3 Al Beidâwi, al Zamakh., al Mostatraf. 4 See Kor. c. 16. 5 Al Meidâni. 6 Al Zamakh. 7 Al Mostatraf. 8 Cap. 5, p. 77. 1 Al Mostatraf. Vide Ebn Khalekân, in Vita al Farazdak, and Poc Spec. p. 334. 2 Strabo, l. 17. Vide Diodor. Sic. l. I, c. 80. 3 Vide Plutarch, in Lycurgo. 4 Vide Pufendorf, de Jure Nat. et Gent. l. 6, c. 7, § 6. The Grecians also treated daughters especially in this manner-whence that saying of Posidippus: [Greek text],-i.e., "A man, tho' poor, will not expose his son; But if he's rich, will scarce preserve his daughter."- See Potter's Antiq. of Greece, vol. ii. p. 333. 5 Cap. 6, p. 101, 103; c. 16; and c. 17. See also chap. 81. 6 Al Zamakh., al Beid. another custom of the Arabians, altogether as wicked, and as common among other nations of old, viz., the sacrificing of their children to their idols; as was frequently done, in particular, in satisfaction of a vow they used to make, that if they had a certain number of sons born, they would offer one of them in sacrifice. Several other superstitious customs were likewise abrogated by Mohammed, but the same being of less moment, and not particularly mentioned in the Korân, or having been occasionally taken notice of elsewhere, I shall say nothing of them in this place. ______ SECTION VI. OF THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE KORAN IN CIVIL AFFAIRS. THE Mohammedan civil law is founded on the precepts and determinations of the Korân, as the civil laws of the Jews were on those of the Pentateuch; yet being variously interpreted, according to the different decisions of their civilians, and especially of their four great doctors, Abu Hanîfa, Malec, al Shâfeï, and Ebn Hanbal,7 to treat thereof fully and distinctly in the manner the curiosity and usefulness of the subject deserves, would require a large volume; wherefore the most that can be expected here, is a summary view of the principal institutions, without minutely entering into a detail of particulars. We shall begin with those relating to marriage and divorce. That polygamy, for the moral lawfulness of which the Mohammedan doctors advance several arguments,1 is allowed by the Korân, every one knows, though few are acquainted with the limitations with which it is allowed. Several learned men have fallen into the vulgar mistake that Mahommed granted to his followers an unbounded plurality; some pretending that a man may have as many wives,2 and others as many concubines,3 as he can maintain: whereas, according to the express words of the Korân,4 no man can have more than four, whether wives or concubines;5 and if a man apprehend any inconvenience from even that number of ingenuous wives, it is added, as an advice (which is generally followed by the middling and inferior people),6 that he marry one only, or, if he cannot be contented with one, that he take up with his she-slaves, not exceeding, however, the limited number;7 and this