“MY PROPHETIC visions come almost exclusively in daylight and in symbol. At the time of receiving the one which evidently symbolises the birth of the spirit of a new age, I had no thought in my mind of any such subject. In fact, I was engaged in household duties.

“Suddenly I became conscious on an apparently endless plateau. The only thing upon it was a chariot. Within it was a woman of about middle age. Her face bore a careworn, anxious expression, but in her eyes, which gazed fixedly in front, was vision. Far into the distance and upward she gazed, utterly unconscious of a steep precipice, which I now perceived lay in front of the chariot.

“My attention was then directed more particularly to the wheels. There were three on the side that was towards me. Each wheel was being propelled by a deformed dwarf-like creature, and they all gazed intently at the ground.

“The front one had the appearance of stupidity, and was apparently only pushing his wheel at the instigation of the one behind whose whispers into his ear; the other was moving though unconscious of him. This second creature was more intelligent-looking and slightly evil; he, too, worked his wheel as directed by the unseen being behind him. This last creature was still more alert, and his expression almost demoniac. He turned his wheel vigorously, and I knew that his whispers were malicious and mischievous suggestions. Behind all and inciting the third was a devil, fiendishly exultant. His message was being passed on, from mouth to ear in such terms as would specially appeal to each different recipient; for each believed himself acting on his own incentive and for his own ends.

“Faster and faster the chariot rushed towards the precipice, only the devil at the back realising what was imminent. My whole soul strove to shout a warning to the beautiful and tragic figure in the car, but she was oblivious of everything but the vision she saw in the distant heavens. On and on the car was pushed to the very edge of the precipice. In horror, I awaited the catastrophe.