his order their celebrated pilgrimages to the Temple, which I believe are yearly continued to this present day.

In the seventh year of the Hegira Mahomet led his army against Caibar, a city inhabited by Arabs of the Jewish religion, and after routing them in battle he took their city by storm. "Having entered the town, he took up his quarters in the house of Hareth, one of the principal inhabitants of the place, whose daughter Zainoh preparing a shoulder of mutton for his supper, poisoned it." Here those who could ascribe miracles to Mahomet tell us that the shoulder of mutton spake to him, and discovered that it was poisoned. "Basha his friend ate of it and fell down dead," so it must have spoken too late, as surely Mahomet would have informed his friend of the impending danger." The maid being asked why she did this answered, that she had a mind to make trial whether he were a prophet or no," for were he a prophet," said she "he would certainly know that the meat was poisoned, and therefore could receive no harm from it; but if he were not a prophet she thought she should do the world good service in ridding it of so wicked a tyrant."

The successes which now attended Mahomet

must have roused his ambition to conquer Mecca, before the expiration of the truce; some historians say he pretended the Koreish had broken the truce, others that they did actually break it, but no matter, his army increasing to 10,000 chiefly composed of Moslems, he marched against Mecca, and Mahomet forced his native city to surrender. This growing superiority now caused jealousy among the neighbouring Arabs, SO forming together, they marched against him, and were successful in defeating him. At length the spirit of war was again roused in the soul of Mahomet and collecting his scattered few together, soon routed them. Arabia now became awed, and in the tenth year of the Hegira, A. D. 631, he had founded an empire, and a new religion in the world.

Being now satisfied with the object of his ambition, the old impostor must keep it up to the last, so having recommended to his followers a pilgrimage to Mecca, he performed it himself, while his followers at home were occupied in pulling down the temples of the pagan worship, it is said on this pilgrimage he was attended by no less than 114,000 followers, to the Caabah, a temple of Mecca. This pilgrimage is called that of benediction, it is observed in his life by a

biographer, "that after his return to Medina, he began daily to decline through the force of that poison which he had taken 3 years before at Caibar. During his sickness he much complained of the bit which he had taken, telling those who came to visit him, that he had felt the torments of it in his body ever since, so that notwithstanding the intimacy he pretended with the angel Gabriel, he could not be preserved from perishing by the snares of a girl."

POLYPHILUS.

Tuesday, February 20, 1844.

No. 23.

An Essay on the Life and Character of Mahomet.

(Concluded.)

Mahomet died A. D. 632, aged 62. He was buried at Medina in the chamber of the most beloved of his wives who was Ayesha, according to his own desire.

So died, this wonderful Impostor whose religion has now existed for more than 1200 years.

"His tomb is to be seen still at Medina, and it is visited by the Mussulmen as an act of devotion, but the pilgrimage is an indispensable duty." Mahomet is described by the Historians "of a middle size, well proportioned, and of a sanguine constitution, that he had a great head, bushy beard, strong bones, large black eyes, florid complexion, and curled hair." He wished much to be considered like Abraham; there are various characters given of Mahomet-perhaps Gibbon's is the best. The whole character is too long, but I shall endeavour to curtail it, at the same time preserving his beautiful language. "Mahomet appears to have been endowed with a pious and contemplative disposition; so soon as marriage

had raised him above the pressure of want, he avoided the paths of ambition and avarice; and till the age of 40 he lived with innocence, and would have died without a name. The unity of God is an idea most congenial to nature and reason and a slight conversation with the Jews and Christians would teach him to despise the idolatry of Mecca. The injustice of Mecca and the choice of Medina transformed the citizen into a prince, the humble preacher into the leader of armies, the good sense of Mahomet despised the pomp of royalty, the impostor submitted to the menial offices of the family, he kindled the fire, swept the floor, milked the ewes and mended with his own hands his shoes and his woollen garments. Disdaining the penance and merit of an hermit, he observed without effect or vanity the abstemious diet of an Arab and a soldier. In his private character Mahomet indulged the appetite of a man and abused the claims of a prophet." Such are a few remarks made on his character, which all must allow to be extremely just and well founded. "If we divide the known countries of the earth into thirty equal parts, five of them are Christians, six Mahometans, and nineteen Pagans (i. e.) those who adore idols or false gods. The first and chief