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refute all the objections which the Alewys and other Dissenters make to the Sunnee Creed ; and to have a general idea of the tenets of the seventytwo leading heretical sects , from that of Ata-hakem-el-Mookanna , or the
one-eyed prophet with the golden mask , to Khand-Hassan , the fanatic who eat pork and drank wine in the public market place like any Christian : so as through dint of so much diligence on the fourth and last year to have nothing to do but to go over the whole again ,
and imprint it indelibly on my memory . By way of a little foretaste of his method of disputation , he took up one of the controverted points ; first raised his own objections against it ; and then , —as he had an indubitable right
to do with his undisputed property , — again completely overset them by the irresistible force of his arguments ; after which—having entirely silenced his adversary , he rose , equally proud of the acuteness of his own rhetoric ,
and charmed with the sagacity with which I had listened . The truth is , I had fallen asleep ; wherefore , when I suddenly awoke on the din of his argumentation ceasing , II the din of his argumentation ceasing ,
shook my head with a profound air , and by way of shewing how much in earnest I meant to be , with a very wise look said I could not give my unqualified assent , until I heard both sides of
the question . Thus far I had heard neither . This determination rather surprised my doctor , who seemed to have relied on my faculty of implicit credence . €€ Hear both sides of the question !" exclaimed he in utter astonishment .
"Why that is just the way never to come to a conclusion , and to remain in suspense ail the days of one s life ! Wise men first adopt an opinion , and then learn to defend it . For my part 1 ^ make it a rule never to hear but one side 5 and so do all who wish to settle their belief . "
The thing had never occurred to me before ; but I thought it had in it a something plausible , which at any rate made me resolve not to lengthen the four years' course by idle doubts . Accordingly in the three first lessons I agreed to every thing the Doctor said or meant to fl ^ y , even before he opened his mouth , and only wondered how things so simple , for instance , as the Prophets ' ascent to the third heaven
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on the horse Borak , with a peacock ' s tail and a woman ' s face , ( I mean the horse , ) could be called in question . Unfortunately , when in the fourth lesson the Moollah asserted that Islamism
was destined ultimately to pervade the whole globe , a preposterous longing seized me to shew my learning . I asked how that could be , when as Eugenius had asserted , an uninterrupted day of several months put the fast of the Ramadan wholly out of the question near the poles ? This difficulty , which the Doctor could not solve , of
course put him into a great rage . He reddened , rubbed his forehead , repeated my query , and at last ' told me , in a violent perspiration , that if I mixed travellers' tales with theology , he must give up my instruction .
I was too happy to take him at his word ; instantly paid what I owed for the lessons received ; and begged henceforth to remain in contented ignorance . Lest , however , I should appear petulant to my god-father , I went and desired him to find me a Moollah that was reasonable .
16 A Moollah that is reasonable !" exclaimed an old gentleman present , who happened to belong to the order himself . " Why , young man , that is a most unreasonable request . The Koran itself declares the ink of the
learned to be equal in value to the blood of martyrs ; and where will a single drop be shed in disputation , if all agree to be reasonable ? But come , " added he laughing , €€ I will undertake , without a fee , to teach you
in one word all that is necessary to appear a thorough-bred Moslemin ; and if you doubt my receipt , you m&y even get a Fethwa of the Mufty , if you please , to confirm its efficacy . Whenever you meet with an infidel , abuse him with all your might , and no one will doubt you are yourself a staunch believer / ' I promised to follow the advice .
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84 Inscription on Dr . Priestley ' s Monument .
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Sir , Jan . 24 , 1820 . WRITER in the Gentleman ' s A Magazine of tip month , is scandalized at the Inscription on the Monument to Dr . PrijBstmj y in the New Meeting , Birmingham , being attributed to an eminent scholar , and n correct as well as a bright ornament of the Established Ghiinsh , " meaning , & * & ~ pose . Dr . Parr ( Mon . Repos . dL 276 )*
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1820, page 84, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2485/page/20/
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