule those of his opponent, by advising the people to appoint Omar, who was in high repute among both parties. This counsel was likely to prevail; and somewhat appeased the tumult; but when Omar was on the