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of the sexes。 However； on this matter they did not see their way。 Perhaps；
in so debased an age； so profligate a world； as that out of which
Christianity had risen； it was impossible to see the true beauty and sanctity
of those primary bonds of humanity。 And while the relation of the sexes
was looked on in a wrong light； all other social relations were necessarily
also misconceived。 〃The very ideas of family and national life；〃 as it has
been said； 〃those two divine roots of the Church； severed from which she
is certain to wither away into that most cruel and most godless of spectres；
a religious world； had perished in the East； from the evil influence of the
universal practice of slave… holding； as well as from the degradation of that
Jewish nation which had been for ages the great witness for these ideas；
and all classes； like their forefather Adamlike； indeed； the Old Adamthe
selfish； cowardly； brute nature in every man and in every agewere
shifting the blame of sin from their own consciences to human
relationships and duties； and therein； to the God who had appointed them；
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and saying； as of old； 'The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me； she
gave me of the tree； and I did eat。'〃
Much as Christianity did； even in Egypt； for woman； by asserting her
moral and spiritual equality with the man； there seems to have been no
suspicion that she was the true complement of the man； not merely by
softening him； but by strengthening him； that true manhood can be no
more developed without the influence of the woman； than true
womanhood without the influence of the man。 There is no trace among
the Egyptian celibates of that chivalrous woman…worship which our
Gothic forefathers brought with them into the West； which shed a
softening and ennobling light round the mediaeval convent life； and
warded off for centuries the worst effects of monasticism。 Among the
religious of Egypt； the monk regarded the nun； the nun the monk； with
dread and aversion； while both looked on the married population of the
opposite sex with a coarse contempt and disgust which is hardly credible；
did not the foul records of it stand written to this day； in Rosweyde's
extraordinary 〃Vitae Patrum Eremiticorum；〃 no barren school of
metaphysic； truly； for those who are philosophic enough to believe that all
phenomena whatsoever of the human mind are worthy matter for scientific
induction。
And thus grew up in Egypt a monastic world； of such vastness that it
was said to equal in number the laity。 This produced； no doubt； an
enormous increase in the actual amount of moral evil。 But it produced
three other effects； which were the ruin of Alexandria。 First； a
continually growing enervation and numerical decrease of the population；
next； a carelessness of； and contempt for social and political life； and lastly；
a most brutalising effect on the lay population； who； told that they were；
and believing themselves to be； beings of a lower order； and living by a
lower standard； sank down more and more generation after generation。
They were of the world； and the ways of the world they must follow。
Political life had no inherent sanctity or nobleness； why act holily and
nobly in it？ Family life had no inherent sanctity or nobleness； why act
holily and nobly in it either； if there were no holy； noble； and divine
principle or ground for it？ And thus grew up； both in Egypt； Syria； and
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Byzantium； a chaos of profligacy and chicanery； in rulers and people； in
the home and the market； in the theatre and the senate； such as the world
has rarely seen before or since； a chaos which reached its culmination in
the seventh century； the age of Justinian and Theodora； perhaps the two
most hideous sovereigns； worshipped by the most hideous empire of
parasites and hypocrites； cowards and wantons； that ever insulted the long…
suffering of a righteous God。
But； for Alexandria at least； the cup was now full。 In the year 640 the
Alexandrians were tearing each other in pieces about some Jacobite and
Melchite controversy； to me incomprehensible； to you unimportant；
because the fighters on both sides seem to have lost （as all parties do in
their old age） the knowledge of what they were fighting for； and to have so
bewildered the question with personal intrigues； spites； and quarrels； as to
make it nearly as enigmatic as that famous contemporary war between the
blue and green factions at Constantinople； which began by backing in the
theatre； the charioteers who drove in blue dresses； against those wild drove
in green； then went on to identify themselves each with one of the
prevailing theological factions； gradually developed； the one into an
aristocratic； the other into a democratic； religious party； and ended by a
civil war in the streets of Constantinople； accompanied by the most
horrible excesses； which had nearly； at one time； given up the city to the
flames； and driven Justinian from his throne。
In the midst of these Jacobite and Melchite controversies and riots；
appeared before the city the armies of certain wild and unlettered Arab
tribes。 A short and fruitless struggle followed； and； strange to say； a few
months swept away from the face of the earth； not only the wealth； the
commerce； the castles； and the liberty； but the philosophy and the
Christianity of Alexandria； crushed to powder by one fearful blow； all that
had been built up by Alexander and the Ptolemies； by Clement and the
philosophers； and made void； to all appearance； nine hundred years of
human toil。 The people； having no real hold on their hereditary Creed；
accepted； by tens of thousands； that of the Mussulman invaders。 The
Christian remnant became tributaries； and Alexandria dwindled； from that
time forth； into a petty seaport town。
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And nowcan we pass over this new metaphysical school of
Alexandria？ Can we help inquiring in what the strength of Islamism lay？
I； at least； cannot。 I cannot help feeling that I am bound to examine in
what relation the creed of Omar and Amrou stands to the Alexandrian
speculations of five hundred years； and how it had power to sweep those
speculations utterly from the Eastern mind。 It is a difficult problem； to
me； as a Christian priest； a very awful problem。 What more awful
historic problem； than to see the lower creed destroying the higher？ to see
God； as it were； undoing his own work； and repenting Him that He had
made man？ Awful indeed： but I can honestly say； that it is one from the
investigation of which I have learntI cannot yet tell how much： and of
this I am sure； that without that old Alexandrian philosophy； I should not
have been able to do justice to Islam； without Islam I should not have been
able to find in that Alexandrian philosophy； an ever… living and practical
element。
I must； however； first entreat you to dismiss from your minds the
vulgar notion that Mohammed was in anywise a bad man； or a conscious
deceiver； pretending to work miracles； or to do things which he did not do。
He sinned in one instance： but； as far as I can see； only in that oneI
mean against what he must have known to be right。 I allude to his
relaxing in his own case those wise restrictions on polygamy which he had
proclaimed。 And yet； even in this case； the desire for a child may have
been the true cause of h