writers quoted by Gagnier, very particularly inform us, that, on that occasion, Abu Taleb arrayed himself in the shirt of Adam, in the turban of Seth, in the robe of Moses, and the stole of Abraham. I think he had, also, some article of David's, but, really, I forget what it was. However, be it what it may, I can certify, on the same authority, that he had, at least, the slippers of Solomon. Thus arrayed, he hurried out with his nephew, and appeared before the judge. The judge demanded a miracle. Mohammed received the demand meekly; and, according to the terms of the demand, he proceeded to work a miracle. He first dropped on his knees, and offered a prayer, and the first part of the miracle was then performed. It was a broad, bright, Arabian day, and immediately the whole land was in darkness. Then, again, he proceeded, according to the requisition, and addressed the moon. The moon, at his call, came down from heaven, and placed herself on the roof of the Kaaba, or temple, and seven times made the circuit of the Kaaba; moving so deliberately, that all the Arabs could distinctly count each circuit. Having done that, she then stood before the Kaaba, and made a bow to it. She then placed herself on a mountain, and looking at Mohammed, said: "Peace be unto thee, O, Mohammed. Peace be unto thee, O prince, and Lord of the first and the last. I aver that there is no God but God, and that thou, Mohammed, art his apostle." The moon then came to Mohammed, and moved round the neck of his robe, then split in two halves, one of which came out at his right sleeve, and the other at his left. The two halves then betook themselves to the skies, and after staying apart awhile, were attracted, one to the other, till they joined again, and made the old moon. Now, it is true that the most orthodox and authoritative of Mohammedan writers do not allude to this miracle, and on that account some have seemed to think that Moham

med himself did not claim it. Both the French and English translators of the Koran wish to pass over it as being too absurd for Mohammed to have claimed. But, in the fifty-fourth chapter of the Koran, Mohammed says, "The hour of judgment approacheth, and the moon hath been split in sunder. But, if the unbelievers see a sign, they turn aside, saying, this is a powerful charm." Sale says, that this passage might possibly be translated in the future tense-"the moon shall be split;" but, if so, the allusion to the unbelievers rejecting it as an imposition, would be altogether without sense. However that may be, the miracle did not allay the persecution that was raised against him. It continued and increased, to an extreme degree.

About the same time he lost his faithful friend and protector, his uncle Abu Taleb, and immediately subsequent upon that he lost his wife, Kadijah. These two losses affected him much; but, at the same time, on the loss of his wife, he took occasion to strengthen his cause by marriage. He married first, Sawda, then Aesha, the daughter of Abubekir, then Hafsa, daughter of Omar, and added, from time to time, till he had fifteen legitimate wives, or as some say, twenty-one. This was rather an unfortunate thing for Mohammed, because, in his own laws, he says, "Of such women as please thee, marry two, three, or four, but no more; and if you think that you can not deal equitably with so many, marry only one." However, not being himself disposed to keep this rule, in the thirty-third chapter of the Koran he introduces the divine Being as speaking in this wise: "O prophet, we have allowed thee thy wives, to whom thou hast given their dower"-in Arabia it was usual, when a man married a woman, to give her a dower, that in case of divorce she might be provided for "and, also, the slaves which thy right hand possesseth of the booty which God hath

granted thee; and the daughters of thy uncles, and the daughters of thy aunts, both on thy father's side and on thy mother's side, and any other believing woman, if she give herself unto the prophet, in case the prophet desireth to take her to wife. This is a peculiar privilege, granted unto thee above the rest of the true believers."

But, to obviate all discrepancies in his precepts, he taught that the Koran was only revealed little by little; and that what was commanded at one time, might be abrogated at another, for God, he said, did not always give his people the same kind of medicine, and that which was good for them to-day might be bad for them to-morrow.

