In a French History[39] he is described as conversing with the Muftis and Imams in the Pyramid of Cheops. At p. 171 he says, ‘Honour to Allah!’ at p. 172, ‘Glory to Allah! There is no other God but God, Mahomet is his prophet, and I am one of his friends;’ and at p. 173, ‘Mufti, I thank you, the divine Koran is the joy of my soul, and the occupation of my eyes. I love the prophet; and I am reckoning, before long, to see and honour his tomb in the Holy City.’ [Illustration: DEMOCRATIC RELIGION. Bonaparte turning Turk at Cairo for Interest, after swearing on the Sacrement to support y^e Catholic Faith.] It is not worth while to multiply instances. His policy led him to conciliate the people, and, probably, his utterances were rather more in accordance with their religious ideas than would have been conformable in the mouth of a zealous Christian. But to the English caricaturist and satirist they were _bonnes bouches_, and they twisted and distorted them to suit their purposes. It became almost an article of belief with the average Englishman, that Napoleon had embraced the Mahometan religion. Were there not his own proclamations to prove it? Gillray even depicted him as undergoing a ceremony of reception into the Mahometan religion, surrounded as he is by Muftis, one of whom puts a turban on his head, another sonorously reads from the Koran, whilst a third brandishes a fearful knife for circumcision. CHAPTER X. CONDUCT OF FRENCH SOLDIERY--NAPOLEON’S HATRED OF ENGLAND--THE EGYPTIAN CAMPAIGN--DESTRUCTION OF THE MAMELUKES--BATTLE OF THE NILE--TARDY NEWS THEREOF. After the entry into Alexandria, Napoleon, by several proclamations, imposed the strictest discipline upon his soldiers; and, although it is possible some irregularities may have occurred on the part of the troops, such scenes as were depicted by Cruikshank and Combe, one with his pencil, the other with his pen, were simply impossible. He took the City by surprise, For he was always very wise, And with extreme amaze and dread, To mosques the people gladly fled. Regenerators yet annoy’d them, For they o’ertook and soon destroy’d them; And horrible indeed to tell, Both men and women quickly fell; Nay, even the infants at the breast! How sad the cries of the distrest! As _trophies_ of this _glorious_ fight, The spears held up the babes to sight; While this unparalleled ferocity Was call’d _amazing generosity_.