Alexander Ross, The Alcoran of Mahomet, translated out of Arabick into French, by the Sieur Du Ryer, Lord of Malezair, and resident for the French king, at Alexandria. And newly Englished, for the satisfaction of all that desire to look into the Turkish vanities. (1649)

modern Histories of the East and West Indies, wherein are more damnable tenets then any in the Alcoran; and they who have read the Jewish Talmud, and Cabala, will finde them as ridiculous pieces as the Alcoran.

3. If there were any loveliness, beauty, excellency, or anything else in the Alcoran that might Win the minde, and draw the affection after it, I should hold the reading of it dangerous, but whereas it is such a mishapen and deformed piece, I think the reading of it will confirm us in the truth, and cause us love the Scripture so much the more: for as a beautifull body is never more lovely then where she is placed neer a Black-More, neither is truth more amiable then When it is beset With Errors. Opposita uxta se posita clarius elucescunt the Gem receivers lustre from the soile, the stars from the night, & fire is most scorching in Frost, even so by an Antipersistansis truth us fortified by error Who ca think that the sight of a Hob Goblin, or deformed vizard should draw the childe from the Nurse or brest of the Mother to embrace it, whereas the fight thereof will rather cause the child hold faster by the mother. The Wife Spartans oft-times brought drunkards into the room. where their sons were, not that they should be induced thereby to love, but to abbor drunkenness, which they could not have done, had they not seen the unseemly and rude carriage, the indecent behaviour, and uncomposed gestures of the drunkard. When Zisca bad destroyed the Adamits of Bohemia, he preserved two alive that they might reveal to the world the wicked errors of that Sects. Who is so mad as to prefer the embracements of a filthy Baboon, to his beatifull Mistress, or the braying of an Asa to a Consort of Musick? he deserves the ears of Midas that will prefer the Cuckoes song to the sweet notes of the Nightingale.

4. Though the Alcoran be received among many Nations, yet this reception proceeds not from any love they bear to it, or any loveliness they finde in it, but partly out of fear, being forced by the Sword, partly out of ignorance, as not being suffered to read the Scriptures nor to hear Philosophy, by which the errors thereof may be detected, nor to enquire into the absurdities thereof, or to dispute and question any thing in it; for which cause also it not suffered to