the pagan faction, he became de facto as de jure a king:  nay, a royal pontiff; and the preacher was merged in the Conqueror of his foes and the Commander of the Faithful.  His rule, like that of all Eastern rulers, was stained with blood; but, assuming as true all the crimes and cruelties with which Christians charge him and which Moslems confess, they were mere blots upon a glorious and enthusiastic life, ending in a most exemplary death, compared with the tissue of horrors and havock which the Law and the Prophets attribute to Moses, to Joshua, to Samuel and to the patriarchs and prophets by express command of Jehovah.

[FN#345] It was not, however, incestuous:  the scandal came from its ignoring the Arab “pundonor.”

[FN#346] The “opportunism” of Mohammed has been made a matter of obloquy by many who have not reflected and discovered that time-serving is the very essence of “Revelation.”  Says the Rev. W. Smith ("Pentateuch,” chaps. xiii.), “As the journey (Exodus) proceeds, so laws originate from the accidents of the way,” and he applies this to successive decrees (Numbers xxvi. 32-36; xxvii. 8-11 and xxxvi. 1-9), holding it indirect internal evidence of Mosaic authorship (?).  Another tone, however, is used in the case of Al-Islam.  “And now, that he might not stand in awe of his wives any longer, down comes a revelation,” says Ockley in his bluff and homely style, which admits such phrases as, “the imposter has the impudence to say.”  But why, in common honesty, refuse to the Koran the concessions freely made to the Torah?  It is a mere petitio principii to argue that the latter is “inspired” while the former is not, moreover, although we may be called upon to believe things beyond Reason, it is hardly fair to require our belief in things contrary to Reason.

[FN#347] This is noticed in my wife’s volume on The Inner Life of Syria, chaps. xii. vol. i. 155.

[FN#348] Mirza preceding the name means Mister and following it Prince.  Addison’s “Vision of Mirza” (Spectator, No. 159) is therefore “The Vision of Mister.”

[FN#349] And women.  The course of instruction lasts from a few days to a year and the period of puberty is feted by magical rites and often by some form of mutilation.  It is described by Waitz, Reclus and Schoolcraft, Pachue-Loecksa, Collins, Dawson, Thomas, Brough Smyth, Reverends Bulmer and Taplin, Carlo Wilhelmi, Wood, A. W. Howitt, C. Z. Muhas (Mem. de la Soc.  Anthrop.  Allemande, 1882, p. 265) and by Professor Mantegazza (chaps. i.) for whom see infra.

[FN#350] Similarly certain Australian tribes act scenes of rape and pederasty saying to the young, If you do this you will be killed.

[FN#351] “Bah,” is the popular term for the amatory appetite:  hence such works are called Kutub al-Bah, lit. = Books of Lust.

[FN#352] I can make nothing of this title nor can those whom I have consulted:  my only explanation is that they may be fanciful names proper.