OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 351 It is natural enough that an Arabian prophet should dwell with rapture on the groves, the fountains, and the rivers of paradise; but, instead of inspiring the blessed inhabitants with a liberal taste for harmony and science, conversation and fi'iendship, he idly celebrates the pearls and diamonds, the robes of silk, palaces of marble, dishes of gold, rich wines, artificial dainties, numer- ous attendants, and the whole train of sensual and costly luxury, which becomes insipid to the owner, even in the short period of this mortal life. Seventy-two Himris, or black-eyed girls of resplendent beauty, blooming youth, virgin purity, and exquisite sensibility, will be created for the use of the meanest believer ; a moment of pleasure will be prolonged to a thousand years, and his faculties will be increased an hundred-fold, to render him worthy of his felicity. Notwithstanding a vulgar prejudice, the gates of heaven will be open to both sexes ; but Mahomet has not specified the male companions of the female elect, lest he should either alarm the jealousy of their former husbands or disturb their felicity by the suspicion of an everlasting marriage. This image of a carnal paradise has provoked the indignation, per- haps the envy, of the monks : they declaim against the impure religion of Mahomet ; and his modest apologists are driven to the poor excuse of figures and allegories. But the sounder and more consistent pai'ty adhere, without shame, to the literal in- terpretation of the Koran ; useless would be the resurrection of the body, unless it were restored to the possession and exercise of its worthiest faculties ; and the union of sensual and intel- lectual enjoyment is requisite to complete the happiness of the double animal, the perfect man. Yet the joys of the Mahome- tan paradise will not be confined to the indulgence of luxury and appetite ; and the prophet has expressly declared that all meaner happiness will be forgotten and despised by the saints and martyrs, who shall be admitted to the beatitude of the divine vision. ^^^ The first and most arduous conquests of Mahomet ^^^ were Mahomet preaches at Mecca. A.D. „a„ , 609 [or 610] 118 por the day of judgment, hell, paradise, &c. consult the Koran (c. 2, v. 25, c. 56, 78, &c.), with Maracci's virulent, but learned, refutation (in his notes, and in the Prodronius, part iv. p. 78, 120, 122, &c.) ; d'Herbelot (Bibliotheque Orientale, p. 368, 375) ; Reland (p. 47-61) ; and Sale (p. 76-173). The original ideas of the Magi are darkly and doubtfully explored by their apologist. Dr. Hyde (Hist. Reli- gionis Persarum, c. 33, p. 402-412, Oxon. 1760). In the article of Mahomet, Bayle has shewn how indifferently wit and philosophy supply the absence of genuine in- formation. 119 Before I enter on the history of the prophet, it is incumbent on me to pro- duce my evidence. The Latin, French, and English versions of the Koran are
