3- (Note to page 291). 
The Oracles of Zoroaster utter this : 
“And when, by often invoking, ail the phantasms are vanished, thou shalt 
see that Holy and Formless Fire, that Fire which darts and flashes through 
ail the Depths of the Universe; hear thou the Voice of the P'ire! 
“A similar Fire flashingly extending through the rushings of Air, or a 
Fire formless whence cometh the Image of a voice, or even a flashing Light 
abounding, revolving, whirling forth, crying aloud. Also there is the 
vision of the fire-flashing Courser of Light, or also a Child, borne aloft on 
the shoulders of the Celestial Steed, fïery, or clothed with gold, or naked, 
or shooting with the bow shafts or light, and standing on the shoulders of 
the horse, then if thy méditation prolongeth ’tself, thou shalt unité ail these 
symbols into the Form of a Lion.” 
This passage — combined with several others — is paraphased in poetry 
by Aleister Crowley in his “Tannhauser”. 
“And when, invoking o]ten> thou shalt see 
That formless Fire; when ail the earth is shaken, 
The stars abide not, and the moon is gone, 
Ail Time crushed back into Eternity, 
The Universe by earthquake overtaken; 
Light is not, and the thunders roll, 
The World is done: 
When in the darkness Chaos rolls again 
In the excited brain: 
Then, O then call not to thy view that visible 
Image of Nature; fatal is her name! 
It fitteth not thy Body to behold 
That living light of Hell, 
The unluminous, dead flame, 
Until that body from the crucible 
Hath passed, pure gold! 
For, from the confines of material space, 
The twilight-moving place, 
The gates of matter, and the dark threshold, 
Before the faces of the Things that dwell 
In the Abodes of Night, 
Spring into sight 
Démons, dog-faced, that show no mortal sign 
Of Truth, but desecrate the Light Divine, 
Seducing from the sacred mysteries. 
But, after ail these Folk of Fear are driven 
Before the avenging levin 
That rives the opening skies, 
Behold that Formless and that Holy Flame 
— 292 —