Adam was once the glory of the world, But he is Adam’s greater counterpart. ’Twas he that rescued Noah from the flood; And so preserved the good of all the earth. Enoch ascended into paradise, But he, an earthly creature, mounted heaven. While Abraham was eminent for love, Mahomet only keeps the throne of love. And while on Sinai does Moses stand, Mahomet holds the highest place in heaven. ’Tis true that Jesus waked the dead to life; Life to the dust was by Mahomet given. Though Joseph was of comely countenance, Mahomet is the Saviour beautiful. God to King Solomon great wisdom gave, The prophet’s wisdom was Mahomet’s dower. Though David was God’s caliph on the earth, Truth in Mahomet is epitomized. Endless the pomp of his nobility, And endless is his honor and his power. When to his mighty power he gave free course, He ripped the curtain of the moon apart. And see what mighty miracles he wrought; “I have been poisoned,” said the lamb to him. Like the dim cypress that in summer springs, He cast no shadow on the ground he trod; But light invested him from head to foot, And people saw his pathway shadowless. Shadows from out the realm of darkness come, And never shadow yet has beamed with light. Yon full-orbed moon casts light, not shadow down, Yet on the cornfields flings the shadowed trees. So like a shade-tent did the people cast Their shadows on him in the sunlight clear. His beauteous eye, the window of his soul, Was raven black amid the dazzling light. He saw, at once, in all directions, all, Before, behind him, near him, or far off. For in that eye was light as sunbeam clear, And by it was the sun itself eclipsed. Vain were it all his miracles to count, Though I should labor to the judgment day; Though I should speak them with a thousand tongues, Ten thousand yet unsung I should omit. Only his passage to the highest heaven Can yield full witness of his excellence. V HOW HE, THE MASTER OF BOTH WORLDS, ON THE NIGHT OF HIS CELESTIAL JOURNEY ROSE FROM THE BOSOM OF THE EARTHLY MULTITUDE TO THE SUMMIT OF THE DIVINE UNITY