welfare of mankind; and to the malevolent creative Powers they
attributed all that was noxious in creation; all that was harmful to
man, and detrimental to his moral and physical progress (_i.e._
diseases, and all savage and filthy passions); all races of low
intelligence, viz. Paleolithic and Neolithic man--and all those born
with black or red skins (those colours being particularly significant
of the malignant Occult Elements); all destructive animals; (_i.e._
reptiles such as the teleosaurus, steneosaurus, etc.; birds, such as
the ptereodactyl, vulture, eagle, etc.; mammals, such as the cave
lion, cave tiger, etc.; fish, such as the shark, octopus, etc.); and
all ugly and venomous insects.

These earliest records show that at one time the physical and
superphysical world were in close touch; all kinds of spirits--trolls,
pixies, nymphs, satyrs, imps, Vagrarians, Barrowvians, etc.--mixing
freely with living human beings; but that as the population increased
and civilization evolved, superphysical manifestations became more and
more rare, until finally they became restricted to certain conditions
dependent on time and locality.[10]

Up to this period there had been no state religion--no temples in
Atlantis. If any one wished for a particular favour from the Occult
Powers--for example, from the Rabsés, the Occult Powers of music; the
Brakvos, the Occult Powers of medicine; or the Derinas, the Occult
Powers of love, they retired to some secluded spot and held direct
intercourse with these Powers. The idea of praying to an invisible
being--who might or might not hear them--never entered their minds;
they were far too matter of fact for that--and it was not until
superphysical manifestations had become confined to a very select few,
that the plan of erecting public buildings in spots frequented by the