Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 2.djvu/303



T is recorded of Mahomet, that upon a visit he was going to pay in Paradise, he had an offer of several vehicles to conduct him upwards; as fiery chariots, winged horses, and celestial sedans; but he refused them all, and would be born to Heaven upon nothing but his ass. Now this inclination of Mahomet, as singular as it seems, has been since taken up by a great number of devout Christians; and doubtless with very good reason. For, since that Arabian is known to have borrowed a moiety of his religious system, from the Christian faith, it is but just he should pay reprisals, to such as would challenge them; wherein the good people of England, to do them all right, have not been backward. For, though there is not any other nation in the world, so plentifully provided with carriages for that journey, either as to safety, or ease; yet there are abundance of us, who will not be satisfied with any other machine, beside this of Mahomet. For my own part, I must confess to bear a very singular respect to this animal, by whom I take human nature to be most admirably held forth, in all its qualities, as well as operations: and therefore, whatever in my small reading occurs, concerning this our fellow-creature, I do never fail to set it down by way of common-place; and when I have occasion to write upon human reason, politicks, eloquence,