d that
which us'd to appear to him only by fits and starts, becomes habitual;
and that which was only a glimmering before, a constant Light; and he
obtains a constant and steady Knowledge._ Thus far _Avicenna_. Besides,
he has given an account of those several steps and degrees by which a
Man is brought to this perfection; till his Soul is like a polish'd
Looking-glass, in which he beholds the _Truth_: and then he swims in
pleasure, and rejoyces exceedingly in his Mind, because of the
impressions of _Truth_ which he perceives in it, When he is once
attain'd thus far, the next thing which employs him is, that he
sometimes looks towards _Truth_, and sometimes towards _himself_; and
thus he fluctuates between both, till he retires from himself wholly,
and looks only to-ward the Divine Essence; and if he do's at any time
look towards his own Soul, the only reason is, because that looks
to-wards God; and from thence arises a perfect Conjunction [with God.]

And, according to this manner which he has describ'd, he do's by no
means allow that this _Taste_ is attain'd by way of Speculation or
Deduction of Consequences. And that you may the more clearly apprehend
the difference between the perception of these sort of Men, and those
other; I shall propose you a familiar instance. Suppose a Man born
Blind, but of quick Parts, and a good Capacity, a tenacious Memory, and
solid Judgment, who had liv'd in the place of his Nativity, till he had
by the help of the rest of his Senses, contracted an acquaintance with a
great many in the Neighbourhood, and learn'd the several kinds of
Animals, and Things inanimate, and the Streets and Houses of the Town,
so as to go any where about it without a Guide, and to know such people
as he met, and call them, by their names; and knew the names of
Colours[10], and the difference of them by their descriptions and
definitions; and after he had learn'd all this, should have his Eyes
open'd: Why, this Man, when he walk'd about the Town, would find every
thing to be exactly agreeable to those notions which he had before; and
that Colours were such as he had before conceiv'd them to be, by those
descriptions he had receiv'd: so that the difference between his
apprehensions when blind, and those which he would have now his Eyes
were opened, would consist only in these two great Things, one of which
is a consequent of the other, _viz._, a greater Clearness, and extream
Delight. From whence 'tis plain, that