THE IMPROVEMENT OF HUMAN REASON ***
Produced by Marc D'Hooghe
THE IMPROVEMENT OF HUMAN REASON
Exhibited in the Life
of Hai Ebn Yokdhan
by
Ibn Tufail (Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Tufail al-Qasi)
Newly Translated from the Original Arabick by Simon Ockley
(1708)
* * * * *
The Improvement of
HUMAN REASON,
Exhibited in the LIFE of
_Hai Ebn Yokdhan_:
Written in _Arabick_ above 500 Years _ago, by _Abu Jaafar Ebn Tophail_.
In which is demonstrated,
By what Methods one may, by the meer LIGHT OF NATURE, attain the Knowledg of things NATURAL and SUPERNATURAL; more particularly the Knowledg of God, and the Affairs of another Life.
Illustrated with proper FIGURES,
Newly Translated from the Original _Arabick_ by _SIMON OCKLEY_, A.M. Vicar of _Swanesey_ in _Cambridgshire_.
With an APPENDIX,
In Which the Possibility of Man's attaining the True Knowledg of GOD, and Things necessary to Salvation, without INSTRUCTION, is briefly consider'd.
* * * * *
To the Reverend
_Mr_. Edward Pococke,
Rector of
_MINAL_, in _Wiltshire_.
Reverend SIR,
Hai Ebn Yokdhan _returns to you again, in a Dress different from that which you sent him out in. Wherever he comes, he acknowledges you for his first and best Master; and confesses, that his being put in a Capacity to travel thro'_ Europe, _is owing to your Hand. I could not in Equity send him to any other Person, you being the sole Proprietor. And as your Learning enables you to do him Justice, so your Candor will incline you to pardon what is by me done amiss. Both which Qualifications you enjoy, as a Paternal Inheritance, descending from the Reverend and Learned _Dr. Pococke,_ the Glory and Ornament of our Age and Nation. Whose Memory I much reverence, and how much I acknowledge my self indebted to him for his Learned Works, I thought I could no way express better, than by taking some Opportunity to pay my Respects to you, Sir, the worthy Son of so great a Father. And no fitter Bearer than_ Hai Ebn Yokdhan, _with whose Character and Language you are so well acquainted, and to whom you have long ago shown so great a Respect, that I have no reason to fear but he will be welcome_.
_I am_,
_SIR,_
_Your most humble Servant_,
Simon Ockley,
* * * * *
THE PREFACE.
When Mr. _Pococke_ first publish'd this _Arabick_ Author with his accurate _Latin_ Version, _Anno_ 1671. Dr. _Pococke_ his Father, that late eminent Professor of the Oriental Languages in the University of _Oxford_, prefix'd a Preface to it; in which he tells us, that he has good Reason to think, that this Author was contemporary with _Averroes_, who died very ancient in the Year of the _Hegira_ 595, which is co-incident with the 1198th Year of our Lord; according to which Account, the Author liv'd something above five hundred Years ago.
