in the beck of the Koran the story of Mary, when she retired from her family to a place towards the East, and took a veil to conceal herself from them; and we sent our spirit Gabriel unto her, and he appeared unto her in the shape of a perfect man. She said, I fly for refuge unto the merciful God, that he may defend me from thee: if thou fearest him, thou wilt not approach me. He answered, Verily I am the Messenger of thy Lord, and am sent to give thee a holy son. She said, How shall I have a son, seeing a man hath not touched me, and I am no harlot? Gabriel replied, so shall it be: thy Lord saith, this is easy with me, and we will perform it, that we may ordain him for a sign unto men, and a mercy from us: for it is a thing which is decreed, Wherefore she conceived him: and she retired aside with him in her womb to a distant place; and the pains of child-birth came upon her near the
