acere,
ut ex Arabum libris refert Stus. Petrus Paschasius, c. 2., (Maracci,
Prodromus Alcoran, p. iv. p. 55. See likewise Observations de Belon,
l. iii. c. 10, fol. 179, recto.) Al Jannabi (Gagnier, tom. iii. p. 287)
records his own testimony, that he surpassed all men in conjugal vigor;
and Abulfeda mentions the exclamation of Ali, who washed the body after
his death, "O propheta, certe penis tuus coelum versus erectus est," in
Vit. Mohammed, p. 140.]

[Footnote 163: I borrow the style of a father of the church, (Greg.
Nazianzen, Orat. iii. p. 108.)]

[Footnote 164: The common and most glorious legend includes, in a single
night the fifty victories of Hercules over the virgin daughters of
Thestius, (Diodor. Sicul. tom. i. l. iv. p. 274. Pausanias, l. ix. p.
763. Statius Sylv. l. i. eleg. iii. v. 42.) But Athenaeus allows seven
nights, (Deipnosophist, l. xiii. p. 556,) and Apollodorus fifty, for
this arduous achievement of Hercules, who was then no more than eighteen
years of age, (Bibliot. l. ii. c. 4, p. 111, cum notis Heyne, part i. p.
332.)]

[Footnote 165: Abulfeda in Vit. Moham. p. 12, 13, 16, 17, cum Notis
Gagnier]

In the largest indulgence of polygamy, the founder of a religion and
empire might aspire to multiply the chances of a numerous posterity and
a lineal succession. The hopes of Mahomet were fatally disappointed. The
virgin Ayesha, and his ten widows of mature age and approved fertility,
were barren in his potent embraces. The four sons of Cadijah died in
their infancy. Mary, his Egyptian concubine, was endeared to him by the
birth of Ibrahim. At the end of fifteen months the prophet wept over his
grave; but he sustained with firmness the raillery of his enemies, and
checked the adulation or credulity of the Moslems, by the assurance that
an eclipse of the sun was not occasioned by the death of the infant.
Cadijah had likewise given him four daughters, who were married to
the most faithful of his disciples: the three eldest died before their
father; but Fatima, who possessed his confidence and love, became the
wife of her cousin Ali, and the mother of an illustrious progeny.
The merit and misfortunes of Ali and his descendants will lead me to
anticipate, in this place, the series of the Saracen caliphs, a title
which describes the commanders of the faithful as the vicars and
successors of the apostle of God. [166]

[Footnote 166: This outline of the Arabian history is drawn from the
Bibliotheque O