there you would have continued to rely on us. Well, nay there not
exist some other judge SUPERIOR to reason who, if he appeared,
would refute the judgments of reason in the same way that reason
refuted us? The non-appearance of such a judge is no proof of his
non-existence. ... I strove to answer this objection, and my
difficulties increased when I came to reflect on sleep. I said to
myself: During sleep you give to visions a reality and
consistence, and on awakening you are made aware that they were
nothing but visions. What assurance have you that all you feel and
know does actually exist? It is all true as respects your
condition at the moment,--but it is nevertheless possible that
another condition should present itself which should be to your
awakened state, that which your awakened state is now to your
sleep,--SO THAT, AS RESPECTS THIS HIGHER CONDITION YOUR WAKING IS
BUT SLEEP."

Over and over again Alwyn read these words and pondered on the
deep and difficult problems they suggested, and he was touched to
an odd sense of shamed compunction, when at the close of the book
he came upon Algazzali's confession of utter vanquishment and
humility thus simply recorded:

"I examined my actions and found the best were those relating to
instruction and education, and even there I saw myself given up to
unimportant sciences all useless in another world. Reflecting on
the aim of my teaching, I found it was not pure in the sight of
the Lord. And that all my efforts were directed toward the
acquisition of glory to myself. Having therefore distributed my
wealth I left Bagdad and retired into Syria, where I remained in
solitary struggle with my soul, combating my passions and