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GhazzaWs Alchemy of Happiness. 



the pilgrim upon his camel, should be only in that propor- 

 tion which is really necessary. If he should be busy with 

 his camel day and night, and should expend all his capital 

 in feeding it, he would not reach his destination, but would 

 ultimately become separated from his caravan, would lose 

 all that he possessed, and in view of the injury he had sus- 

 tained, he would be the victim of unceasing regrets, and 

 ruin would ensue. Just so is it with man in general. If 

 he pass all his days in attending to the preservation of 

 the body, and spend the capital of his life, in providing 

 food and drink for the body, he will not reach the mansions 

 of felicity, but will wander in the wilderness of destruction, 

 without capital, penniless and a naked vagabond. 



Now the body needs in this world three things, one is 

 food, another is clothing, and the third is a home : and by 

 means of these, it can be preserved from injury and ruin. 

 If the food provided for the body is excessive, the body will 

 be destroyed : but let the food provided for the spirit be 

 ever so much, still is it well. On account, therefore, of 

 man's need of clothing and food, G-od has appointed sensu- 

 ous desire to act as a commissary, that the animal, that is, 

 the body, may not perish from hunger, cold or heat. But 

 as desire, under the control of the animal soul, would not 

 be satisfied with a sufficient quantity, but would crave to 

 spend its life in eating and drinking, God afterwards com- 

 mitted the animal soul into the charge of the reason, that 

 desire might not transgress the proper limits. Yet as the 

 animal soul and desire, on account of their intimate rela- 

 tions with the body, are so essential to it, their influence 

 would still have been predominant. But God, the holy de- 

 fender, in accordance with his bounteousness and grace, 

 (" my mercy has surpassed my anger,") has sent his law by 

 the tongues of prophets, that it might become strength to 

 the reason, and prevent the animal soul and desire from 



