Preface

FriendlyAdvice

[Written impromptu by the author on delivering this book, already prepared for publication, to the printer.]

ACCORDING TO the numerous deductions and conclusions made by me during experimental elucidations concerning the productivity of the perception by contemporary people of new impressions from what is heard and read, and also according to the thought of one of the sayings of popular wisdom I have just remembered, handed down to our days from very ancient times, which declares:

“Any prayer may be heard by the Higher Powers and a corresponding answer obtained only if it is uttered thrice:

Firstly—for the welfare or the peace of the souls of one’s parents.

Secondly—for the welfare of one’s neighbor.

And only thirdly—for oneself personally.”

I find it necessary on the first page of this book, quite ready for publication, to give the following advice:

“Read each of my written expositions thrice:

Firstly—at least as you have already become mechanized to read all your contemporary books and newspapers.

Secondly—as if you were reading aloud to another person.

And only thirdly—try and fathom the gist of my writings.”

Only then will you be able to count upon forming your own impartial judgment, proper to yourself alone, on my writings. And only then can my hope be actualized that according to your understanding you will obtain the specific benefit for yourself which I anticipate, and which I wish for you with all my being.

AUTHOR

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[Written

The literary convention is that the use of square parentheses [ ] in a book's text indicates text that was added by someone other than the author, in order to add clarity to the text. This is clearly not the case here.

The fact is that almost the same set of words appears in the text of The Herald of Coming Good . This proves that the words were written by Gurdjieff.

Perhaps Gurdjieff wants us to treat this "as if the sentence were written by someone else."

impromptu

In normal English usage the word "impromptu" means "without being planned" or "without being rehearsed." However, etymologically, it comes from the Latin in promptu, which means "in readiness," implying that the performer of the act is "ready," even if the act itself is not preconceived.

Taking the whole sentence literally, it gives the impression that Gurdjieff, delivering the final draft of the book for publication, suddenly thought: "Hmm, maybe I should add a little advice at the beginning on how to read the book." Then, concluding it is a good idea, he immediately dashes off a few paragraphs. The sentence in square parentheses is then added by someone else by way of explanation.

on delivering this book

This clause is also deceptive. In English, there are 12 different meanings to the word "on." The natural interpretation is that "on" means "at the time of."

However, another possibility is that it means "having as a topic," as in "he wrote an essay on the failures of the government."

If that were the case then the whole of the sentence in square parentheses means that the page of advice was written in readiness about the delivery of the book which is itself "already" prepared for publication.

Etymologically, "already" means, c. 1300, "in a state of readiness" (adjectival), literally "fully ready, quite prepared," a contraction of all + ready. The adverbial meaning of "by this time, previous to some specified time," is late 14C.

thrice

Both uses of the word "thrice" on this page are adverbial. It can thus mean "in three different ways" as well as "three times."

Most likely it means "in three different ways." Praying for your parents, your neighbor and yourself would involve praying in three distinctly different ways.

Thus Gudjieff's meaning is probably that our reading should be in three different ways.

To be read at least mechanically according to your inherent ability to read.
To be read as if out loud for the benefit of another.
To be read for one's own benefit in an effort to understand.

quite ready

The etymology of the word "quite" is curious. It is as folows:

quite (adv.) c. 1300, "completely, altogether, entirely, wholly," adverbial form of Middle English quit, quite (adj.) "free, clear". Originally "thoroughly;" the weaker sense of "fairly" is attested from mid-19c. In Middle English the adverb also could be quitely, quitelich, quitli (c. 1300).

So in this context, quite ready means completely ready and not "fairly ready."

at least

"at least as you have already become mechanized to read all your contemporary books and newspapers..."

To do this as requested means that you need to make the effort to read the book in your normal manner of reading-—which will for most readers reveal to them exactly how mechanically they read.

as if

"as if you were reading aloud to another person.'

ThIs is a distinctively different activity to reading out loud —you read "as if" out loud—and requires a different effort. Each reader should feel obliged and make the effort to read the whole book in this way, no matter how much time it consumes.

Note also that reading this book out loud to an audience is beneficial to the reader.

try and fathom

"try and fathom the gist of my writings."

The "and" does not mean "to" (To try to fathom the gist). To use and in that manner is grammatically incorrect.

The word "try" in this instance must then mean "to sit in judgment over as for example a case is tried in court.

The word fathom comes from the measurement fathom which is about the length of a man's outstretched arms. To fathom implies, figuratively, "getting you arms around."

Only then

The statement here is clear. You will only get the benefit of this series of books can provide if you read the books as you have been advised.

Only then will you be able to count upon forming your own impartial judgment, proper to yourself alone, on my writings. And only then can my hope be actualized that according to your understanding you will obtain the specific benefit for yourself which I anticipate, and which I wish for you with all my being.