small quaint volume entitled "The Final Philosophy Of Algazzali
The Arabian." It was printed in two languages--the original Arabic
on one page, and, facing it, the translation in very old French.
The author, born A.D. 1058, described himself as "a poor student
striving to discern the truth of things"--and his work was a
serious, incisive, patiently exhaustive inquiry into the workings
of nature, the capabilities of human intelligence, and the
deceptive results of human reason. Reading it, Alwyn was
astonished to find that nearly all the ethical propositions
offered for the world's consideration to-day by the most learned
and cultured minds, had been already advanced and thoroughly
discussed by this same Algazzali. One passage in particular
arrested his attention as being singularly applicable to his own
immediate condition, . . it ran as follows,--

"I began to examine the objects of sensation and speculation to
see if they could possibly admit of doubt. Then, doubts crowded
upon me in such numbers that my incertitude became complete.
Whence results the confidence I have in sensible things? The
strongest of all our senses is sight,--yet if we look at the stars
they seem to be as small as money-pieces--but mathematical proofs
convince us that they are larger than the earth. These and other
things are judged by the SENSES, but rejected by REASON as false.
I abandoned the senses therefore, having seen my confidence in
their ABSOLUTE TRUTH shaken. Perhaps, said I, there is no
assurance but in the notions of reason? ... that is to say, first
principles, as that ten is more than three? Upon this the SENSES
replied: What assurance have you that your confidence in REASON is
not of the same nature as your confidence in US? When you relied
on us, reason stepped in and gave us the lie,--had not reason been