. They understood and
were able to observe the ether, which modern science can only
postulate as a necessity for its theories; they were aware that it
consists of physical matter in four entirely distinct states above the
gaseous--a fact which has not yet been re-discovered. They knew that
all physical objects consisted of matter in one or other of these
seven states, and that into the composition of every organic body all
seven entered in a greater or lesser degree; hence all their talk of
fiery and watery humours, or "elements," which seems so grotesque to
us. It is obvious that they used the latter word simply as a synonym
for "constituent parts," without in the least degree intending it to
connote the idea of substances which could not be further reduced.
They knew also that each of these orders of matter served as an Upadhi
or basis of manifestation for a great class of evolving monadic
essence, and so they christened the essence "elemental".

What we have to try to realize, then, is that in every particle of
solid matter, so long as it remains in that condition, there resides,
to use the picturesque phraseology of mediaeval students, an earth
elemental--that is, a certain amount of the living elemental essence
appropriate to it, while equally in every particle of matter in the
liquid, gaseous, or etheric states, the water, air, and fire
"elementals" respectively inhere. It will be observed that this first
broad division of the third of the elemental kingdoms is, so to speak,
a horizontal one--that is to say, its respective classes stand in the
relation of steps, each somewhat less material than the one below it,
which ascends into it by almost imperceptible degrees; and it is easy
to understand how each of these classes may again be divided
horizontally into seven, since there are obviously many degrees of
density among solids, liquids and gases. There is, however, what may
be described as a perpendicular division also, and this is somewhat
more difficult to comprehend, especially as great reserve is always
maintained by occultists as to some of the facts which would be
involved in a fuller explanation of it. Perhaps the clearest way to
put what it is permissible to say on the subject will be to state that
in each of the horizontal classes and subclasses will be found seven
perfectly distinct types of elemental, the difference between them
being no longer a question of degree of materiality, but rather of
charact