The Horror in Clay

           "Ofsuchgreatpowersorbeingstheremaybeconceivablyasurvival... asurvivalofahugelyremoteperiodwhen... consciousnesswasmanifested,perhaps,inshapesandformslongsincewithdrawn beforethetideofadvancinghumanity... formsofwhichpoetryandlegend alonehavecaughtaflyingmemoryandcalledthemgods,monsters, mythicalbeingsofallsortsandkinds..." 

           —AlgernonBlackwood 

           Themostmercifulthingintheworld, Ithink,istheinabilityofthehumanmindtocorrelateallitscontents. Weliveonaplacidislandofignoranceinthemidstofblackseasofinfinity, anditwasnotmeantthatweshouldvoyagefar. Thesciences,eachstraininginitsowndirection, havehithertoharmeduslittle; butsomedaythepiecingtogetherofdissociatedknowledgewillopenupsuchterrifyingvistasofreality, andofourfrightfulpositiontherein,thatweshalleithergomadfromtherevelation orfleefromthedeadlylightintothepeace andsafetyofanewdarkage. 

           Theosophistshaveguessedattheawesomegrandeurofthecosmiccycle whereinourworldandhumanraceformtransientincidents. Theyhavehintedatstrangesurvivalsinterms whichwouldfreezethebloodifnotmaskedbyablandoptimism. Butitisnotfromthemthattherecamethesingleglimpseofforbiddenaeons whichchillsmewhenIthinkofitandmaddensmewhenIdreamofit. Thatglimpse,likealldreadglimpsesoftruth, flashedoutfromanaccidentalpiecingtogetherofseparatedthings —inthiscaseanoldnewspaperitemandthenotesofadeadprofessor. Ihopethatnooneelsewillaccomplishthispiecingout; certainly,ifIlive, Ishallneverknowinglysupplyalinkinsohideousachain.