thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them." Here they pretend that Mecca is the place meant by Paran, totally regardless of its geographical position, and thinking it an easy matter to impose on the credulity of mankind. Paran in Arabia Petræa, is no less than 500 mules distant from Mecca, which shews to what extremities the abettors of a bad cause are frequently reduced. They also claim Psalm 1. 2, as applicable to their prophet. An Arabic translation has the words "Eclilan Mahmudan," a glorious crown, which they assert belongs to their favourite prophet; but how God could shew his crown out of Zion is perfectly unintelligible, unless perhaps by changing Zion into Mecca, which would be just as easy as transforming Mecca into Paran, "A rider upon an ass, and a rider upon a camel[1]" is thus interpreted by the Musulman doc-
- ↑ Isaiah xxi. 7.
