THE KORAN. 297 



dogs and wolves. The inhibition to eat blood was 

 levelled against a common practice in the time of 

 paganism, of drawing it from a live camel, which 

 they cooked by boiling in a bag or gut. The ani- 

 mals proper for the diet of the faithful must be killed 

 agreeably to a prescribed form ; if slain accidentally, 

 or in hunting, they may be eaten ; but the most ortho- 

 dox fashion is by cutting the throat. 



Reasons both philosophical and medicinal have 

 been urged for abolishing the drinking of wine. The 

 first injunction of the Koran was simply against 

 excess in the use of strong liquors, as incentives to 

 quarrelling and bloodshed. This not proving suf- 

 ficient, the special restriction was converted into a 

 positive and general law, by which inebriating fluids 

 Avere altogether proscribed. A precept so clear 

 Avould hardly seem capable of admitting a latitude 

 of interpretation, yet a diversity of sentiment exists 

 as to its exact import ; some contending that the 

 statute allows the moderate use of wine, v/hile the 

 more conscientious hold it absolutely unlawful not 

 only to taste that liquor, but to make it, or traffic 

 in it, or even to maintain themselves by the moiiey 

 arising from its sale. The libertine and the hypo- 

 crite find means to evade tlTe statute, and indulge 

 freely, notwithstanding the threatened pains of hell. 



The Moslem lawyers, with the casuistry of their 

 profession, have so refined tlie simple injunctions 

 of the Koran, that their essence is nearly lost. The 

 crime of tippling may be practised with impunity to 

 any extent short of outrageous disorder. If the 

 smell of wine be not on the breath of the accused, or 

 his intoxication self-apparent, evidence to the fact 

 is of no avail ; except in cases where the flavour 

 maybe presumed to evaporate, from the distance the 

 offender has to travel to the residence of the magis- 

 trate. Even if the odour remain, or if he should 

 vomit wine, witnesses must have seen him drink 

 the forbidden juice ; for, as the muftis and mooUahs 



