national locality of the literal locusts, in great multitudes like
clouds, laid waste the fairest and most populous portions of the earth
for a succession of ages.

These symbolic locusts have also the property of scorpions, a poisonous
reptile, resembling in some degree a lizard combined with a lobster,
armed with a sting in the end of its tail. Wicked and impenitent men are
compared to scorpions. (Ezek. ii. 6.) But these locusts are under
restraint. They are permitted to hurt only "those men which have not the
seal of God in their foreheads." The time of their continuance is "five
months," of thirty days each, making 150 years,--"a day for a year."
(Ezek. iv. 6.) In the year 606, Mahomet began his imposture by retiring
to the cave of Hera. In 612 he appeared publicly as the apostle of his
new religion at the head of his deluded followers. Between 612 and 762,
he and the warlike chiefs who succeeded him, overran with terrible
destruction, Syria, Persia, India, Egypt and Spain. Although the
Saracenic empire continued for a longer time, yet from this time it lost
the disorderly _Locust_ character and because a more settled
commonwealth. In the year 762, the city of Bagdad was built by one of
the caliphs, who called it "the city of peace." This put a stop to the
devastations of the locusts, when the empire began to decline. It was
foretold, however, that during the time of successful war by these cruel
invaders, they would inflict such miseries upon their wretched victims,
that they would earnestly but vainly desire death to put an end to their
exquisite torments. It is farther said that these locusts resembled
horses, as indeed they do, especially in their heads. The Arabians
excelled in horsemanship, and their chief force lay in cavalry. The
"crowns upon their heads" may refer to the turbans worn by the Arabians
as part of their national costume; or to the kingdoms which they
subdued. Flowing hair is also characteristic of these people. Their