re is no God but
God, and Mahomet is his Prophet._ Do not contradict them: deal with them
as you have done with the Jews and the Italians. Respect their muphtis
and imans, as you have done by the rabbis and the bishops elsewhere....
The Roman legions protected all religions. You will find here usages
different from those of Europe: you must accustom yourselves to them.
These people treat their women differently from us; but _in all
countries he who violates is a monster; pillage enriches only a few; it
dishonours us, destroys our resources, and makes those enemies whom it
is our interest to have for friends_."

To the people of Egypt, meanwhile, Napoleon addressed a proclamation in
these words:--"They will tell you that I come to destroy your religion;
believe them not: answer that I come to restore your rights, to punish
the usurpers, and that I respect, more than the Mamelukes ever did, God,
his Prophet, and the Koran. Sheiks and Imans, assure the people that we
also are true Mussulmans. Is it not we that have ruined the Pope and the
Knights of Malta? Thrice happy they who shall be with us! Woe to them
that take up arms for the Mamelukes! they shall perish!"[24]

Buonaparte was a fatalist--so that one main article of the Mussulman
creed pleased him well. He admired Mahomet as one of those rare beings,
who, by individual genius and daring, have produced mighty and permanent
alterations in the world. The General's assertion of his own belief in
the inspiration of the Arab impostor, was often repeated in the sequel;
and will ever be appreciated, as it was at the time by his own
soldiery--whom indeed he had addressed but the day before in language
sufficiently expressive of his real sentiments as to all forms of
religion. Rabbi, muphti, and bishop, the Talmud, the Koran, and the
Bible, were much on a level in his estimation. He was willing to make
use of them all as it might serve his purpose; and, though not by nature
cruel, he did not hesitate, when his interest seemed to demand it, to
invest his name with every circumstance of terror, that could result
from the most merciless violation of those laws of humanity which even
his Koran enforces, and which his own address to his army had so
recently inculcated.

Napoleon left Alexandria on the 7th July, being anxious to force the
Mamelukes to an encounter with the least possible delay. He had a small
flotilla on the Nile, which served to guard his right flank: the
infant