checked; but in middle and lower Asia, and in
Africa, the {267} number of Mohammed's followers has increased. We
cannot state with accuracy the number either of Mohammedan or of
nominal Christians; but, looking at religion geographically, while
Christianity has almost entire dominion in Europe, in Asia Islamism is
the dominant faith: in America the cross is rapidly becoming the symbol
of faith throughout both its vast continents; but in Africa the
crescent waves to the almost entire exclusion of every other emblem.

It is in Turkey that Mohammedanism exists at the present day in its
most perfect form. To this country, therefore, our attention shall be
first directed.

Constantinople, anciently called Byzantium, and the countries over
which the Greek emperors residing in that city reigned, were subdued by
the powerful caliphs of Bagdad, while those of Spain and the West were
endeavouring to push their conquests over the fairest portions of
Europe. The situation of Constantinople and the surrounding empire lay
especially open to the Eastern Mohammedans, whose warlike incursions
were incessant. Tartars from Asia overran the empire. Othman, in the
early part of the thirteenth century, laid the foundation of Turkish
greatness. Orchan, Amurathi and Bajazet, his successors, amid both
foreign and domestic wars, greatly contributed to its {268}
establishment and increase. The children of the last of these
conquerors threw the empire into a frightful state of distraction by
their unnatural quarrels, till, at last, the youngest of them, named
after the Prophet, restored its integrity, and established something
like domestic tranquillity. Under a grandson of his, Mohammed II.,
whom Bayle describes as one of the greatest men recorded in history,
the Morea was subjugated, and the Greek empire, so long shaken by
internal dissensions, and tottering to dissolution by its luxury, was
trampled in the dust by the Moslem conquerors. Constantinople at last
yielded to their power, and a palace for the victor was erected on the
very spot which Constantine had chosen for his magnificent abode.

From this time to that of Solyman the Magnificent, to whom the Turks
owe their laws and police, the empire continued to prosper, but
immediately afterward its decline commenced. Letters and science have
made but little progress among that people, and their sultans have
possessed none of the martial enterprise and energy of their early
prede