The highest aim of the alchemist was the evolution of a divine and immortal being out of a mortal and semi-animal man; the development, in short, of all those hidden properties which lie latent in man's nature." "That is a very valuable thing to know," observed Austin, greatly interested.

"Every day I live, the more I realise the truth that everything we see is on the surface, and that there's a whole world of machinery--I can't think of a better term--working at the back of it.
It's like a clock.

The face and the hands are all we see, but it's the works inside that we can't see that make it go." "Excellently put," returned St Aubyn.

"There are influences and forces all round us of which we only notice the effects, and how far these forces are intelligent is a very curious question.

I see nothing unscientific myself in the hypothesis that they may be." "I wonder!" exclaimed Austin.