Liber Aleph

THE BOOK OF WISDOM OR FOLLY 131 Ea De Cursu Sapientis (Of the Course of Wisdom) HEREFORE consider this again in a Figure, that thy Mind is as the Marshal of an Army, to observe the Dispositions of the Enemy, and to order his own Forces rightly, according to that Information; but he hath no will, only Obedience to the Word of his King to outwit and to overcome the Opposite. Nor doth that King make War by his own Whim, if he be wise and true, but solely because of the Necessity of his Country, and its Nature, whereof he is but Executive Officer and Interpreter, its Voice as the Marshal is its Arm. Thus then do thou understand thyself, not giving Place to thy Mind to dispute thy Will, nor through Ignorance and Carelessness allowing the Enemy to deceive thee, nor by Fear, by Imprudence and Foolhardiness, by Hesitation and Vacillation, by Disorder and the Lack of Firm Correctness, by Failure in Elasticity or in Obstinacy, each at its Moment, suffering Defeat in the Hour of Shock. So, then, o my Son, this is thy Work, to know the Word of thy Will without Error, and to make perfect every Faculty of thy Mind, in right Order and Readiness to impose that Word as Law upon the Universe. So mote it be! t