| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Shadow out of Time by H. P. Lovecraft: that you will want to lead an expedition to the desert and make
some archaeological excavations. Both Dr. Boyle and I are prepared
to cooperate in such work if you - or organizations known to you
- can furnish the funds.
I can get together a dozen miners for
the heavy digging - the blackfellows would be of no use, for I've
found that they have an almost maniacal fear of this particular
spot. Boyle and I are saying nothing to others, for you very obviously
ought to have precedence in any discoveries or credit.
The place
can be reached from Pilbarra in about four days by motor tractor
Shadow out of Time |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: existence must hold firmly to this knowledge, just as the sick man clings
to the physician, or the passenger depends for safety on the pilot. And if
the soul does not set sail until she have obtained this she will be all the
safer in the voyage through life. But when she rushes in pursuit of wealth
or bodily strength or anything else, not having the knowledge of the best,
so much the more is she likely to meet with misfortune. And he who has the
love of learning (Or, reading polumatheian, 'abundant learning.'), and is
skilful in many arts, and does not possess the knowledge of the best, but
is under some other guidance, will make, as he deserves, a sorry voyage:--
he will, I believe, hurry through the brief space of human life, pilotless
in mid-ocean, and the words will apply to him in which the poet blamed his
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Aspern Papers by Henry James: of decision. They seemed to imply that the bequest would be accompanied
with a command that the articles bequeathed should remain concealed
from every inquisitive eye and that I was very much mistaken if I thought
she was the person to depart from an injunction so solemn.
"Oh, of course you will have to abide by the terms," I said;
and she uttered nothing to mitigate the severity of this conclusion.
Nonetheless, later, just before we disembarked at her own door,
on our return, which had taken place almost in silence,
she said to me abruptly, "I will do what I can to help you."
I was grateful for this--it was very well so far as it went;
but it did not keep me from remembering that night in a worried
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