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 duly estimated the influence of Religion, and adopted various contrivances to give its powerful sanction and support to their favourite projects. Thus the pretended spiritual intercourse of Numa Pompilius with the goddess Eegeria, and the familiar spirit of Socrates may be accounted for. Lycurgus also endeavoured to work in a similar manner on the superstition of his countrymen, to effect what he conceived a national benefit: after fishing his celebrated institutes, he exacted a promise from the Spartans of their adherence to them till released by the oracle, which he went to consult, and from which he purposely never returned; and such was their veneration for the Legislator, and religious feelings, that his code remained in force at Sparta, with small interruption, for about the space of 700 years.

The only alternative in Mohammed's power as a Religionist, was either to frame a new system, or graft his own on preceding ones of