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GlmzzaWs Alchemy of Happiness. 



have, besides, tlie inspired word which declares that all 

 these things will take place ; and all the prophets (upon 

 whom be peace ! ) and all the saints and teachers of religion 

 (upon whom may God have mercy ! ) have testified to the 

 truth of them. 



Do you not see that if you were desirous to partake of 

 food and were just stretching forth your hand to take it, 

 and some one should say, " Beware, and do not eat of that 

 food, for it is deadly poison," or " a serpent has vomited 

 upon it," that although there was a doubt in your mind 

 whether what he said was true or false, still you would 

 believe him and refrain from eating the food ? You would 

 say to yourself: " If I do not eat it, I have nothing to 

 suffer but to remain hungry for a while longer, but if I eat 

 it, I may kill myself. It is prudent, therefore, for me to 

 refrain from it." 



Again, if you were sick, and a person who writes ma- 

 gical phrases and charms, should say to you, " give me a 

 drachm of silver, and I will write for you a well tried 

 charm by means of which you will immediately get well," 

 although you know that there is no relation of fitness be- 

 tween an external charm, and an internal disorder of the 

 stomach for instance, and that there is little probability of 

 your recovering by its means, you are still disposed to take 

 it. And you say, " Come, let me have it, if it act as a 

 medicine, I shall be a gainer by so many drachms of silver, 

 and if it do me no good, I shall only have lost a single 

 drachm. I ought therefore to try it." 



Once more, if an astrologer should say to you, " if you 

 will drink this bitter and disagreeable medicine, you will 

 not be attacked with illness during the whole of this com- 

 ing year, for the moon is in such a station among the hea- 

 venly bodies," notwithstanding the lie of the astrologer 

 should be very clear to your mind, and you have no confi- 

 dence in what he says, you would reply, "well, let me 