After these events, Mohammed seemed determined that, if he could not have a material miracle, he would have an ethereal one. One day, then, he assembled his friends, and told them that the night before, as he lay in bed, the angel Gabriel came and waked him, and led him to the door of his house, where was an animal between a mule and an ass. This animal was the beast Alborak, or lightning, that had always been used to convey the prophets, but not having been employed since the days of Jesus, he was very restive, and would not let Mohammed mount till he had promised him a place in paradise. The moment he had done that, he permitted him to mount. Gabriel took the reins, and the steed, whose name was Lightning, was, in the twinkling of an eye, at Jerusalem. There, at the door of the temple, all the patriarchs and prophets met Mohammed, and going with him into the oratory, begged him to pray for them. Coming out, they found a ladder of light, on which he and Gabriel ascended. On coming to the door of the first heaven, they saw written on one side, "There is no God but God," and on the other side, "And Mohammed is his apostle." They knocked. "Who is there?" "Gabriel." "Who is it that you have with you?"

"Mohammed." "Has the

apostle received his mission?" "Yes." "Come in, then; he will be very welcome." They entered. It was a magnificent place, all of pure silver. Immediately an old man came up to Mohammed, soliciting him to pray for him, and rejoicing that he had such a son. This old man was Adam. Mohammed then saw, that out of this heaven all the stars were hanging, each one a magnificent hollow ball of silver, suspended by a chain of gold. In every star an angel was placed; these angels acted as sentinels to guard heaven against the devils, should any attempt to enter. Whenever the demons wished to hear what was passing in heaven, they came to the door to listen, in which case the angels hurled flaming darts at them, to drive them away. These darts are the shooting stars you sometimes see. The distance from this first heaven to the second heaven was five hundred years' journey, and among the innumerable angels that Mohammed saw there was the angel of the cocks. This angel cock reached all the way from the floor of the first heaven, up through five hundred years' journey, right away to the second heaven. Every morning, says Mohammed, at a certain hour, the Almighty sings a hymn, in which this cock joins, and when he sings, every thing in heaven and earth hears him, but men and genii; and then all the terrestrial cocks hearing him, crow in chorus. Hence they passed up to the second heaven, and there found the same inscription and the same salutation. They entered. It was all of gold, and there were more angels in it than in the first. Here Noah met Mohammed, and begged an interest in his prayers. Then they passed into the third heaven, finding the same inscription and the same salutation. This heaven was all made of precious stones. There, again, there was an innumerable company of angels, and among them one so large, that the distance between his two eyes was seventy thousand days'

journey. Then they passed into the fourth heaven, after the same ceremonial. It was composed entirely of emeralds. There Moses met him, and asked an interest in his prayers. They then passed into the fifth, which was composed of adamant. There Joseph met him, and asked an interest in his prayers, and there he found one great angel, as great as any of the others, continually weeping; and he was told that this was for the sins of mankind. He then entered the sixth heaven, which was made of carbuncles. There John the Baptist met him, and asked an interest in his prayers. Then he entered the seventh heaven, all made of glorious celestial light. Here Jesus, the son of Mary, met him, and Mohammed asked an interest in his prayers. In this heaven he saw more angels than he had seen in all the others, and among these angels was one with seventy thousand heads, each head had seventy thousand mouths, each mouth had seventy thousand tongues, and each tongue had seventy thousand voices, and all of these were continually employed. After a little, his guide Gabriel told him he could proceed no farther; that it was not permitted him. He went on alone. He traveled through waters and snows, and at last arrived at a place where it said, "Saiute thy Creator." He then describes his going on till he comes to the throne of the Eternal. He says, on one side it was written, "There is no God but God," and on the other, "and Mohammed is his prophet." describes the Almighty as a being covered with seventy thousand vails, and as having put forth his hand and laid it upon him with a touch unutterably cold; as having entered into a long, familiar conversation with him; and, finally, as sending him back with all authority to teach his people upon earth, and instructing him how he should proceed. If I rightly remember, all this transpired in the eighth of a night.

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