AUTHOR'S PREFACE TO THE READER
WE have written this work, not for the irrational
animals who, in their exterior, have the form of
man, bat in their image, in spirit, are evil and wild
beasts, which is disclosed and exhibited by their
properties; but for the image of man, for those
who are budding forth out of the animal image
with a human image that belongs to God's kingdom,
and who would fain live and grow in the human
image, in the right man. Those who are often
and much hindered by the contrarious life, and thus
are involved in the mixed life, and travail in desire
for the birth of the holy life : for them are these
writings written. And we bid them not regard it
as impossible to discern and to know such mystery ;
and we give them this to consider of in a similitude.
Let them imagine a life which is the outcome and
growth of all lives, and is mixed. But let them also
imagine another life to grow in it from all the lives,
which, though it had grown from all the lives, was
free from all the other lives, and yet possessed all the
essential properties of those lives. This other new
life (let them imagine) is illuminated with the light,
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