[Footnote 65: The seed of this history, or fable, is
contained in the cvth chapter of the Koran; and Gagnier (in
Praefat. ad Vit. Moham. p. 18, &c.) has translated the
historical narrative of Abulfeda, which may be illustrated
from D'Herbelot (Bibliot. Orientale, p. 12) and Pocock,
(Specimen, p. 64.) Prideaux (Life of Mahomet, p. 48) calls
it a lie of the coinage of Mahomet; but Sale, (Koran, p. 501
- 503,) who is half a Mussulman, attacks the inconsistent
faith of the Doctor for believing the miracles of the
Delphic Apollo. Maracci (Alcoran, tom. i. part ii. p. 14,
tom. ii. p. 823) ascribes the miracle to the devil, and
extorts from the Mahometans the confession, that God would
not have defended against the Christians the idols of the
Caaba.
Note: Dr. Weil says that the small-pox broke out in the army
of Abrahah, but he does not give his authority, p. 10. - M.
1845.]