influence abroad, and to secure for themselves free commerce and low duties.

The Arabs had now been taught, by long and painful experience, that it was chiefly owing to their division into independent and often hostile tribes, to their want of brotherly union and national cohesion, that they had been unable to keep themselves from foreign subjugation; that their national sanctuary had been in danger; their commerce, that vital condition of their existence, threatened; and that they had even been compelled to submit to the degradation of fighting against each other in the interest of foreigners. We need only call to mind the modern instances of Germany and Italy, in order to understand how, when a great nation has been forced, through its internal dissensions, to submit to contempt, invasion, and conquest, all the pride and patriotism of its citizens are roused to contend for the restoration of their national honour and power. Though their efforts may for a time be defeated, or prove only partially successful, strength and wisdom are gained by the very conflict, till that surest and saddest cause of national degradation, internal disunion and mutual antagonism, is removed, and their great object accomplished.

It cannot be doubted that the thoughtful and patriotic Arabs were no less keenly sensible of the dishonour and weakness resulting from their disunion, and equally determined on vigorous efforts for gaining national strength and security. In point of fact, we find Mohammed, by suasion and constraint, uniting all the hitherto isolated tribes of Arabia into one political organisation under his own rule; and then sending forth vast hosts of horsemen on foreign expeditions of conquest. Surely it cannot be supposed that he effected these great political results, without having actually aimed at them, or formed some plan for their accomplishment. It is but rational to infer from what he has done, what he wished to do.¹ In all probability his political plan, as it happens generally, was not at once definite and complete, but grew out of more or less vague ideas and indistinct cravings for

power; but it must have formed an integral part of the vast scheme before the eye of the prophet's mind, just as its realisation constituted an essential and prominent portion of the stupendous work which he achieved. Armies of thousands and tens of thousands of men are not formed and employed by chance, or by a mere sudden impulse; but they presuppose in their originator a deliberate purpose, and, in the world around, inviting causes and favourable conditions. The important political exploits of Mohammed demand for their explanation corresponding political designs; and the formation of these designs implies a political situation which called for them and suggested their feasibility. This is the rational principle here contended for, and this the explanation why in the development of so singular a prophet as the one before us we have to recognise a Political Factor.

A tacit recognition of this principle plainly underlies the fact that the Moslem historians recite the above-mentioned political events as an introduction to their narrative of Mohammed's history; and it is with the same view that they also record an extraordinary prophecy, which is evidently a predictio post eventum. The fabulous story, seriously narrated by Ibn Ishak as history, is this: Rabia Ibn Nazr, one of the weakest of the Tobbas or kings of Yemen, had a dream which so frightened him that he called together all the soothsayers, sorcerers, augurs, and astrologers of his realm, saying to them: 'I have had a bad dream which terrifies me: tell me what I have dreamt and what is the meaning of the dream.' They said, 'Tell us thy dream and we will give thee its interpretation.' He replied, 'If I tell it you, I shall have no guarantee as to the correctness of the interpretation: he who is able to interpret it correctly, must also know what the dream was, without my telling it him.' Then one of them answered, 'If the king requires this, then let him send for Satih and Shik, who will tell the king what he wishes to know; for these are the two most learned men.' The king sent for them; and Satih arriving first, told the king that he had seen in his dream a fire proceeding out of darkness, spreading over the sea-coast, and consuming everything having a skull. The king said, 'Thou hast truly stated the dream, O Satih! and now, how dost thou interpret it?'