motions. Mankind could not, either from the
Koran, or from the traditions, perceive that he was at all aware of
the errors of the System of astronomy that prevailed in his day, and
among his people.'

'Not at all', replied the Nawab; 'the prophets had, no doubt,
abundant opportunities of becoming acquainted with the heavenly
bodies, and the laws which govern them, particularly those who, like
Muhammad, had been up through the seven heavens; but their thoughts
were so entirely taken up with the Deity that they probably never
noticed the objects by which he was surrounded; and if they had
noticed them, they would not, perhaps, have thought it necessary to
say anything about them. Their object was to direct men's thoughts
towards God and his commandments, and to instruct them in their
duties towards him and towards each other.

'Suppose', continued the Nawab, 'you were to be invited to see and
converse with even your earthly sovereign, would not your thoughts be
too much taken up with him to admit of your giving, on your return,
an account of the things you saw about him? I have been several times
to see you, and I declare that I have been so much taken up with the
conversations which have passed, that I have never noticed the many
articles I now see around me, nor could I have told any one on my
return home what I had seen in your room--the wall-shades, the
pictures, the sofas, the tables, the book-cases,' continued he,
casting his eyes round the room,' all escaped my notice, and might
have escaped it had my eyes been younger and stronger than they are.
What then must have been the state of mind of those great prophets,
who were admitted to see and converse with the great Creator of the
universe, and were sent by him to instruct mankind?

'I told my old friend that I thought his answer the best that could
be given; but still, that we could not help thinking that if Muhammad
had really been acquainted with the nature of the heavenly bodies,
and the laws which govern them, he would have taken advantage of his
knowledge to secure more firmly their faith in his mission, and have
explained to them the real state of the case, instead of talking
about the stars as merely made to be thrown at devils, to give light
to men upon this little globe of ours, and to guide them in their
wanderings upon it by sea and land.

'But what', said the Nawab, 'are the great truths that you would have
had our holy prophet to teach mankind?'