[Footnote 154: The Christians, rashly enough, have assigned
to Mahomet a tame pigeon, that seemed to descend from heaven
and whisper in his ear. As this pretended miracle is urged
by Grotius, (de Veritate Religionis Christianae,) his Arabic
translator, the learned Pocock, inquired of him the names of
his authors; and Grotius confessed, that it is unknown to
the Mahometans themselves. Lest it should provoke their
indignation and laughter, the pious lie is suppressed in the
Arabic version; but it has maintained an edifying place in
the numerous editions of the Latin text, (Pocock, Specimen,
Hist. Arabum, p. 186, 187. Reland, de Religion. Moham. l.
ii. c. 39, p. 259 - 262.)]