The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-01-17
MAHOMET-HIS LIFE AND CHAR
ACTER.
BY WASHINGTON IRVING.

Mabomet, according to accounts, han
ded down by tradition from his coniem-
poraries, was of the middle stature,
square bull, and sinewy, with large hands
and feet. In his youth he was uncom-
monty strong and vigorous; in the latter
part Of his life he inclined TO corpulon-
/ cy. His head was cupacious, we'll shaped
and well set on q neck which rose like a
pillar from his ample chest. His FORE
head was high, broad at the temples,
and crossed by veins extending down 10
the eyebrows, which swelled whenever
he was angry or excited. lie had an
oval face, marked and expressive fca-
lures, an aquiino nose, black eyes,
arched eyebrows which nearly met, a
mouth large and flexible, indicative Of
eloquencc, very white teeth, somewhat
parted and irregular; tlack hair which
waved without curl on his shoulders,
and long and very full beard.
His deportmen;, in general, was calm
and equablc; he sometimes INDUCED in
Pleasantly, but more commonly was
grave and dgniied, though he is said to
have possessed smile Of captivating
sweetness. His complexion was more
ruddy than is usual with Arabs, and in
his excited and enthusiastic moments
there was glow and radiance in his
couptenance, which his disciples magni.
fed into the supernatural light Of pro-
phecy.
His intellectual qualities were un-
donbtedly Of an extraordinary kind. He
had quick apprehension, retentive
memory, vivid Imagination, and an in
ventive genius. Owing but little to edu,
cation, he had quickened and Informed
his mind by close observation, and stored
it with a great variety Of knowledge
concerning the systems Of religion cur
rent in his day, or handed down by tradi-
ton from antiquity. His ordinary dis
course was grave and sentenlious, nboun-
ding with those aphorisins and apologies
so popular among the Arabs; at times he
was excited and eloquent, and his elo-
quence was aided by a voice musical
and eonorous.
He was sober and abslemious in his
diet, and a rigorous observer of fasts.---
lie INDUCED in no magnifcence of ap-
parel, the ostentation Of a petty mind
neither was his simplicity in dress affect.
ed, but the result of real disregard TO
distinction from so trivial source. His
garments were sometimes of wool some
times of the striped cotton of Yemen,
and were often patched. He wore a
turban, for he said turbans were wvrn by
tho angels; and in arranging il he le,
one end hang down between his shout
ders, which he said was the way they
wore it. lie forbade the wearing Of
clothes entirely of silk; but permitted a
mixture of thread and silk. He forbade
also red clothes and the use Of gold
rings. He wore seal ring of silver, the
engraved part under his finger close to
the palm Of his hand, bearing the in
scription, "Mallomef, the messenger Of
God" He was scrupulous as TO perso-
nal cleanliness, and observed frequent
ablutions. In sumo respects he was a
volupluary. "There are two things in
this world" would he sometimes say,
switch delight me, women and per
fumes. These two things rejoice my
eyes, and render me more fervent in de
votion." From his extreme cleanliness
and the use Of perfumes and Of sweet
scented oil for his hair, probably arose
that sweetness and fragrance of person,
which his disciples considered innate and
miraculous. His passion for the sex had
an influence over his affairs. 1t is said
that when in the presence of beautiful
female, he was continually smoothing
his brow and adjusting his hair, as if anx
ious to appear 10 advantage.
The number of his wives is uncertain.
A5ulfeda, who writes with more caution
than other Of the Arabian historians, limit
it TO fifteen, though some make it as
much as twenty-five. AT the time Of his
death he had nine, each in her separate
dwelling, and all in the vicinity of the
mosque at Medina. The plea alleged
for his indulging ina greater number OF
wives than he permitted TO his followers,
was desire TO beget race of proph-
cts for his people. If such indeed were
his desire, it was disappointed. OF all
his children, Fatima, the wife of Ali,
slune survived him, and sho died within
short time alter his death, her desccn-
dants, none excepting her eldest SOP
Nassau ever sat ON the thrones of the
Caliphs.
In his private dealings he was just
He treated friends and strangers, the rich
and poor, the powerful and the weak,
with equity, and was beloved by the
common people for the affabiity with
which he received them, and listened 10
their complaints. tis
He was naturally irritable, but had
brought his temper under great control
so that even in the sclfindulgen. inter.
course Of domestic life he was kind and
tolerant. 81 served him from the time
was eight years DID," said his servant
Anas, s'and he never scolded me for any
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