corporeally, and believe in that voluptuousness, which is promised them in another world.

The different parts of the Koran were collected by the disciples of the prophet, by degrees as they came from his mouth: they inscribed them on palm leaves, or on flat bones, and deposited them, without any regard to order, in a chest, the care of which was intrusted to one of his wives. Two years after the death of the prophet, Abubekir, who succeeded to his authority, by the name of Caliph or Vicar, collected all these fragments, and formed them into a work; this was again revised by Othman, the third caliph, who had been secretary to Mahomet. This scripture, so boasted of by the Arabs, is nothing but a confused miscellany of fables, precepts, exclamations, and vain declamations. Some few passages of an elevated style, which now and then are found in it, do not requite those who read the translations of it, for the tediousness of the rest of the book.

Mahomet become sovereign of Medina, forbade all kind of controversy among his followers, and ordered them to use the sword only for the conversion of the infidels; he proclaimed that they who should die in the field of battle on account of religion, should immediately be admitted into paradise. By this promise, and these daily preachings he excited so lively an enthusiasm in the naturally heated minds of the Arabs, that from the first years of his residence at Medina, he was considered by his followers as an emanation from the Deity, that the smallest delay in the execution of his mandates was reckoned an impiety, and under his banner they were afraid of no danger.

Abubekir, and Omar who succeeded him, knew how to avail themselves of this passive obedience, which was still further strengthened by the doctrine of fatalism. Availing themselves of the weakness of the Romans and Persians, and the religious and political troubles by which they were divided, they extended their power and the religion of the prophet; and in less than twelve years after his death the Arabs had conquered Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and all Persia. The dissensions and civil wars which took place between Ali and his descendants, and the Ommiades or descendants of Othman, did not weaken this spirit of conquest and proselytism; for one hundred years after this epoch, the mussulmen, masters of Africa, of Spain, of the South of France, and the principal islands of the Mediterranean, threatened to enslave all Europe, and would have conquered it, but for the bravery of Charles Martel, who put a stop to their victories by the destruction of their army between Tours and Poictiers in the year 732.

We have not thought it necessary in this article, to treat of either the fits of epilepsy, to which it is said Mahomet was subject, and which he pretended were extasies, nor of the pigeon which he had accustomed to eat out of his ear; because these appear to have been fictions. Perhaps the case is the same with the Nestorian monk Sergius or Boheira, who, according to Christian historians, greatly assisted the prophet in composing the Koran; we may judge of the degree of probability due to this allegation, from the manner in which it is written and digested.

It is, however, generally believed that the Koran of this impostor contains a good deal of practical mo

rality, drawn from the scriptures, but blended with extravagant tales and blasphemous doctrines. The best printed edition is that of Marracci, in Arabic and Latin, Padua, 2 vols. fol. 1698. It has been well translated by Sale, in 2 vols. 4to. and 2 vols. 8vo. and in French by Du-Ryer and Savary.