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I interpret "far higher order" meaning that Sauron was a far greater Maia than Gandalf or Saruman.
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I believe that a "far higher order" would reffer to the difference between an embodied istar and Sauron; an istar would assume many weaknesses specific to a Man's body (cf. The Istari, UT), and the "needs to learn much anew by slow experience".
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Not only are Gandalf and Sauron "of the same order" here, but Gandalf "might be expected to master Sauron."
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I believe it is relevant to mention the two reasons given in the letter for this:
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It would be a delicate balance. On one side the true allegiance of the Ring to Sauron; on the other superior strength because Sauron was not actually in possession, and perhaps also because he was weakened by long corruption and expenditure of will in dominating inferiors.
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It would be interesting to explore what "superior strength" implies. Galadriel says that a ring would give power according to the measure of its (or at least after a while, if the wielder is not powerful enough); we would also need to speculate, if possible at all, how much Sauron's corruptions diminished his power.