The Improvement of Human Reason | Page 7

then afterwards hear it from him again, or at least such as
are of an excellent Capacity, and can apprehend a thing from the least
intimation. The same Author says in his _Aljawâhir_ [i.e. _The Jewels_]
that he had Books not fit to be communicated, but to such only as were
qualified to read them, and that in them he had laid down the _Naked
Truth_; but none of them ever came into Spain that we know of: we
have indeed had Books which some have imagin'd to be those
incommunicable ones he speaks of, but 'tis a mistake, for those are
_Almaâreph Alakliyah [Intellectual notices]_ and the _Alnaphchi
waltéswiyal [Inflation and Æquation]_ and besides these, a Collection
of several Questions. But as for these, tho' there are some hints in them,
yet they contain nothing of particular use to the clearing of things, but
what you may meet with in his other Books. There are, 'tis true, in his
Almeksad Alasna, some things which are more profound than what we
meet with in the rest of his Books, but he expressly says, that that Book
is not _incommunicable_; from whence it follows, those Books which
are come to our hands are not those incommunicable ones which he
means. Some have fancy'd that there were some great matters contain'd
in that Discourse of his, which is at the end of his _Meschâl_ [i.e.
_Casement_] (which Belief of theirs, has plung'd them into inextricable
Difficulties) where speaking of the several sorts of those who are kept
from nearer Approaches, by the Brightness of the radiation of the
Divine light, and then of those who had attain'd to the UNION, he says
of these later, _That they apprehended such Attributes to belong to the
Divine Essence as were destructive of its Unity_; from, whence it
appear'd to them that he believ'd a sort of Multiplicity in the Godhead,
which is horrid Blasphemy. Now I make no Question but that the
worthy Doctor _Algazâli_ was one of those which attain'd to the utmost
degree of Happiness, and to those heights which are proper to those
who enjoy the _UNION_; but as for his secret or incommunicable
Books, which contain the manner of Revelation, they never came to my
hands: and that pitch of knowledge which I have attain'd to, is owing to
his other works and to Avicenna, which I read and compar'd with the
Opinions of the present Philosophers, till at length I came to the
Knowledge of the Truth. At first indeed, by way of Enquiry and
Contemplation;but afterwards I came to have a perfect sense, and then I
found that I could say something which I could call my own. Now I

was resolv'd that you should be the first, to whom I would
Communicate what I knew about these matters, both upon the account
of the Intimacy of our Friendship, and your Candor and Integrity. Only
observe, that my discovering to you the Ends which I attain'd in this
way, without proving the Principles to you first, by which those Ends
are attain'd, will do you no more Service, than any other Story which
you receive by tradition, or any thing told you in general, of which you
don't know how to make a particular application. Presuming that you
will accept it kindly, not for any merit of the Author, but upon the
account of our Friendship and Acquaintance; and I heartily desire that
you mayn't stop here, but aspire to a loftier degree: for this is so far
from being able to bring you to those heights, that is not sufficient to
save you. Now I would lead you by the same paths which I have walk'd
in before you, and make you steer by the same Compass, till you arrive
at the same Point, and see with your own Eyes what I have seen before
you, so as not to take it on trust any longer from me, but to experience
it yourself. But this is a matter which will not only require considerable
Time, but also that you are free and disingag'd from all manner of
Business, and follow it close with great Application. And if you are
really in earned, and set about it heartily, you will rejoyce as one that
has Travelled all Night do's when the Sun rises upon him, and will
receive a Blessing for your Labour, and take delight in your Lord, and
he will delight in you. And for my own part, you will find me,
according to your own Hearts desire, just such an one as you could
wish; and I hope that I shall lead you in the right way, free from Evils
and Dangers: and really I perceive some Glimmerings now, by the help
of which I shall