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The Improvement of Human Reason - Exhibited in the Life of Hai Ebn Yokdhan by Ibn Tufail
page 39 of 141 (27%)
§ 16. Notwithstanding this she grew lean and weak, and continu'd a while
in a languishing Condition, till at last she Dyed, and then all her
Motions and Actions ceas'd. When the Boy perceiv'd her in this
Condition, he was ready to dye for Grief. He call'd her with the same
voice which she us'd to answer to, and made what Noise he could, but
there was no Motion, no Alteration. Then he began to peep into her Eyes
and Ears, but could perceive no visible defect in either; in like manner
he examin'd all the parts of her Body, and found nothing amiss, but
every thing as it should be. He had a vehement desire to find, if
possible, that part were the defect was, that he might remove it, and
she return to her former State, of Life and Vigour. But he was
altogether at a loss, how to compass his design, nor could he possibly
bring it about.

§ 17. That which put him upon this search, was what he observ'd in
himself. He took Notice that when he shut his Eyes, or held any thing
before them, he could see nothing at all, till that Obstacle was
removed; and so when he put his Fingers into his Ears, that he could not
hear, till he took 'em out again; and when he closed his Nostrils
together, he smelt nothing till they were open'd; from whence he
concluded, that all his Senses and Actions were liable to Obstacles and
Impediments, upon the removal of which, the same Operations return'd to
their former course. Therefore, when he had examined every External Part
of her, and found no visible defect, and yet at the same time perceiv'd
an Universal Cessation of Motion in the whole Body, not peculiar to one
Member, but common to them all, he began to imagine that the hurt was in
some part, which was most remote from the sight, and hidden in the
inward part of the Body; and that this Part was of such nature and use,
that without its help, none of the other External Parts could exercise
their proper Functions; and that if this Part suffer any hurt, the
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